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notesbynnenna 's review for:
The Kindest Lie
by Nancy Johnson
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
I love when it feels like you’re reading a book at the right time. I’ve been listening to BECOMING by Michelle Obama in snippets over the last few weeks. When I started THE KINDEST LIE, I loved that it was also set in Chicago, where Michelle grew up. It also opens with Obama’s election in 2008, and reading that scene reminded me of some of my feelings around last year’s election, and of course of how it felt when this country elected its first Black president.
This is a tender and compelling novel about secrets coming to light and how the past comes back to haunt us. It’s also a book about the lies that we tell other people and ourselves. As I was watching this story unfold, some questions came to mind, including: what does it mean to be a child having a child? Why might a mother choose to walk away from her child?
Part of this book takes place in a small town named Ganton, one of those towns where everyone knows everyone and where there is also a stark racial divide. Someone might be your long-time neighbor or friend, but when push comes to shove, which side will they choose?
I thought the author did a good job of pulling me into the story right away. All of the characters in this book are flawed and very human, and those are the kinds of characters that I love. This was a strong debut novel and I enjoyed reading this story about race, family, secrets, and motherhood.
I love when it feels like you’re reading a book at the right time. I’ve been listening to BECOMING by Michelle Obama in snippets over the last few weeks. When I started THE KINDEST LIE, I loved that it was also set in Chicago, where Michelle grew up. It also opens with Obama’s election in 2008, and reading that scene reminded me of some of my feelings around last year’s election, and of course of how it felt when this country elected its first Black president.
This is a tender and compelling novel about secrets coming to light and how the past comes back to haunt us. It’s also a book about the lies that we tell other people and ourselves. As I was watching this story unfold, some questions came to mind, including: what does it mean to be a child having a child? Why might a mother choose to walk away from her child?
Part of this book takes place in a small town named Ganton, one of those towns where everyone knows everyone and where there is also a stark racial divide. Someone might be your long-time neighbor or friend, but when push comes to shove, which side will they choose?
I thought the author did a good job of pulling me into the story right away. All of the characters in this book are flawed and very human, and those are the kinds of characters that I love. This was a strong debut novel and I enjoyed reading this story about race, family, secrets, and motherhood.