Novel by Wanda Morris
“I’d never made a plan for my life before because I never knew where I belonged.”
A novel curated with the shadows of the characters past. Engaged with the women in the story who were strong but also bound and shackled by the likes of an era that has passed but threatens to return. Two sisters who finds themselves on the run to where life leads them. Whether it’s escaping the Jim Crow South, murder, shame, domestic violence, or theft, the women struggles to find a safe haven.
Violet just can not seem to get away from trouble and harm, where as Marigold is just pulled into her sister’s mess while trying to find her own identity. The author creates so much suspense within the novel it becomes so unpredictable of what can happen next. The suspense twisted up with the historical realness triggered me with different emotional triggers. So much trauma African Americans had to go through to experience freedom or some illusion of it.
My favorite aspect of this tender and ferocious novel is the strength displayed from all the women inside the story even from the surrounding characters. They stood up for one another, empowered each other, nurtured and supported one another. It gave a feeling of sisterhood and responsibility to our race.
I give this novel 4 stars and I plan on reading more of Wanda Morris novels. She has the ability to capture, twist, spark and just tell a good story from start to finish. She gave us action and build up from the beginning to end; all while telling and educating the history of being black in America.