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A review by thejollyllama
Sugar by Bernice L. McFadden
4.0
4.5
Another book I plucked off of Tayari Jones's GoodReads shelf. I really loved it!
TW: The first chapter of this book is extremely violent and graphic. I almost wasn't sure if I wanted to keep reading because of how intense it was, but I'm glad I pushed through.
This style of writing really just pulls me in and makes me not want to put the book down. I did feel like I was left with some unanswered questions, and I didn't get all the closure I wanted on the characters' storylines, so I was happy when I found out that there's a sequel. I don't really expect or even want everything to be nicely tied up in a bow, but I did feel like a few too many threads were left hanging.
I got confused by some of the relationships between the characters, and would love if anyone reading this review could help explain it to me. I understand that Joe = Sugar's father and Bertie Mae = Sugar's mother. But what was the relationship between Bertie Mae, Ciel Brown, and Shirley Brown? On page 88, there is a story about Shirley being ashamed about Ciel (her daughter, who was raised by another family?), and I did not understand it at all. I read it multiple times, and still did not quite get what the story about Ciel had to do with the rest of the characters in the book.
Then on page 143, Bertie Mae was abused by Ciel - "Did she [May] want to tell Sugar of the madness her mama, Bertie Mae, endured under the roof of Ciel Brown? The Emotional and physical battering she lived with up until she left Short Junction with Ciel's man, Clemon Wilks?"
And finally, page 193 implies Sugar is Shirley's granddaughter.
So, Bertie Mae is... Shirley's daughter? And Ciel is.... also Shirley's daughter? So they're sisters? I'm so confused. Please help.
Another book I plucked off of Tayari Jones's GoodReads shelf. I really loved it!
TW: The first chapter of this book is extremely violent and graphic. I almost wasn't sure if I wanted to keep reading because of how intense it was, but I'm glad I pushed through.
This style of writing really just pulls me in and makes me not want to put the book down. I did feel like I was left with some unanswered questions, and I didn't get all the closure I wanted on the characters' storylines, so I was happy when I found out that there's a sequel. I don't really expect or even want everything to be nicely tied up in a bow, but I did feel like a few too many threads were left hanging.
I got confused by some of the relationships between the characters, and would love if anyone reading this review could help explain it to me. I understand that Joe = Sugar's father and Bertie Mae = Sugar's mother. But what was the relationship between Bertie Mae, Ciel Brown, and Shirley Brown? On page 88, there is a story about Shirley being ashamed about Ciel (her daughter, who was raised by another family?), and I did not understand it at all. I read it multiple times, and still did not quite get what the story about Ciel had to do with the rest of the characters in the book.
Then on page 143, Bertie Mae was abused by Ciel - "Did she [May] want to tell Sugar of the madness her mama, Bertie Mae, endured under the roof of Ciel Brown? The Emotional and physical battering she lived with up until she left Short Junction with Ciel's man, Clemon Wilks?"
And finally, page 193 implies Sugar is Shirley's granddaughter.
So, Bertie Mae is... Shirley's daughter? And Ciel is.... also Shirley's daughter? So they're sisters? I'm so confused. Please help.