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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
We are back in exclusively black Idylwild, Michigan, with Joyce--older sister of the protagonist from "What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day." Joyce is a widow, trying to straighten out the lives of the young girls in town, and finally letting herself fall in love again. Somehow I find all these characters quite relatable, even though I have very little in common with them.
this book helped to inspire my dream for social work, but also takes an honest look at the feminist movement in a sarcastic, irreverent way. a favorite comfort book.
I'm a sucker for good books that also involve Michigan in them. :) This is one of two books about the same characters. And to make it even better... it's an African American author who doesn't write in total slang. *bliss!*
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love her. Her stories are so real, and brutally honest.
Oh my gosh, I think I read this twice without knowing it!
I am again impressed at Pearl Cleage's ability to write what feel at times like pretty fluffy sisterhood-ladytimes novels, but manage to confront very real issues of lack of education/opportunity for black youth in economically depressed communities, gender-based violence, and systemic racial and gender inequality, as a matter of course. Cleage does this without being preachy or academic about the issues, just acknowledging their obvious roles in the lives of her characters in a deft and matter-of-fact way.
I also appreciate her dialogue, which incorporates many of the familiar turns of phrase I've come to know working with mostly poor black women in DC. My experience with contemporary "black" fiction is somewhat limited, so maybe this is not all that uncommon, but regardless, it's nice to find books that intelligently address complex social systems and their effect on people's lives, while still being relatively fluffy reads and speaking in the voices of that community (at least to the extent I'm familar with it).
I wish it wasn't quite so heteronormative and leaning in the direction of romance novel-y (it's obvious from the jacket blurb that our heroine will end up with this perfect dude who appears early on, and just about every character in the book has an explicitly mentioned hetero relationship past or present). But at least it acknowledges the existence of queer folks in a no-big-deal way? Enh. It frustrates.
I also appreciate her dialogue, which incorporates many of the familiar turns of phrase I've come to know working with mostly poor black women in DC. My experience with contemporary "black" fiction is somewhat limited, so maybe this is not all that uncommon, but regardless, it's nice to find books that intelligently address complex social systems and their effect on people's lives, while still being relatively fluffy reads and speaking in the voices of that community (at least to the extent I'm familar with it).
I wish it wasn't quite so heteronormative and leaning in the direction of romance novel-y (it's obvious from the jacket blurb that our heroine will end up with this perfect dude who appears early on, and just about every character in the book has an explicitly mentioned hetero relationship past or present). But at least it acknowledges the existence of queer folks in a no-big-deal way? Enh. It frustrates.
I recommend Pearl Cleage to absolutely everyone. Start with What Looks Like Crazy and read everything she's done.
I've read this book many times. Each time I read it, I want to reach for a highlighter to remember a portion or to share it with my daughter. So far, it is my favorite novel by Pearl Cleage. This book is so powerful that you can almost start reading at any point and get inspiration. I always feel inspired when I read it. I really like the way that the author includes each chapter's title somewhere in that chapter.
Consistent thought-provoking
I love Cleage's work. She has the one liners that you happen upon and they make their mark on you and what is better than a book that sticks with you?
I love Cleage's work. She has the one liners that you happen upon and they make their mark on you and what is better than a book that sticks with you?