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Boldfaced Lies
History logs insist that the American Civil War ended May 9, 1865. In explicit defiance, former Confederate military officers formed the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan on December 24, 1865. In 1925, Denver, Colorado was firmly in the social, political and economic grip of the Klan's “invisible empire.” The majority of Denver’s elected officials, including its mayor, were members. Simultaneously, millions of African Americans were beginning new lives beyond the former slave states. Many were light skinned enough to “pass for white,” and did so. In Charlene Porter's Denver Post #1 best-selling novel, Boldfaced Lies, Margaret Browne—the wife of a ruthless and ambitious Denver Klan leader named Devin—learns that she is one-quarter Negro. As she spends her days shielding herself and her unborn child from Devin’s whiskey-inflamed rages, she continues to search for the baby girl her father had forced her to give up as an unwed teen. When Margaret finally locates her daughter Amy it is under impossible circumstances. Not only is Amy in love with Devin’s son and Margaret’s stepson, but Devin is determined to become Denver’s Exalted Cyclops (chief officer of the local Klan chapter)...imperiling everyone Margaret loves. If you liked The Help or Hidden Figures, you are sure to enjoy Boldfaced Lies. "Charlene Porter is a gifted writer. In Boldfaced Lies she weaves a thoughtful and suspenseful story about family subjects and experiences that were long taboo." ~ The Honorable Wellington Webb, Denver’s first African American mayor (1991-2003)
- GenresHistorical Fiction
Hardcover (Cloth)
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 26, 2009
This book was written by my high school english teacher. It's really great!
September 13, 2021
Actually 3.75. Porter writes well and the story grips and entices, but it seems a bit contrived with all the interlocked characters. A stunning and important book that explore the mixing of racial bloods from both perspectives, Porter also documents the horrific influence of the KKK in Denver and its environs. Almost ironically the southern slaves got to the open western plains only to once again deal with the hypocrisy, hate, fear, and dangers of racism. Porter also addresses the phenomena of "passing" -- something immortalized in a classic movie called Pinky. Having a dear friend who has red hair though darker skin and who descended from the Exodusters only to live in the Denver assaulted by racism.
more later -- blood and body image
more later -- blood and body image
May 18, 2013
I found this to be a very difficult read. First of all, I must give the author points for unique plot: Woman married to a KKK fanatic discovers she's 1/4 Negro.
But this revelation comes so late in the book, it didn't feel like the main conflict at all. Instead, it was...well, a whole bunch of stories following a bunch of people, not a single one of them likable or easy to relate to...except maybe Walter, the butler.
The heroine is a racist just like her husband, just not as bad. She looks down on others and thinks they need to know their place. Her issue is her missing daughter, her current pregnancy, and her husband's abuse. But I couldn't get past her racist attitude to even start to like her much.
Her stepson...abused and treated like crap, yet he does the same to others.
The Negro mistress/hairstylist/speakeasy owner...all I can say is WTF? WHY is she with this KKK member? The book keeps giving us looking into these folks' lives but no explanations for what they're doing.
WHY is she sleeping with the KKK man? What does she see in him? Why suddenly is Margaret after all these years lusting for Walter? Why, why, why, why.
The story takes us character to character and keeps showing us what they're doing but explains nothing. And out of the blue, when did Margaret finally realize her husband had a mistress? She had totally brushed it off, thought she'd been seeing things, and 40% later, has some weird stand-off with what she knows is her husband's mistress in the police office.
It also seemed the characters were very cut and dried, no emotion. I mean, your father just tried to kill your grandmother...there should be more reaction than that. Is your heart pounding? Is the blood roaring in your ears? Are your palms sweaty?
Too many things just weren't clicking or making sense, but I give the author thumbs up for the idea. It just wasn't for me. I have to like and relate to some of the characters, and in this case, I didn't/couldn't. I dedicated over a day to this but had to bail at 50%.
But this revelation comes so late in the book, it didn't feel like the main conflict at all. Instead, it was...well, a whole bunch of stories following a bunch of people, not a single one of them likable or easy to relate to...except maybe Walter, the butler.
The heroine is a racist just like her husband, just not as bad. She looks down on others and thinks they need to know their place. Her issue is her missing daughter, her current pregnancy, and her husband's abuse. But I couldn't get past her racist attitude to even start to like her much.
Her stepson...abused and treated like crap, yet he does the same to others.
The Negro mistress/hairstylist/speakeasy owner...all I can say is WTF? WHY is she with this KKK member? The book keeps giving us looking into these folks' lives but no explanations for what they're doing.
WHY is she sleeping with the KKK man? What does she see in him? Why suddenly is Margaret after all these years lusting for Walter? Why, why, why, why.
The story takes us character to character and keeps showing us what they're doing but explains nothing. And out of the blue, when did Margaret finally realize her husband had a mistress? She had totally brushed it off, thought she'd been seeing things, and 40% later, has some weird stand-off with what she knows is her husband's mistress in the police office.
It also seemed the characters were very cut and dried, no emotion. I mean, your father just tried to kill your grandmother...there should be more reaction than that. Is your heart pounding? Is the blood roaring in your ears? Are your palms sweaty?
Too many things just weren't clicking or making sense, but I give the author thumbs up for the idea. It just wasn't for me. I have to like and relate to some of the characters, and in this case, I didn't/couldn't. I dedicated over a day to this but had to bail at 50%.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews