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sunlitridges's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Child death, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse
jordynkw's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Racism, Child death, Grief, Hate crime, Rape, Murder, Trafficking, and Violence
shansometimes's review
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
SUGAR is a novel about what happens when a 20-something sex worker with a rough past decides to move to a small, conservative Arkansas town to start over. I absolutely loved it, as it included so many elements that I'm always drawn to—a historical timeframe, female friendship, tension through controversy, commentary on Christianity, small-town life, and Black southern characters.
I was on edge throughout most of the book because the author kept revealing small, worrisome details and I couldn't imagine how these things were going to come to a head. I enjoyed following along as Sugar, the primary main character, struggled with her identity and formed an unlikely friendship with Pearl, her buttoned-up, church-going neighbor. Their friendship created a strong theme of redemption and healing for both women and forced the small-town minds around them to confront their judgments, sexism, and secrets. Watching Pearl and Sugar's friendship unfold among the twists and turns in this novel and imagining all of this happening in the 1950s was my kind of wild ride.
This book also reminded me of SULA, my favorite novel by Toni Morrison, in some small ways. If you liked SULA, I think there's a good chance you'll enjoy SUGAR as much as I did. Five stars!
I was on edge throughout most of the book because the author kept revealing small, worrisome details and I couldn't imagine how these things were going to come to a head. I enjoyed following along as Sugar, the primary main character, struggled with her identity and formed an unlikely friendship with Pearl, her buttoned-up, church-going neighbor. Their friendship created a strong theme of redemption and healing for both women and forced the small-town minds around them to confront their judgments, sexism, and secrets. Watching Pearl and Sugar's friendship unfold among the twists and turns in this novel and imagining all of this happening in the 1950s was my kind of wild ride.
This book also reminded me of SULA, my favorite novel by Toni Morrison, in some small ways. If you liked SULA, I think there's a good chance you'll enjoy SUGAR as much as I did. Five stars!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
Minor: Religious bigotry
treepaperbook's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, Child death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
ffionjohnson's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Abandonment and Injury/Injury detail
books_plus_brownies's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Racism, Physical abuse, Grief, and Death
joanaprneves's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The book is well written and doesn’t give in to a virtuoso handling of misery and grief. It allows for the reader to learn about the most terrible events with a certain directedness that is not sensationalist.
That is why the ending disappointed me, but also the fact that the reason why the Christian woman (Pearl) and later her husband Joe too, befriend the prostitute (Sugar) is more related to kin than to generosity of spirit. Rather than opening up the characters to a real Christian sense of humanity (or simply humanism), the book becomes a cliché of a lost daughter ending up in the arms (for a while at least) of her long lost father and substitute mother. Joe is described as an independent man, who doesn’t yield to gossip or toxic masculinity so the hardly credible plot twist of Sugar being his daughter undermines the sparkle of humanity to book seemed to build within a small community.
There was such a good opportunity, if one had to keep the topic of parenthood, to explore parental projections against pure acceptance and care: because they don’t know that Joe is the father, the couple who take Sugar into their homes as almost an adoptive daughter let her be who she is, although trying to steer her away from prostitution.
There are very strong moments, but they often feel like driftwood floating at the surface of things: Pearl discovering her body, her beauty, could be such an intimate and profound moment but it just “brings her back” as if things were that simple.
Nevertheless, the impeccable style of the book and the originality of the characters, despite what I mentioned make for a good read.
That is why the ending disappointed me, but also the
There was such a good opportunity, if one had to keep the topic of parenthood, to explore parental projections against pure acceptance and care: because they don’t know that Joe is the father, the couple who take Sugar into their homes as almost an adoptive daughter let her be who she is, although trying to steer her away from prostitution.
There are very strong moments, but they often feel like driftwood floating at the surface of things: Pearl discovering her body, her beauty, could be such an intimate and profound moment but it just “brings her back” as if things were that simple.
Nevertheless, the impeccable style of the book and the originality of the characters, despite what I mentioned make for a good read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Sexual content
books_baking_brews's review against another edition
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Sugar by Bernice L McFadden
Synopsis: Set in 1950s Arkansas, Sugar tells the tell of the unlikely friendship which forms between young prostitute Sugar Lacey and grieving mother Pearl Taylor. When Sugar moves next door to Pearl, she immediately scandalizes the town sitting naked in her front room and receiving clients into her home. But Pearl and Sugar are drawn to each, and both are still very much dealing with their traumatic pasts.
I had been looking into McFadden’s catalog ever since reading A Praise Song for the Butterflies. So when I had the chance to read Sugar, I jumped at it, and I was not disappointed. Definitely in my top 10 reads of last year. I loved McFadden’s development and treatment of both women, the way she handled the racism prevalent at that time, and how small towns can sometimes be too insular if you don't fit the mold. I was sad to leave the two friends at the end, but then I discovered there was a part 2 to Sugar’s story, and I immediately ordered it. I can’t wait to dive into This Bitter Earth next! Five stars from me and would recommend.
CW: child abuse, death of a child, racism
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, and Child abuse
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