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A review by tariqah
Second House from the Corner: A Novel of Marriage, Secrets, and Lies by Sadeqa Johnson
2.0
Nothing Substantial, Just a Juicy Pastime
Sadeqa Johnson is a good writer and that's the only reason why I finished the book. She's excellent at transitions and flow that makes the story seem like it is going somewhere even when it isn't.
Felicia Lyons is more-or-less a bored and stressed mother of three and wife to a seemingly perfect husband, Preston Lyons. Although Felicia intended on having a long and fruitful marriage, her past traumas begin to intrude and shadow her life, one of them being an affair with a man named Martin at the age of 15 whom impregnated her and disappeared only to wind up in jail.
The story begins to disappoint at the time Felicia agrees with her childhood friend, Shayla, to put her house on the line for her friend's boyfriend as a form of bail. From there, she continues on a path of irrational behavior with the coverup that she isn't receiving support from her husband and is stressed of being a mother.
Martin comes into the picture again and she entertains him with no seemingly logical or emotional reasoning. Just pure stupidity.
If you asked me, Preston responded like any man or woman would if an affair was discovered but Felicia seemed to make him the villain; the "Fuck you!"s and questioning as to why Preston behaved the way he did suggests that Felicia is living a selfish world and that her actions should never be looked at with too much scrutiny. To make matters worse, she went to Philly and slept with Martin not long after being put out the house.
In the end, her children is what snaps her back into reality and forces her back home but the book ends with her using her charm to allure her husband back to her, nothing redemptive. And poor Crystal--Gran and Felicia basically swept her under the rug and pretended like Felicia was the true prize.
I'd say I was disappointed with the character development; it seems that no one learned any lessons or inspired to change. Everybody remains a victim to their circumstances and problems.
Sadeqa Johnson is a good writer and that's the only reason why I finished the book. She's excellent at transitions and flow that makes the story seem like it is going somewhere even when it isn't.
Felicia Lyons is more-or-less a bored and stressed mother of three and wife to a seemingly perfect husband, Preston Lyons. Although Felicia intended on having a long and fruitful marriage, her past traumas begin to intrude and shadow her life, one of them being an affair with a man named Martin at the age of 15 whom impregnated her and disappeared only to wind up in jail.
The story begins to disappoint at the time Felicia agrees with her childhood friend, Shayla, to put her house on the line for her friend's boyfriend as a form of bail. From there, she continues on a path of irrational behavior with the coverup that she isn't receiving support from her husband and is stressed of being a mother.
Martin comes into the picture again and she entertains him with no seemingly logical or emotional reasoning. Just pure stupidity.
If you asked me, Preston responded like any man or woman would if an affair was discovered but Felicia seemed to make him the villain; the "Fuck you!"s and questioning as to why Preston behaved the way he did suggests that Felicia is living a selfish world and that her actions should never be looked at with too much scrutiny. To make matters worse, she went to Philly and slept with Martin not long after being put out the house.
In the end, her children is what snaps her back into reality and forces her back home but the book ends with her using her charm to allure her husband back to her, nothing redemptive. And poor Crystal--Gran and Felicia basically swept her under the rug and pretended like Felicia was the true prize.
I'd say I was disappointed with the character development; it seems that no one learned any lessons or inspired to change. Everybody remains a victim to their circumstances and problems.