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A review by flyingfox02
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
inspiring
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
I have to say, I'm disappointed with this book.
It's a story about a small town in Philadelphia called Chicken Hill in the 1930s, where a mixed community of African Americans and immigrant Jews live alongside each other. This novel is essentially about them, and their struggles to understand each other, to live the American dream, and to survive in a country that doesn't really try to make them feel welcome.
The book is divided into three parts and I thought Part 1 started it off very strong. Firstly the humour is top notch. I was giggling at the character descriptions, the dialogues, the vernacular phrases. Second, we are introduced to some wonderful characters. There's Chona, a Jewish woman who runs the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. She is simply incredible. Then there's Dodo, a deaf black boy who is so endearing and will only capture your heart more throughout the book. You'd have to be a really horrible person to dislike Chona and Dodo.
However, that's really where the positives end. Even now not an hour after reading the last page, I couldn't tell you what happens in Part 2. It's that forgettable. Except maybe the ending of Part 2 which allows the plot to move in Part 3. But the plot is very loose even from the beginning. The story meanders so much in Part 3, and it's dialogue heavy. Even though the conversations felt natural and authentic, I couldn't help thinking whether it might suit a soap drama script more. I needed them to get on with it but they just kept talking!
Also, characters were popping up from left right and centre in Part 3. There must've been 25+ characters in total. You'd think the character work might make up for the loose plot but unfortunately it didn't. There were simply too many characters for me to care about. Besides Chona, Dodo, maybe Paper (who's hilarious). Oh and Monkey Pants. Half of them aren't even from Chicken Hill.
Anyway I heard a bunch of praises for this book and it's been a let down. But I'm still giving it 3 stars for Chona, Dodo, and the giggles.
It's a story about a small town in Philadelphia called Chicken Hill in the 1930s, where a mixed community of African Americans and immigrant Jews live alongside each other. This novel is essentially about them, and their struggles to understand each other, to live the American dream, and to survive in a country that doesn't really try to make them feel welcome.
The book is divided into three parts and I thought Part 1 started it off very strong. Firstly the humour is top notch. I was giggling at the character descriptions, the dialogues, the vernacular phrases. Second, we are introduced to some wonderful characters. There's Chona, a Jewish woman who runs the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. She is simply incredible. Then there's Dodo, a deaf black boy who is so endearing and will only capture your heart more throughout the book. You'd have to be a really horrible person to dislike Chona and Dodo.
However, that's really where the positives end. Even now not an hour after reading the last page, I couldn't tell you what happens in Part 2. It's that forgettable. Except maybe the ending of Part 2 which allows the plot to move in Part 3. But the plot is very loose even from the beginning. The story meanders so much in Part 3, and it's dialogue heavy. Even though the conversations felt natural and authentic, I couldn't help thinking whether it might suit a soap drama script more. I needed them to get on with it but they just kept talking!
Also, characters were popping up from left right and centre in Part 3. There must've been 25+ characters in total. You'd think the character work might make up for the loose plot but unfortunately it didn't. There were simply too many characters for me to care about. Besides Chona, Dodo, maybe Paper (who's hilarious). Oh and Monkey Pants. Half of them aren't even from Chicken Hill.
Anyway I heard a bunch of praises for this book and it's been a let down. But I'm still giving it 3 stars for Chona, Dodo, and the giggles.