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A review by kydneybean
Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.5
Generational family sagas with beautiful writing and moving characters will always make for a great time, and Memphis is no exception. Following the lives of 3 generations of women and the sorrows and joy, tragedy and triumph, violence and care, sacrifice and hard work, and the way all of these events have impacted the generations that follow. Hazel, Miriam, August, Joan. All of these women find solace in each other and their community and art in order to survive the impossible choices they all had to make. It's a heartbreaking read, but it's also a celebration of strength and resilience, of family and friendship and community.
One of the best aspects of this book is that sense of community in Memphis. It's true that there's no vast cast of characters besides the family and their close friends like Miss Dawn, but the sense of community is absolutely there especially when there are tragedies that occur, both personal and shared. When Myron is lynched, when Stanley's shop is destroyed, when the North family believes Joan and Mya's father died in the 9/11 attacks, the community around them comes together in support.
There are aspects of the novel that make it obvious that it's a debut. The historical jump around can be jarring at times—especially after a horrific reveal or seat-gripping cliffhanger—and I wish Mya had a few chapters like the rest of her lineage, but the parts of the book that are good show so much promise in what this author can do. I loved the richness of the characters and the poetic writing. I could have easily read another hundred pages of these women's lives. Bottom line, I can't wait to read anything else Tara M. Stringfellow publishes in the future.
One of the best aspects of this book is that sense of community in Memphis. It's true that there's no vast cast of characters besides the family and their close friends like Miss Dawn, but the sense of community is absolutely there especially when there are tragedies that occur, both personal and shared. When Myron is lynched, when Stanley's shop is destroyed, when the North family believes Joan and Mya's father died in the 9/11 attacks, the community around them comes together in support.
There are aspects of the novel that make it obvious that it's a debut. The historical jump around can be jarring at times—especially after a horrific reveal or seat-gripping cliffhanger—and I wish Mya had a few chapters like the rest of her lineage, but the parts of the book that are good show so much promise in what this author can do. I loved the richness of the characters and the poetic writing. I could have easily read another hundred pages of these women's lives. Bottom line, I can't wait to read anything else Tara M. Stringfellow publishes in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault
Minor: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery