A review by bookedupandbusy
Eva's Man by Gayl Jones

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

*** This book won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, the language is highly vulgar and crude. But for me, I had a fantastic reading journey and consider this book to be a literary masterpiece. I will NOT forget this story. 

A short book (178 pages) that weighed so heavy on me, I hated reading about a black woman being taken advantage of throughout her life!

Eva is a black woman sitting on a psychiatric ward for the murder and mutilation of her lover and they want to know why she did it. When I learnt of her past, my heart felt heavy for Eva 🥲

Written in 1976, the story explores a black woman’s sexual victimisation from childhood to adulthood. We go back into Eva’s past where her memories show us how the men in her life have emotionally and sexually contributed to her becoming a troubled woman and why she has ended up on a psychiatric ward.

The structure of this novel is challenging, but once you understand the flow, it becomes an easy read. Be prepared… it’s non-linear the story jumps back and forth between 3 or 4 events at a time within chapters. It’s disorienting and certain lines are highly repetitive and this gave me a headache at times, but I think this depicts Eva’s mind on the psychiatric ward very well.

This is a character driven novel and there is not one sane character in this book. Excellent, well-thought out writing that may make you hate men. 

⭐️This author is the woman who Toni Morrison said changed literature forever.

⭐️This book is a reminder to myself not to neglect my back list books. A HIDDEN GEM.