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A review by ragesandpages
Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
4.0
Lanesha is a young girl whose mother died in childbirth. Since then, the midwife Mama Ya-Ya has taken care of Lanesha. They live in poor conditions, but Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya are happy and like the neighborhood very much. However, Hurricane Katrina has other plans for them and Lanesha must do what she can to survive, even if that means leaving some people behind (including the ghost of her dead mother!)
I really enjoyed this book upon completion. I was reading reviews of this book, stating that the characters were stereotypical. But here's my thinking - there are people who practice alternative religions -Santeria - in this case. And there are people who strongly believe in ghosts and the supernatural. But I thought the ghosts were meant to be seen as a coping device; however, I could be wrong. The supernatural element sucks the reader in to Lanesha's world, and it does make the story more interesting. I thought the pacing was good and the story didn't stall. I felt bad for her friend, but I think he was the foil to show that she was a strong character overall. Of course, I cried because Mama Ya-Ya died, but I was looking for a conclusion to the story. Maybe there doesn't need to be one, because the closure we were supposed to get was that her mother is at peace and helped Lanesha survive the hurricane? I'm on the fence about the ending, but I thought the story was one that needed to be told.
I really enjoyed this book upon completion. I was reading reviews of this book, stating that the characters were stereotypical. But here's my thinking - there are people who practice alternative religions -Santeria - in this case. And there are people who strongly believe in ghosts and the supernatural. But I thought the ghosts were meant to be seen as a coping device; however, I could be wrong. The supernatural element sucks the reader in to Lanesha's world, and it does make the story more interesting. I thought the pacing was good and the story didn't stall. I felt bad for her friend, but I think he was the foil to show that she was a strong character overall. Of course, I cried because Mama Ya-Ya died, but I was looking for a conclusion to the story. Maybe there doesn't need to be one, because the closure we were supposed to get was that her mother is at peace and helped Lanesha survive the hurricane? I'm on the fence about the ending, but I thought the story was one that needed to be told.