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Acts of Forgiveness by Maura Cheeks

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ukponge's review

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Content Warnings

kircranefil's review

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.5

"Acts of Forgiveness" by Maura Cheeks is a stirring debut dealing with the complexities of ambition, inheritance, and the weight of history. Set against the backdrop of the first US federal reparations program, the novel grapples with how much lineage one is willing to unearth in pursuit of redemption.

Meet Willie Revel: a single mother who sacrificed her journalism career to save her father's struggling construction company in Philadelphia. When the Forgiveness Act is proposed, offering Black families up to $175 thousand if they can prove their descent from slaves, Willie sees it as a chance for redemption but her family isn't as eager to dig up the past. Will Willie embarks on the journey to verify her family's ancestry?

Cheeks pairs powerful insight with moving prose and asks us to consider two things: one, how history shapes our identity, and two, what it truly means to leave behind a legacy. Cheeks had me reflecting on my own family histories, digging out my ancestry boxes. As a bi-racial woman, I was left to my own wonderings and the enduring impact of our choices.

Cheeks has crafted a remarkable debut who will linger in your heart long after the final page. Whether you're drawn to contemporary fiction, literary exploration, or stories that resonate with the human experience, this novel is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books of Random House Publishing Group for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

jackie1324's review

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

litgirlliv's review

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reflective medium-paced

3.5

I love the idea of a novel that advances the reparations movement, but I don’t think this will be the novel that catalyzes change. First, only the latter half of the book appears meaningfully dedicated to reparations. Second, and relatedly, it misses numerous opportunities to inspire vision and reflection. What is the case for reparations? How does the movement gain traction? What are the results? This book likely would have benefited from an editor who more familiar with the reparations movement and better positioned to refine a vision for reparations. A stronger editor would have also pruned the meandering subplots that do not further the book’s thesis or resolve. That said, the writing still is lovely and engaging.