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A review by sarakomo
Daddy Was a Number Runner by Louise Meriwether
4.0
2022: an important chronicle of a specific point in time and place
It would be an insult to Louise Meriwether and too simplistic to say that this book is the Black girl's equivalent to [b:A Tree Grows in Brooklyn|14891|A Tree Grows in Brooklyn|Betty Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327883484l/14891._SY75_.jpg|833257]. But it was shocking to me to see this book get a whole freaking forward from [a:James Baldwin|10427|James Baldwin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1343346341p2/10427.jpg] (!!) and then to see how it stacked up against Brooklyn. I'm not saying that Goodreads is the be-all, end-all here for whether a book deserves your attention. But it is a data point–and a very telling one at that. At the writing of this review, there have been fewer than 100 reviews written for Meriwether's book, and over 24,000 for Smith's.
The first and most obvious comparison is that both main characters are named Francie (a coincidence? As Number Runner was written after Brooklyn, I kinda don't think so). But overall, I certainly enjoyed reading about Betty Smith's Francie over Meriwether's. The Francie who lives in Brooklyn is way more optimistic and ambitious than the one who lives in Harlem. Is that to say she is a better character? No, I would argue that Francie in Harlem is more reflective of the community she lives in. Her family is dealing with A LOT.
And I don't remember the same level of sexual assault and harassment that is present in Harlem showing up in Brooklyn. Francie's neighbors are NEXT LEVEL. Francie is assaulted so many times in this book, and half of them are before she even starts her period. I remember difficulties at school and at home for Brooklyn Francie, but definitely not to the same level. Although both of their fathers are extremely frustrating characters and difficult to root for. Shoutout to Harlem Francie for getting in trouble for reading too much, we love a well read woman!
It would be an insult to Louise Meriwether and too simplistic to say that this book is the Black girl's equivalent to [b:A Tree Grows in Brooklyn|14891|A Tree Grows in Brooklyn|Betty Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327883484l/14891._SY75_.jpg|833257]. But it was shocking to me to see this book get a whole freaking forward from [a:James Baldwin|10427|James Baldwin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1343346341p2/10427.jpg] (!!) and then to see how it stacked up against Brooklyn. I'm not saying that Goodreads is the be-all, end-all here for whether a book deserves your attention. But it is a data point–and a very telling one at that. At the writing of this review, there have been fewer than 100 reviews written for Meriwether's book, and over 24,000 for Smith's.
The first and most obvious comparison is that both main characters are named Francie (a coincidence? As Number Runner was written after Brooklyn, I kinda don't think so). But overall, I certainly enjoyed reading about Betty Smith's Francie over Meriwether's. The Francie who lives in Brooklyn is way more optimistic and ambitious than the one who lives in Harlem. Is that to say she is a better character? No, I would argue that Francie in Harlem is more reflective of the community she lives in. Her family is dealing with A LOT.
And I don't remember the same level of sexual assault and harassment that is present in Harlem showing up in Brooklyn. Francie's neighbors are NEXT LEVEL. Francie is assaulted so many times in this book, and half of them are before she even starts her period. I remember difficulties at school and at home for Brooklyn Francie, but definitely not to the same level. Although both of their fathers are extremely frustrating characters and difficult to root for. Shoutout to Harlem Francie for getting in trouble for reading too much, we love a well read woman!