This is one of the most brilliant novels I personally have read in a long time.
During our discussion of this stunner, we talked about the different stories of each character, how it was not what we thought the stories, separate or intertwining, would be like. As a white woman, I can imagine each of the choices these characters made were very realistic and honest to their situations as black women (and a few men) in the US from the 1960's and onwards. These were the most fully developed characters, even the side characters, not one person introduced fell flat, which is quite the accomplishment. The journeys of all the characters were incredible, and heartbreaking in different ways, with different halves of each of them vanishing in a way, not just the separated twins. Every person seemed to sacrifice a bit of themselves, fundamental, deep, unchanging parts of themselves, to get what they wanted, or what they needed to survive. A very eye-opening novel, beautifully interwoven lives, I could not put this book down, and everyone that attended the meeting seemed to feel the same.
What were your thoughts?
