This Side of the Sky

by Elyse Singleton

An aspiring exploration of life in the early twentieth century, this debut novel from award-winning journalist Elyse Singleton follows two women from Mississippi as they travel to Philadelphia and then to battle-ravaged Europe during the height of World War II, all the while seeking out their rightful place in the world. Since they were young girls, best friends Lilian Mayfield and Myraleen Chadham wanted to leave their rural hometown in the Deep South for a more adventurous life, believing Mississippi was just another form of hell. Finally able to leave at the age of 26, they first head to racially segregated Philadelphia before joining the Women’s Army Corps and traveling to a war-torn England. Throughout their decades-long journey—both together and apart—they uncover truths about life, love, and friendship. Winner of the 2002 Colorado Book Award. “Fully satisfying . . . A lovely story, lovingly told.”— The Washington Post “[A] smashing debut . . . Funny, smart, well-paced.”— The Denver Post

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, African American Literature, Friendship, African American

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2002

Reviews

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. Another misleading cover. I thought it was going to be all pastoral.

The beginning did take place in nowhere Mississippi, but lots of Philadelphia, London, & Paris, too. The turns of phrase from Myraleen and the girls' mothers made me remember my grandmother's generation - and we aren't even Southern.

I liked that Myraleen refused to get married, even though she had found a man worth marrying.

I liked that Kellner (the German POW) was hard for me to warm up to. That he wasn't instantly like-able, understanding, benevolent, or romantic.

I liked that everyone got their (mostly) happy endings in the end. It was that kind of book.

My biggest problem was that I kept thinking it was too implausible. Sure, it was 'possible' that every one of those meetings and coincidences could have happened, it just wasn't likely.

That, and Birmingham seemed to be on London's doorstep.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story of 2 African American women growing up in the south. Knowing there is something better for them out in the world. This is journey to find their place in the world. I was inspired and satisfied.

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. There were so many aspects that at one point I couldn’t keep the characters straight.

It has everything you want in a story, suspense, love, humor,etc.

I wish it would have been longer so we could get more of a sense of where Kellner, Myraleen, and August were doing after the war. We heard about what happened to Kellner, what about August?

I feel towards the end it focused on Lilian when it was a book about the friendship of the two. That’s why I only gave it 4/5.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read. Two black friends (one could pass) born in an white town community find ways out and eventually via an unlikely prisoner of war the military...into the world

[Rebecca Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved this book!

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

IQ "Old people used to say there comes a time when you remember fifty, sixty years ago as if it were last week, but damn if you can remember last week at all. They were right. Every generation thinks their time is the time and talks about the resent as if it's some stable territory they can occupy indefinitely. Yet when we say now, by the time we get to the w sound, the n is in the past." Lilian, pg. 8

I loved the character of Myraleen, she's a spitfire uttering statements like "once I hate a bastard, I hate him forever. I guess I'm just loyal that way" (pg. 68), who wouldn't love a character like that? I also really liked Lilian, her quiet strength spoke volumes louder than Myraleen's tough dialogue. They have a beautiful friendship from the very beginning and the core of the book, the best part-next to the characters of the cities they pass through-is their enduring friendship that goes through some bumps but always heals. I also loved Mudear, Lilian's mother. Tough as nails but super sweet as well and even though she didn't finish her high school education she's still whip-smart. It's funny, one exchange between Mudear and Lilian stands out for me because it holds truths that still apply today. "Mudear read aloud anything she saw about colored people. 'See there', she'd say. 'Negro Holds Up Store. That's why we can't get anywhere. We don't know how to act.;
'But, Mudear,' I said. 'plenty of white people stick up stores, rob banks. And you don't see a headline saying 'White Man Robs Bank'.
'Got a point. [...] See, that's why I sent you to school, so you could think. Not too many folks can think. A lot can only talk. Better if it was the other way around" (pg. 81).


The historical details were intriguing as well, especially learning about German POWs. I didn't know German POWs were lent out to farms in America and I didn't know how bad the Russians treated them. This book provided a more humane look and reminds readers not all Germans were Nazi, something that should strike people as obvious and yet it still bears repeating.




This Side of the Sky is not overpowered by the strong personalities of the places Myraleen and Lilian visit, instead the dominant aspect is the friendship of the girls. They have different dreams but they also want the best for each other and are willing to sacrifice themselves for the other to ge a chance at her dreams, at her own sense of happiness. An attitude like that can only end in good things. The historical details about the treatment of German POWs and the discrimination Black women faced in America and while serving their country in the UK (of course the discrimination was from our own Army, not the English people) during WWII are vividly portrayed. The book is very thourgh in all its description, no detail is too small to be touched upon and while I didn't appreciate that quality in the beginning of the book, my patience paid off.


PS Another favorite quote that lightly touches on Paris aging too "Paris is changing. Pavement replaced cobblestones after students used them to pelt police in the '60s riots. McDonald's arrived in the '70s. Right-wing machinations and Third World immigration have strained the racial climate. Yet the core city is much the same. It's a comfort to grow old in a place that's so much older ,where even the light posts appear to understand. It must be so hard to age in America. A city block can be unrecognizable from one decade to the next, because the cheap plaster and plastic keep getting replaced by new cheap plastic and plaster." pg. 323. Food for thought, I'm going to retire somewhere like the Paris she describes, it may even be Paris!

[Revae · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my reviews, my favorite phrase for a good book is "I thoroughly enjoyed this book!" Well, I am getting ready to use it again. I heard about This Side of the Sky through Orange, Mint, and Honey by Carleen Brice, and the main character commented on how much she enjoyed the book. This was a good book decision. In This Side of the Sky, Elyse Singleton tells of the life of two women, Lillian Mayfield and Myraleen Chadham. It begins with faint memories of them in daycare and takes the reader from the farms of Nadir, Mississippi to the streets of Philadelphia, PA, across the waters to London and Paris. What makes the book interesting is that Lillian, along the way, falls in love with a German prisoner of war during WWII and Myraleen falls in love with a Tuskegee Airmen from Alabama. Elyse's writing style makes this book very easy to read and she tells an intriguing story. I found myself getting very attached to the characters. Even though the reader only gets a story from Myraleen, Lillian, and Kellner (the German POW)'s point of view, I found myself getting attached to the other characters as well. I stumbled across this book and I am very happy that I did.

[Kay Robart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the plot of this novel is sometimes interesting, the characters never seem to be real people. Each of them has only a few characteristics. Nor does the period setting seem particularly convincing except for the details of small town life in a poor, rural area. London during the war is not very well depicted, and Paris is barely depicted at all, as if the author has never been to either city. A few chapters from the point of view of Kellner, a German prisoner of war who is involved with Lilian, seem particularly unconvincing.

See my complete review here:

http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/t...

[She Reads for Jesus · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very pleasant read that depicts the lives of two women who are life long friends, and their journey through life as they experience both triumph and tragedy alike. I was pleased with this novel and will be sure to read continued works by Elyse Singleton.

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It gave a perspective of the WWI that I have not read about before, the story of two African American Women from the south and the part they had in helping with the war and where that lead them to after the war.

[Kim Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. I liked the ending. I thought it was very realistic... and romantic.
Myraleen's character got on my nerves a little bit. She did stay true to her self and her ideals. I just loved Lillian and Kellner. It was a romance that played out beautifully in a novel.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Denver author. Came to our school library to speak. Really enjoyed this historical fiction.

[LaShona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story!

[Mariya]

OB

[Emily Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a neat story of how two poor black girls from Mississippi grew up during the Depression & WWII era. I had no idea German POW's had been imprisoned in camps in the US.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book about two African American women from their childhood in Nadir, Mississippi to their work in the Army during WWII.

[Melody · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this one. It seemed like it would be an interesting story, but it was kind of boring and difficult to read.

[Linda Kurtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read.

[Lilli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprising read, very heartfelt. Being German, the German character didn't feel authentic enough, but all together still very good, interesting, attention-keeping book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great book by this young author. Her first and only book so far.