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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
3.5. Started very slow. Gained speed and is worth sticking with.
Premise: 16-year-old Hannie’s part of the story takes place in 1875, 10 years after the Civil War. She works as a sharecropper on the plantation where she was originally enslaved. She hasn’t seen her family in the last 10 years. She is then on the road with the plantation owner’s 2 teenage daughters from his mistress. During the journey they take shelter in a church with a wall full of newspaper clippings on it. The clippings are called “Lost Friends.” For 50 cents, a person can publish the details of their family member to get a hold of the “seeker” if anyone had information.
We also find ourselves in 1980 with the character Benny in Louisiana. She has her first teaching job at a poor high school in a small town. Her students get involved in a research project about their ancestors. Benny is also living on the plantation where Hannie once lived.
How will these two stories connect?
Did you know that the Lost Friends column actually existed? It was sent to black churches, where the pastor would read the column to the congregation.
Some thoughts…
Hannie’s story illustrates the trauma of slavery and being separated from her family. But it also illustrates her bravery and strength. (She obviously was based on real people.)
Benny’s story showed that people are still struggling with poverty and prejudice, and that there is still an importance of knowing and preserving history.
Think about what kinds of decisions are being made in several states regarding what can be taught in the classroom – especially as it relates to black history.
There is much to gain from this book.
Bored. I usually enjoy this genre of book, but this just didn’t capture my interest. I gave up trying to finish reading it.
I have to admit it took me several weeks to start this book. It is a book club pick and I was struggling with reading another "slave narrative" this year. I was especially apprehensive about the author's credibility in this area. I'm not familiar with her work. However, once I got past the first two chapters I was mesmerized. I forgot the author was a white woman because all of the characters were so well defined, the period, the politics, the castes, the conflicts, and the empathy was so truthful. Hannie is a super hero of sorts and Juneau Jane an unlikely but powerful shero in her own right. They bravely set out on an adventure to claim what was rightfully theirs and in horrifying conditions found a purpose beyond inheritance and land deeds in telling the stories of lost souls. And you have Gus and Benny in their supporting roles, we all need allies. I'm humbled to have set in their presence. This was such an encouraging read for the new year.
1.5 stars. I’m not even sure why I finished this one. I found it incredibly boring, and couldn’t connect with any of the characters. Then Benny’s reveal at the end was unnecessary and pointless - it seemed to be tacked on as an attempt for a dramatic ending. The concept of the book of lost friends was intriguing, but it never maintained my interest. I thought the two storylines would tie together in a more satisfying way. Big disappointment after Before We Were Yours.
There's not much to say. I wanted to love this book. The reviews were outstanding. But no. I was hopeful through the first hundred pages, pushed through the second hundred, then started skimming quickly to find the interesting parts. I finally gave up at p246. The individual story lines were promising but the stories moved soooo slowly that I just couldn't stay interested.