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Have No Shame
***NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLER***
The racially-charged prejudice of the deep South forces eighteen-year-old Alison Tillman to confront societal norms—and her own beliefs—when she discovers the body of a hate crime victim, and the specter of forbidden love turns her safe, comfortable world upside down.
Alison has called Forrest Town, Arkansas home for the past eighteen years. Her mother’s Blue Bonnet meetings, her father toiling night and day on the family farm, and the division of life between the whites and the blacks are all Alison knows. The winter of 1967, just a few months before marrying her high school sweetheart, Alison finds the body of a black man floating in the river, and she begins to view her existence with new perspective. The oppression and hate of the south, the ugliness she once was able to avert her eyes from, now demands her attention.
When a secretive friendship with a young black man takes an unexpected romantic turn, Alison is forced to choose between her predetermined future, and the dangerous path that her heart yearns for.
HAVE NO SHAME is an emotionally compelling coming of age novel featuring a young woman who cannot reconcile the life she wants with the one she’s been brought up to live.Have No Shame will resonate with anyone who has ever fallen in love, and those who have been forced to choose between what they know in their hearts to be true, and what others would like them to believe.
The racially-charged prejudice of the deep South forces eighteen-year-old Alison Tillman to confront societal norms—and her own beliefs—when she discovers the body of a hate crime victim, and the specter of forbidden love turns her safe, comfortable world upside down.
Alison has called Forrest Town, Arkansas home for the past eighteen years. Her mother’s Blue Bonnet meetings, her father toiling night and day on the family farm, and the division of life between the whites and the blacks are all Alison knows. The winter of 1967, just a few months before marrying her high school sweetheart, Alison finds the body of a black man floating in the river, and she begins to view her existence with new perspective. The oppression and hate of the south, the ugliness she once was able to avert her eyes from, now demands her attention.
When a secretive friendship with a young black man takes an unexpected romantic turn, Alison is forced to choose between her predetermined future, and the dangerous path that her heart yearns for.
HAVE NO SHAME is an emotionally compelling coming of age novel featuring a young woman who cannot reconcile the life she wants with the one she’s been brought up to live.Have No Shame will resonate with anyone who has ever fallen in love, and those who have been forced to choose between what they know in their hearts to be true, and what others would like them to believe.
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2013
115 people are currently reading
3158 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Foster
165 books11.8k followersNEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
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Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 100 novels. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic, always family oriented, and feature fiercely loyal heroes, smart, sassy heroines, and complex relatable issues.
Melissa also writes sweet romance under the pen name, Addison Cole here: https://addisoncole.com
Melissa loves to hear from readers! Feel free to send her an email or chat with her on social media.
Melissa welcomes the opportunity to chat with book clubs and other reading groups.
"What sets Melissa Foster apart are her compelling characters who you care about... desperately...I dare you to read the first chapter and not be hooked." International bestseller, M.J. Rose
"Melissa Foster is a wonderful connector of readers and books, a friend of authors, and a tireless advocate for women. She is the real deal"--Author Jennie Shortridge
Never miss a release! Follow Melissa here on Amazon and sign up for her newsletter: https://MelissaFoster.com/Newsletter
Start FIVE of Melissa's series FREE in ebook format here: https://MelissaFoster.com/LIBFREE
FREE Love in Bloom Family Trees: https://MelissaFoster.com/RG
FREE Series Reading Order Checklist: https://MelissaFoster.com/SeriesCheck...
FREE Series Order Checklist by Publication Date (recommended): https://melissafoster.com/SeriesCheck...
Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 100 novels. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic, always family oriented, and feature fiercely loyal heroes, smart, sassy heroines, and complex relatable issues.
Melissa also writes sweet romance under the pen name, Addison Cole here: https://addisoncole.com
Melissa loves to hear from readers! Feel free to send her an email or chat with her on social media.
Melissa welcomes the opportunity to chat with book clubs and other reading groups.
"What sets Melissa Foster apart are her compelling characters who you care about... desperately...I dare you to read the first chapter and not be hooked." International bestseller, M.J. Rose
"Melissa Foster is a wonderful connector of readers and books, a friend of authors, and a tireless advocate for women. She is the real deal"--Author Jennie Shortridge
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
April 1, 2013
This novel is a powerful look at a small town in Arkansas, set in 1967. I was about the same age as Alison Tillman, the main character, but growing up in New England was almost a world away from her life.
Alison is a young woman, fairly sure of the path her life is going to take. She's engaged to Jimmy Lee Carlisle, her boyfriend since she was fifteen. She is having a few niggling doubts about her feelings for Jimmy, but this is the road she has chosen, and her parents are happy.
This town is, as most southern towns were in the sixties, very divided by race. No one ventured to the "colored" streets. If the blacks ventured into "white"areas they were considered fair game and beatings were not unusual. Her father is a farmer, hires "coloreds" to work the farm. He treats them fairly, doesn't beat them or act cruelly as long as they remember their station. Alison's life totally changed one day while walking, when she found the body of a black man brutally beaten to death floating by the shore. She soon questions everything in her life.
There is so much passion in this novel! Racial, a forbidden love, and the movement to change . The characters are strong, committed to their own beliefs. Some working for life to go on as it has, some to work with changing things forever. We get a peek into the crusaders in the movement for racial change, and a very frightening look at the KKK.
I have read all of Ms. Foster's best selling novels, and had the privilege of reading an ARC of this story. It is amazing, and perfect reading for someone trying to understand the racial movement in the sixties. There is a beautiful love story, and a family divided coming together. I recommend it to all.
I received this novel from the author for an honest review. No compensation was offered or accepted.
Alison is a young woman, fairly sure of the path her life is going to take. She's engaged to Jimmy Lee Carlisle, her boyfriend since she was fifteen. She is having a few niggling doubts about her feelings for Jimmy, but this is the road she has chosen, and her parents are happy.
This town is, as most southern towns were in the sixties, very divided by race. No one ventured to the "colored" streets. If the blacks ventured into "white"areas they were considered fair game and beatings were not unusual. Her father is a farmer, hires "coloreds" to work the farm. He treats them fairly, doesn't beat them or act cruelly as long as they remember their station. Alison's life totally changed one day while walking, when she found the body of a black man brutally beaten to death floating by the shore. She soon questions everything in her life.
There is so much passion in this novel! Racial, a forbidden love, and the movement to change . The characters are strong, committed to their own beliefs. Some working for life to go on as it has, some to work with changing things forever. We get a peek into the crusaders in the movement for racial change, and a very frightening look at the KKK.
I have read all of Ms. Foster's best selling novels, and had the privilege of reading an ARC of this story. It is amazing, and perfect reading for someone trying to understand the racial movement in the sixties. There is a beautiful love story, and a family divided coming together. I recommend it to all.
I received this novel from the author for an honest review. No compensation was offered or accepted.
April 25, 2013
Have No Shame is an amazing tale of a taboo subject for the deep South in the sixties.
It follows Alison as she is stuck at home, on a farm, engaged to her high school sweetheart. Her sister lives in New York and is living a new lifestyle. One completely different from how they were brought up, to hate colored people and see them as nothing more than slaves.
As Alison struggles with the hatred for treating people differently and striving to still be Daddy's little girl, something happens that she never expected. She falls in love with a colored man.
Things for her change then. And the rest of the novel is about how she has to discover herself instead of following the crowd in their small, southern town.
I fell in love with this novel quickly. The topic was such a taboo one back in the sixties, and you feel as if you're living right there in the middle of it. You're rooting for the underdog, but deep down, you're thinking, there's no way there can be a happy ending for those two. You're torn. Do you want them to be together? You know what will happen if they do get together.
The emotions you feel for this piece of fiction are real, and you absolutely fall in love with these characters.
Well done! Very well done!
It follows Alison as she is stuck at home, on a farm, engaged to her high school sweetheart. Her sister lives in New York and is living a new lifestyle. One completely different from how they were brought up, to hate colored people and see them as nothing more than slaves.
As Alison struggles with the hatred for treating people differently and striving to still be Daddy's little girl, something happens that she never expected. She falls in love with a colored man.
Things for her change then. And the rest of the novel is about how she has to discover herself instead of following the crowd in their small, southern town.
I fell in love with this novel quickly. The topic was such a taboo one back in the sixties, and you feel as if you're living right there in the middle of it. You're rooting for the underdog, but deep down, you're thinking, there's no way there can be a happy ending for those two. You're torn. Do you want them to be together? You know what will happen if they do get together.
The emotions you feel for this piece of fiction are real, and you absolutely fall in love with these characters.
Well done! Very well done!
April 13, 2013
Have No Shame is truly an amazing book by best selling author Melissa Foster. This story set in the deep south in 1967 tells the story of an eighteen year old girl who finds herself having to come full circle with the prejudices of that time. This story took me as a reader into a deep emotional journey of one young woman having to make some tough choices when she befriends a young african american man. As the story unfolds and she starts to discover that her feelings begin to turn romantic, she is faced to make some choices about her current life - which is set to marry her high school sweetheart or follow her new path. I thought as a reader Melissa Foster really captured the essence and soul of this story and her characters. This book was a real page turner. Amazing!
Syl Stein
Syl Stein
April 10, 2013
Stunning! Melissa Foster's best work yet. You wouldn't think a story about a small town daddy's girl would be so riveting. On the surface, Alison (Pixie) is a mouse. She's scared to make waves and she's taught to know her place. She's marrying her high school sweetheart and doing everything everyone expects her to.
That is, until she finds the body of a black man in the river. Suddenly her eyes are opened to the injustice in her town, where supposedly decent law-abiding citizens beat up, terrorize and kill people to keep them in their place.
Alison starts asking questions and when she meets the brother of the black boy her boyfriend beat, her tight-knit world is cracked and she can no longer go back to the blindness of her ways.
Melissa Foster weaves an enthralling tale of young love in a background of racial hate and strife. Alison is not the strongest heroine, but she is sweet, charming, observant and innocent. I love her voice and the way she tells it like it is. Her heart is opened, but she allows herself to be hemmed in by tradition and her father's disapproval.
Things come to a climax when violence breaks out. Her sister is beaten and Alison delivers a shocking surprise that seals her alienation to her racist husband. The final standoff is tense and satisfying as Alison and her family stand down her bullying husband.
A lot of research went into this book. Melissa Foster brings us to the forefront of the Civil Rights movement and captures all the energy, bravery and dedication that went into it. We have a lot to be grateful for those who sacrificed their freedom and sometimes their lives to allow us to live in a society where a man is not judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character. This dynamic and heartwarming story is sure to inspire you and is a testament to those who struggled so we can live in an integrated society.
That is, until she finds the body of a black man in the river. Suddenly her eyes are opened to the injustice in her town, where supposedly decent law-abiding citizens beat up, terrorize and kill people to keep them in their place.
Alison starts asking questions and when she meets the brother of the black boy her boyfriend beat, her tight-knit world is cracked and she can no longer go back to the blindness of her ways.
Melissa Foster weaves an enthralling tale of young love in a background of racial hate and strife. Alison is not the strongest heroine, but she is sweet, charming, observant and innocent. I love her voice and the way she tells it like it is. Her heart is opened, but she allows herself to be hemmed in by tradition and her father's disapproval.
Things come to a climax when violence breaks out. Her sister is beaten and Alison delivers a shocking surprise that seals her alienation to her racist husband. The final standoff is tense and satisfying as Alison and her family stand down her bullying husband.
A lot of research went into this book. Melissa Foster brings us to the forefront of the Civil Rights movement and captures all the energy, bravery and dedication that went into it. We have a lot to be grateful for those who sacrificed their freedom and sometimes their lives to allow us to live in a society where a man is not judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character. This dynamic and heartwarming story is sure to inspire you and is a testament to those who struggled so we can live in an integrated society.
May 28, 2013
I could not finish. SO. AWFUL. I cannot believe the high ratings of the book which I borrowed because it was free on the Amazon Lending Library.
In a backwards Arkansas (or is it Alabama? I just can't keep you racist A-states straight) town lives an obnoxious young woman dubbed Pixie with budding compassion and awareness of her shitty town's racial politics. Good for her. Too bad she's the most annoying, stupid (literally, so unbelievably stupid) person ever conceived and the writing has all the nuance and subtlety of Dora the Explorer.
I knew I was in trouble when the first person narrative had a twang. Like, "Nothin' was gonna keep me from runnin'" kind of twang. Sure, go ahead and drop all the g's you want in your actual spoken quotations. But don't make your readers suffer through that garbage throughout the entire narrative.
I tried to get through it. Really I did. But had to call it quits when her sexy one night stand with a black guy named Jackson somehow flourished within HIM (an otherwise competent, likable character) a deep and abiding fidelity to her even after she marries some awful redneck with the name Jimmy Lee. Jimmy. Freaking. Lee. SERIOUSLY?
Jackson, honey. You can do so much better. Please tell me you did not waste months of celibacy on that woman. Please.
I cannot for the life of me finish this book. So tell me, do Jackson and Pixie live happily ever after with their love child? Does Jimmy Lee choke on hunk of steak? Does the town strike put the town on the path for greater tolerance?
In a backwards Arkansas (or is it Alabama? I just can't keep you racist A-states straight) town lives an obnoxious young woman dubbed Pixie with budding compassion and awareness of her shitty town's racial politics. Good for her. Too bad she's the most annoying, stupid (literally, so unbelievably stupid) person ever conceived and the writing has all the nuance and subtlety of Dora the Explorer.
I knew I was in trouble when the first person narrative had a twang. Like, "Nothin' was gonna keep me from runnin'" kind of twang. Sure, go ahead and drop all the g's you want in your actual spoken quotations. But don't make your readers suffer through that garbage throughout the entire narrative.
I tried to get through it. Really I did. But had to call it quits when her sexy one night stand with a black guy named Jackson somehow flourished within HIM (an otherwise competent, likable character) a deep and abiding fidelity to her even after she marries some awful redneck with the name Jimmy Lee. Jimmy. Freaking. Lee. SERIOUSLY?
Jackson, honey. You can do so much better. Please tell me you did not waste months of celibacy on that woman. Please.
I cannot for the life of me finish this book. So tell me, do Jackson and Pixie live happily ever after with their love child? Does Jimmy Lee choke on hunk of steak? Does the town strike put the town on the path for greater tolerance?
September 5, 2014
It was not very good. I love the idea of the book..a southern girl starting to see the injustice of the treatment of blacks...But it wasn't well executed. She is raised by a horribly racist father and brother in a town where people are beating up blacks and even kill some and the book just starts with bam now she doesn't like it and starts to question things. I'd like to have seen her develop. It felt like the author just didn't want to take the time to develop her. Plus this is the 1960s and she is sleeping with her boyfriend and the (spoiler) meets a kind black boy visiting in town and bam sleeps with him too. I stopped reading when she had sex with the second guy, I was getting tired of "urning for his stair" and "long for another touch" type lines. I don't like lame love writing like that. The sex scenes weren't graphic or super sexual, so if people are bothered by that they might not be okay with this book. I don't like sex scenes in books and find they are thrown in way to easily and fast, so I get tired of it. Interested to know the end, but don't want to read anymore sex scene or read cheesy love lines.
It almost seems like most of the reviewers here didn't read the book, but just repeated a brief synopsis. There are over two thousand reviews but only 400 people rated this book. The book wasnt ground breaking, the character were C average but not boring, but the plot was flat and predictable. I wondered a few times if this was an adult fiction or juvenile fiction.
It almost seems like most of the reviewers here didn't read the book, but just repeated a brief synopsis. There are over two thousand reviews but only 400 people rated this book. The book wasnt ground breaking, the character were C average but not boring, but the plot was flat and predictable. I wondered a few times if this was an adult fiction or juvenile fiction.
July 1, 2013
I was not only shocked but pleased the author gave you the option to read the book with the Southern dialect or not. I have found the culture during the Civil Rights era to be interesting and it moves me no matter what the medium is that I am watching or reading. I am learning and the author did a great job to peak my interests throughout the book.
The girl, Alison, is a very sheltered soul and only does what she is told and knows no differently when it comes to coloured people. An event will happen where she discovers the badly beaten body of a coloured man and it will change her forever. This is a timeless story of a girl's realizations and her journey to find what is right for her. Her fiance partakes in the beatings of coloureds and she really begins to loathe him. Up North is where her sister lives and to hear of how coloureds and whites live together in harmony is something to think about. The book takes yet another twist when Alison meets a man named Jackson when she is still engaged. I believe that everyone has that special person or soul mate that they are supposed to be with, and to read this integrated into the harsher reality of brutalization of another race really made the book a little easier to bear.
You will have a new found respect for a young girl that is willing to make her way in a world that she does not want to belong to anymore. If I were to live back in the Civil Rights era, I think I would be right there with Alison trying to make my head and my heart feel right about what was going on around me. The hardest struggle is family when you do not agree with something that they are doing. This is a great emotional ride of a book and I recommend it to anyone that wants to read a kind of historical piece, yet wants those emotional strings pulled!
I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
The girl, Alison, is a very sheltered soul and only does what she is told and knows no differently when it comes to coloured people. An event will happen where she discovers the badly beaten body of a coloured man and it will change her forever. This is a timeless story of a girl's realizations and her journey to find what is right for her. Her fiance partakes in the beatings of coloureds and she really begins to loathe him. Up North is where her sister lives and to hear of how coloureds and whites live together in harmony is something to think about. The book takes yet another twist when Alison meets a man named Jackson when she is still engaged. I believe that everyone has that special person or soul mate that they are supposed to be with, and to read this integrated into the harsher reality of brutalization of another race really made the book a little easier to bear.
You will have a new found respect for a young girl that is willing to make her way in a world that she does not want to belong to anymore. If I were to live back in the Civil Rights era, I think I would be right there with Alison trying to make my head and my heart feel right about what was going on around me. The hardest struggle is family when you do not agree with something that they are doing. This is a great emotional ride of a book and I recommend it to anyone that wants to read a kind of historical piece, yet wants those emotional strings pulled!
I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2013
From the first page of this story, I was drawn in completely. Having grown up in Arkansas, I could feel the humidity and almost hear the buzz of the mosquitoes as the magnificent plot unfolded. Young Allison is torn between doing what 1960's southern society dictates is the right thing for a young white woman and doing what her heart tells her is right for her. She struggles with pursuing her passion and becoming independent like her rebel sister or remaining the apple of her dad's eye and doing what pleases him. Then she meets Jackson... a young black man home from war who she falls in love with. Not so controversial in 2013, but enough to get him killed and her ostracized from society in the 60's south. To complicate matters, the town where they live has not let go of segregation despite the change in law and racial unrest thunders throughout the story like a terrible thunderstorm.
I won't give away too many details because this book is not just a story; it's an experience - one that each reader must have on their own. I will say that I laughed, cried, got angry, and had many moments of reflection until I reached the final page. Melissa Foster captures with perfection the era & the coming-of-age journey of a young woman and masterfully weaves them together to create a tapestry that reflects not just the struggle of one person, but the struggle of a people. This is a MUST READ for EVERY southerner and every woman who has loved, no matter your race, age, or ethnicity. This is especially a must read for anyone who has overcome great adversity in order to find their own personal freedom. I thank Melissa for maintaining the integrity of this era of history, although it was hard to stomach at times, and for having the courage to tell this story.
I won't give away too many details because this book is not just a story; it's an experience - one that each reader must have on their own. I will say that I laughed, cried, got angry, and had many moments of reflection until I reached the final page. Melissa Foster captures with perfection the era & the coming-of-age journey of a young woman and masterfully weaves them together to create a tapestry that reflects not just the struggle of one person, but the struggle of a people. This is a MUST READ for EVERY southerner and every woman who has loved, no matter your race, age, or ethnicity. This is especially a must read for anyone who has overcome great adversity in order to find their own personal freedom. I thank Melissa for maintaining the integrity of this era of history, although it was hard to stomach at times, and for having the courage to tell this story.
March 27, 2013
"Have No Shame" is the first of Melissa Foster's books that I've read and I am so glad to have found her. Her characters draw you in right from the start and you very quickly stand with book in hand stirring a pot at the stove, or do a chore one handed, just because you can't put the book down. I found myself going through the day impatient to know what was going to happen next.
The remarkable emotional journey that the main character, Alison takes through this book is one I will not soon forget. Melissa handles her characters with grace and insight and they soon become friends that you wish you knew in real life or in the case of the protagonist, hope you never meet.
I think the thing that stood out to me most was the character development of Alison as her perception of her world changed and with hers, so did mine.
I loved Alison's story and I will never forget it.
The remarkable emotional journey that the main character, Alison takes through this book is one I will not soon forget. Melissa handles her characters with grace and insight and they soon become friends that you wish you knew in real life or in the case of the protagonist, hope you never meet.
I think the thing that stood out to me most was the character development of Alison as her perception of her world changed and with hers, so did mine.
I loved Alison's story and I will never forget it.
April 16, 2013
Have No Shame has easily moved its way into my top 10 list of favorite books ever read. This book is such an important dissection of such a tragic time in history. This book takes place in Forrest Town, Arkansas in the late 60's, when segregation "should" have been on its way out, but was still holding its ugly roots in some areas of the south in particular.
This unique and lovely story is positioned so well from Alison's point of view -- a simple farm-girl who graduates high school and is about to marry her high school sweet heart when a devastating event jars her conscious and causes her to really open her eyes and see how African Americans were being treated in her small town by her "people." Having been raised in an environment of racial prejudice, in a town that has no intention of accepting the civil rights of all people, Alison is forced to decide between the love of her old-school father and accepting her "place" (as well as to stand beside her fiancé, Jimmy Lee, who has a few dark secrets she's beginning to suspect) OR to stand up for what she's beginning to believe in - that people shouldn't be treated differently based on the color of their skin.
What makes this book stand apart from other books about this topic, is just the pure beauty and flow of Foster's language. The book has a beautiful, southern cadence and a simple, clean way of story-telling. From page one I was drawn into Alison's character and could see her as she took those fateful steps. My heart ached for her when she was put in horrifying situations that she wanted to take back and felt shame for bearing witness to. You could literally feel her heart aching from being torn by what she knows from how she's been raised, and what she knows to be true based on what her heart is telling her. And Foster has a wonderful gift with her turn-of-phrase, and had some lines that just left me speechless they were so wonderfully written.
Enter Jackson. Swoon worthy, sweet, strong, handsome, kind-hearted, well-mannered, charming Jackson. It's not a spoiler to say that the other side of this story, woven beautifully with Alison's personal growth in regards to fighting for civil liberty, is the love story that blossoms slowly, and beautifully, and heart-breakingly between her and Jackson. You want so much for them to have a happy ending right away, without going through the real life tribulations that are bound to happen with a forbidden love in a racially charged town where citizens are taking the law into their own hands for the "safety" of the streets against "those people." I was hanging onto every word, aching with Alison as doors seemed to close for her. Rooting when she started to grow up and away from the beliefs she was raised on. And cheered when she began listening to her heart and trying to change status quo for future generations. And sobbed when she let Jackson walk away from her after a conversation at one point early on in the book. (This was me: "Noooo! Run after him you idiot!")
Equally as deep and beautiful in this book is Alison's relationship with her mother. Watching it unfold the way it did was such a privilege. I loved a line she said about learning more about her mother in those five minutes than she had in eighteen years of living with her. Simply beautiful. And her sister, Maggie, was such a strong and memorable character as well. Foster just has a way of making you fall deeply entrenched in your passion for the character's plight and being emotionally invested in their outcomes.
I don't want to spoil the ending, but Foster did a wonderful job portraying the reality of the situation, and that is - things don't change overnight. Not when there is hate born on generations of discrimination that run through a town. But, my oh my, the courage these people showed to be a part of history, do the right thing, and affect change - it was simply breathtaking to bear witness to.
And not ever can I recall an interracial couple who will live on as a most beloved romantic couple whose epic love story will never be forgotten by readers. But for me, this is a couple whose love story I will celebrate for a very long time. It's just one of those stories where you get done reading and you think, damn! I wish these characters were real. I want to be friends with Maggie. I want to sit down and talk with Alison and Jackson. I want to see Jimmy Lee go down in flames. This was one villain I can't say I felt any love for (and I kinda like a good villain).
This was easily one of the best books I've read in a very, very long time. And Alison and Jackson's story will always hold a place in my heart. I hope you enjoy it every bit as much as I did.
Oh, and I read it in both versions (with southern dialect in the narrative and without) and I can honestly say I LOVED both versions equally.
This unique and lovely story is positioned so well from Alison's point of view -- a simple farm-girl who graduates high school and is about to marry her high school sweet heart when a devastating event jars her conscious and causes her to really open her eyes and see how African Americans were being treated in her small town by her "people." Having been raised in an environment of racial prejudice, in a town that has no intention of accepting the civil rights of all people, Alison is forced to decide between the love of her old-school father and accepting her "place" (as well as to stand beside her fiancé, Jimmy Lee, who has a few dark secrets she's beginning to suspect) OR to stand up for what she's beginning to believe in - that people shouldn't be treated differently based on the color of their skin.
What makes this book stand apart from other books about this topic, is just the pure beauty and flow of Foster's language. The book has a beautiful, southern cadence and a simple, clean way of story-telling. From page one I was drawn into Alison's character and could see her as she took those fateful steps. My heart ached for her when she was put in horrifying situations that she wanted to take back and felt shame for bearing witness to. You could literally feel her heart aching from being torn by what she knows from how she's been raised, and what she knows to be true based on what her heart is telling her. And Foster has a wonderful gift with her turn-of-phrase, and had some lines that just left me speechless they were so wonderfully written.
Enter Jackson. Swoon worthy, sweet, strong, handsome, kind-hearted, well-mannered, charming Jackson. It's not a spoiler to say that the other side of this story, woven beautifully with Alison's personal growth in regards to fighting for civil liberty, is the love story that blossoms slowly, and beautifully, and heart-breakingly between her and Jackson. You want so much for them to have a happy ending right away, without going through the real life tribulations that are bound to happen with a forbidden love in a racially charged town where citizens are taking the law into their own hands for the "safety" of the streets against "those people." I was hanging onto every word, aching with Alison as doors seemed to close for her. Rooting when she started to grow up and away from the beliefs she was raised on. And cheered when she began listening to her heart and trying to change status quo for future generations. And sobbed when she let Jackson walk away from her after a conversation at one point early on in the book. (This was me: "Noooo! Run after him you idiot!")
Equally as deep and beautiful in this book is Alison's relationship with her mother. Watching it unfold the way it did was such a privilege. I loved a line she said about learning more about her mother in those five minutes than she had in eighteen years of living with her. Simply beautiful. And her sister, Maggie, was such a strong and memorable character as well. Foster just has a way of making you fall deeply entrenched in your passion for the character's plight and being emotionally invested in their outcomes.
I don't want to spoil the ending, but Foster did a wonderful job portraying the reality of the situation, and that is - things don't change overnight. Not when there is hate born on generations of discrimination that run through a town. But, my oh my, the courage these people showed to be a part of history, do the right thing, and affect change - it was simply breathtaking to bear witness to.
And not ever can I recall an interracial couple who will live on as a most beloved romantic couple whose epic love story will never be forgotten by readers. But for me, this is a couple whose love story I will celebrate for a very long time. It's just one of those stories where you get done reading and you think, damn! I wish these characters were real. I want to be friends with Maggie. I want to sit down and talk with Alison and Jackson. I want to see Jimmy Lee go down in flames. This was one villain I can't say I felt any love for (and I kinda like a good villain).
This was easily one of the best books I've read in a very, very long time. And Alison and Jackson's story will always hold a place in my heart. I hope you enjoy it every bit as much as I did.
Oh, and I read it in both versions (with southern dialect in the narrative and without) and I can honestly say I LOVED both versions equally.
May 16, 2013
Division is a street dividing the colored side of town from the white. And for all the years I’ve lived in the States, it never occurred to me that’s what the name might mean. Melissa Foster’s Have No Shame takes its characters across that line, first with accidental meetings, then clandestine plans, and then in a rush from danger to hope.
The story’s told in two versions in this ebook—an intriguing and clever use of electronic format. One version includes dialect in the text while the other sticks to more conventional spellings and word endings. I chose to read the latter since I’m easily frustrated by needing to decipher words, but I skipped through the dialect version afterward and either would have been a good well-flowing read.
Told in first person, the slightly formal tone gives a convincing feel of the protagonist’s separation from family and society. She’s soon to be married, and she doesn’t like to displease, but her fiancé engages in disturbing activities at night, and black farm laborers suffer at his hands. A dead body, unpleasant rumors, honest suspicion and an accidental meeting turn Alison’s thoughts on their head, but she continues trying to persuade herself to do what her family says is right.
The reader will see the twist coming long before its culmination but the character’s blind adherence to convention and expectations is entirely plausible, and she doesn’t spare her danger a thought until it happens. Then there are lessons to be learned all around, and those who choose not to see might have to open their eyes after all.
Set in a sadly convincing South during the Civil Rights Movement, and including an equally convincing trip to the North, Melissa Foster’s Have No Shame holds a candle to those dark corners where shame is simply a question of not looking, and invites us to see. It’s a fast-flowing, smoothly told story which brings the era and its people to life and shows the frail human steps that lead to hope.
Disclosure: The author kindly gave me a free ecopy of her novel, even though I told her it would be a while before I could review it.
The story’s told in two versions in this ebook—an intriguing and clever use of electronic format. One version includes dialect in the text while the other sticks to more conventional spellings and word endings. I chose to read the latter since I’m easily frustrated by needing to decipher words, but I skipped through the dialect version afterward and either would have been a good well-flowing read.
Told in first person, the slightly formal tone gives a convincing feel of the protagonist’s separation from family and society. She’s soon to be married, and she doesn’t like to displease, but her fiancé engages in disturbing activities at night, and black farm laborers suffer at his hands. A dead body, unpleasant rumors, honest suspicion and an accidental meeting turn Alison’s thoughts on their head, but she continues trying to persuade herself to do what her family says is right.
The reader will see the twist coming long before its culmination but the character’s blind adherence to convention and expectations is entirely plausible, and she doesn’t spare her danger a thought until it happens. Then there are lessons to be learned all around, and those who choose not to see might have to open their eyes after all.
Set in a sadly convincing South during the Civil Rights Movement, and including an equally convincing trip to the North, Melissa Foster’s Have No Shame holds a candle to those dark corners where shame is simply a question of not looking, and invites us to see. It’s a fast-flowing, smoothly told story which brings the era and its people to life and shows the frail human steps that lead to hope.
Disclosure: The author kindly gave me a free ecopy of her novel, even though I told her it would be a while before I could review it.
April 2, 2013
This novel should bring Melissa Foster to the notice of a world-wide audience.
Within moments of starting to read, you will be transported back to the Arkansas of 1967 – hot, dusty, utterly rural and edgy. Poor white farmers, dependant upon cheap black labour who, due to their superior numbers, are constantly suppressed, living on the wrong side of town, ghettoised and terrified. You will remember scenes from ‘In the Heat of the Night’ and ‘Easy Rider’; you will remember that, less than fifty years ago, if you were black, you could be beaten for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And if you died at the hands of a white youth, justice would almost certainly be denied you.
Alison Tillman, the younger daughter of just such a farmer, is eighteen, impetuous, beautiful and troubled by the racial gulf that divides her town. Even the frontier, Division Street, has a symbolic name. Nice white girls don’t even talk to black people, developing a lifted-chin disdain for their less fortunate neighbours. And, whatever troubles Alison‘s conscience is firmly ridiculed by her racist boyfriend, Jimmy Lee, to whom she is to be married in a few short weeks. The fact that Jimmy Lee looks upon beating up black youths as nothing more than clearing up the streets merely underlines her discomfort. But there is an inevitability to her life – she will marry young, have kids, bake cookies and grow old in an unchanging poor-white supremacy. Even the shocking opening scene, where Alison discovers the rotting corpse of a black man in the river, is about identification and burial, and not the punishment of any wrongdoing.
But this is 1967, the times they are achangin’, and nothing is quite like it seems. Melissa Foster takes us on an adventure that twists and turns unpredictably to a tense climax that renders this novel a true page-turner. This is undoubtedly the best novel I have read in a long time.
Roderick Craig Low. Author of ‘Promises of Love and Good Behaviour’, ‘Rewards and Dilemmas’ and others.
Within moments of starting to read, you will be transported back to the Arkansas of 1967 – hot, dusty, utterly rural and edgy. Poor white farmers, dependant upon cheap black labour who, due to their superior numbers, are constantly suppressed, living on the wrong side of town, ghettoised and terrified. You will remember scenes from ‘In the Heat of the Night’ and ‘Easy Rider’; you will remember that, less than fifty years ago, if you were black, you could be beaten for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And if you died at the hands of a white youth, justice would almost certainly be denied you.
Alison Tillman, the younger daughter of just such a farmer, is eighteen, impetuous, beautiful and troubled by the racial gulf that divides her town. Even the frontier, Division Street, has a symbolic name. Nice white girls don’t even talk to black people, developing a lifted-chin disdain for their less fortunate neighbours. And, whatever troubles Alison‘s conscience is firmly ridiculed by her racist boyfriend, Jimmy Lee, to whom she is to be married in a few short weeks. The fact that Jimmy Lee looks upon beating up black youths as nothing more than clearing up the streets merely underlines her discomfort. But there is an inevitability to her life – she will marry young, have kids, bake cookies and grow old in an unchanging poor-white supremacy. Even the shocking opening scene, where Alison discovers the rotting corpse of a black man in the river, is about identification and burial, and not the punishment of any wrongdoing.
But this is 1967, the times they are achangin’, and nothing is quite like it seems. Melissa Foster takes us on an adventure that twists and turns unpredictably to a tense climax that renders this novel a true page-turner. This is undoubtedly the best novel I have read in a long time.
Roderick Craig Low. Author of ‘Promises of Love and Good Behaviour’, ‘Rewards and Dilemmas’ and others.
June 10, 2013
Growing up in Forrest Town, Arkansas, Alison Tillman was always taught to “know her place” as well as the place of the coloreds who worked for the family and lived within a neighboring section of her town. However, after finding the body of a black man floating in the river, Alison begins to challenge everything she knows.
Prior to her discovery, her engagement to Jimmy Lee was the best thing she could possibly hope for. Now she is realizing that his views, behavior and hatred towards blacks are becoming a serious issue for her. So serious, that when Jackson shows up to work on her father’s farm in place of his injured brother, Alison turns to him for companionship.
With a wedding mere months away and a forbidden love affair with a black man, Alison must decide if she will continue to live her life in the manner in which she was raised, or if she will take her own personal stance against racism and follow her heart.
Have No Shame tells the story of one young woman’s racial awakening against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. When newfound revelations force her to question everything and everyone she was brought up to believe in—she is shocked to discover that other woman in her family are also welcoming change. Although I would have loved to know more about the upbringing of Jimmy Lee, Jackson and several other characters, I understand that this is Alison’s story and I’m content with her limited view.
Melissa Foster weaves a very interesting plot with enough unexpected twists and turns to keep you turning pages to the very end. If you are not open to evolving racial views and interracial harmony, this is not the book for you. But, if you are one who believes that love knows neither bounds nor color, than you will enjoy the hidden treasures revealed within the pages of Have No Shame.
Michelle Cuttino
AAMBC Reviewer
Prior to her discovery, her engagement to Jimmy Lee was the best thing she could possibly hope for. Now she is realizing that his views, behavior and hatred towards blacks are becoming a serious issue for her. So serious, that when Jackson shows up to work on her father’s farm in place of his injured brother, Alison turns to him for companionship.
With a wedding mere months away and a forbidden love affair with a black man, Alison must decide if she will continue to live her life in the manner in which she was raised, or if she will take her own personal stance against racism and follow her heart.
Have No Shame tells the story of one young woman’s racial awakening against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. When newfound revelations force her to question everything and everyone she was brought up to believe in—she is shocked to discover that other woman in her family are also welcoming change. Although I would have loved to know more about the upbringing of Jimmy Lee, Jackson and several other characters, I understand that this is Alison’s story and I’m content with her limited view.
Melissa Foster weaves a very interesting plot with enough unexpected twists and turns to keep you turning pages to the very end. If you are not open to evolving racial views and interracial harmony, this is not the book for you. But, if you are one who believes that love knows neither bounds nor color, than you will enjoy the hidden treasures revealed within the pages of Have No Shame.
Michelle Cuttino
AAMBC Reviewer
February 15, 2014
I really struggled with the rating for this one. On the one hand, the subject matter was a great topic, and I did get pulled into the story rather quickly. I felt tense throughout the first half, experiencing the ambiance of the rural Southern town. But........then the book fell apart. While seemingly still exploring the civil rights movement, the book becomes sugar-coated in this 'happily ever after,' completely unrealistic manner.
My biggest complaint is the main character, Alison Tillman. At first she seemed genuine and I could identify with her budding consciousness about the unfair treatment of the 'colored' people in her town and on her daddy's farm. But next thing you know
One reviewer said it below, and I have to echo his sentiment that Alison becomes so incredibly stupid as the novel progresses. I just wanted to reach through the pages and slap some sense into her.
So, amidst all my conflicting thoughts, I was going to give this book a 3 as a compromise, but just downgraded to a 2. It's a shame. This book had so much potential and just did not deliver.
My biggest complaint is the main character, Alison Tillman. At first she seemed genuine and I could identify with her budding consciousness about the unfair treatment of the 'colored' people in her town and on her daddy's farm. But next thing you know
One reviewer said it below, and I have to echo his sentiment that Alison becomes so incredibly stupid as the novel progresses. I just wanted to reach through the pages and slap some sense into her.
So, amidst all my conflicting thoughts, I was going to give this book a 3 as a compromise, but just downgraded to a 2. It's a shame. This book had so much potential and just did not deliver.
March 29, 2013
A young white woman in the racially charged town of Forrest Town, Arkansas, finds the body of a dead black man and is forced into a realization: Her idyllic life with her parents, her fiance and her town, is a sham. After years of being protected from the realities of life for black people in her small town, 18-year-old Alison is forced to confront her biases and ignorance.
Author Melissa Foster takes readers through Alison's journey of newly awakened awareness, of biracial love, of becoming a woman and seeing the truth about the world around her.
Foster's very good at evoking emotions in her characters, and "Have No Shame" is no different. We, as readers, feel the heartache of separation and the danger in the love between Alison and her lover, Jackson. We feel the tension and violence of racism and the fight for equality. And we feel the anguish of loss.
Buy the book and read it. It's worth it.
Author Melissa Foster takes readers through Alison's journey of newly awakened awareness, of biracial love, of becoming a woman and seeing the truth about the world around her.
Foster's very good at evoking emotions in her characters, and "Have No Shame" is no different. We, as readers, feel the heartache of separation and the danger in the love between Alison and her lover, Jackson. We feel the tension and violence of racism and the fight for equality. And we feel the anguish of loss.
Buy the book and read it. It's worth it.
April 13, 2013
I had no idea what to expect when I volunteered to review "Have No Shame." I knew Melissa Foster is an outstanding author, but did not know she would sweep me into the mind of Alison Tillman, an eighteen-year-old girl with an unbridled curiosity and an innocent heart. I felt like a voyeur in Alison’s mind as she blossomed into a mature and loving woman … and came to grips with the stark realities of rampant racism.
While the Vietnam War and civil rights struggles tore at the fabric of society, changes sweeping the country passed by the community where Alison lived like the waters of the St. Francis River. As it had been since the time of slavery, everyone in Forrest Town, Arkansas, knew their place.
When Alison finds the decaying, beaten body of a black man snagged along the riverbank, she has an epiphany: her children will be born into a hateful society where violence against blacks is accepted, even encouraged. Deeply troubled, she begins a mind-opening and life-altering journey that will make her more steadfast and convicted in her belief that all people should be treated equal. It’s an uphill struggle against everything she has ever been taught.
Her brother, Jake, and her fiancé, Jimmy Lee, are among those who brutalize black youths for fun, and most of the town, including the police and Alison’s father, turn a blind eye. She speaks out timidly when she can, but is soundly rebuffed or ignored. Desegregation events of the day swirl around her, sending her life into a tailspin as she grows stronger in character and more determined to stand up for what is right.
In a community where white woman are not even allowed to show kindness to a black child, Alison yearns to know more about the dead man and the families being traumatized by Jimmy Lee and his bullies. She is driven to show kindness to the victims, even if only to say she is sorry for their grief.
Although engaged to Jimmy Lee, Alison is repulsed by his racism, drinking and meanness. She tries to fend him off as he leaves for college, but in a tragic scene reminiscent of the “Vagina Monologues,” he has his way with her. And here Melissa Foster’s writing genius shines. On the one hand, Alison and Jimmy have been intimate and planning marriage for some time. On the other, she is growing to hate his character. The internal conflict is stunning—a woman’s perspective that should be required reading for every redneck in the country.
Burdened with enormous misgivings over her upcoming wedding, Alison inadvertently meets a gentle soul named Jackson, the brother of a young man beat up by Jimmy Lee. Jackson is home on military leave. He has experienced a world where color doesn’t matter, where men of all races fight side-by-side in war, but he also knows the danger of speaking to a white woman in Forrest Town. Alison is drawn to Jackson’s kind nature like a moth to flame, and the two come to know each other through forbidden rendezvous. Before Jackson returns to the Army, Alison gives in to deep feeling of love for him, and her life begins to unravel in terrifying ways.
Alison’s internal struggle mirrors the racial struggle within the country. Her relationships with her family, her husband and her community are both strengthened and destroyed as the true nature of people are revealed by the conflicts of the time. I will not expose the turmoil Alison goes through with Jimmy Lee after her marriage, or how her relationship with her family turns out, but I will say this: if you have ever wondered what it would be like to enter the inner conflicts of a young woman driven by her conscience, then Have No Shame is for you. Readers will be both saddened and uplifted by this compelling, poignant and important five-star read … and they won’t be able to put it down until they reach the end. Bravo, Melissa Foster!
Reviewed by James L. Hatch, Author of "The Substitute."
While the Vietnam War and civil rights struggles tore at the fabric of society, changes sweeping the country passed by the community where Alison lived like the waters of the St. Francis River. As it had been since the time of slavery, everyone in Forrest Town, Arkansas, knew their place.
When Alison finds the decaying, beaten body of a black man snagged along the riverbank, she has an epiphany: her children will be born into a hateful society where violence against blacks is accepted, even encouraged. Deeply troubled, she begins a mind-opening and life-altering journey that will make her more steadfast and convicted in her belief that all people should be treated equal. It’s an uphill struggle against everything she has ever been taught.
Her brother, Jake, and her fiancé, Jimmy Lee, are among those who brutalize black youths for fun, and most of the town, including the police and Alison’s father, turn a blind eye. She speaks out timidly when she can, but is soundly rebuffed or ignored. Desegregation events of the day swirl around her, sending her life into a tailspin as she grows stronger in character and more determined to stand up for what is right.
In a community where white woman are not even allowed to show kindness to a black child, Alison yearns to know more about the dead man and the families being traumatized by Jimmy Lee and his bullies. She is driven to show kindness to the victims, even if only to say she is sorry for their grief.
Although engaged to Jimmy Lee, Alison is repulsed by his racism, drinking and meanness. She tries to fend him off as he leaves for college, but in a tragic scene reminiscent of the “Vagina Monologues,” he has his way with her. And here Melissa Foster’s writing genius shines. On the one hand, Alison and Jimmy have been intimate and planning marriage for some time. On the other, she is growing to hate his character. The internal conflict is stunning—a woman’s perspective that should be required reading for every redneck in the country.
Burdened with enormous misgivings over her upcoming wedding, Alison inadvertently meets a gentle soul named Jackson, the brother of a young man beat up by Jimmy Lee. Jackson is home on military leave. He has experienced a world where color doesn’t matter, where men of all races fight side-by-side in war, but he also knows the danger of speaking to a white woman in Forrest Town. Alison is drawn to Jackson’s kind nature like a moth to flame, and the two come to know each other through forbidden rendezvous. Before Jackson returns to the Army, Alison gives in to deep feeling of love for him, and her life begins to unravel in terrifying ways.
Alison’s internal struggle mirrors the racial struggle within the country. Her relationships with her family, her husband and her community are both strengthened and destroyed as the true nature of people are revealed by the conflicts of the time. I will not expose the turmoil Alison goes through with Jimmy Lee after her marriage, or how her relationship with her family turns out, but I will say this: if you have ever wondered what it would be like to enter the inner conflicts of a young woman driven by her conscience, then Have No Shame is for you. Readers will be both saddened and uplifted by this compelling, poignant and important five-star read … and they won’t be able to put it down until they reach the end. Bravo, Melissa Foster!
Reviewed by James L. Hatch, Author of "The Substitute."
April 30, 2013
Not many books touch me with so many emotions they way this book has, and boy oh boy, this book sure touched me to no end! I knew it would as soon as I started reading it. Yes, this book will pull you right into it as soon as you start it.
This book takes place in Forest Town, Arkansas, in 1967, in the deep south where segregation was very well known for being so strong, rules for the 'whites' and 'coloreds', and the unwritten rules as well, were followed as much to a "T" as you could, but even then, that did not ensure your safety. Go outside of those boundaries, and watch out!
Alison tells us about her town she lives in and what goes on. She tells us about the typical things we have heard, seen, and know about from our textbooks in school, what we've seen on TV and in the movies, and in many photos, such as signs that state which separate water fountains were for 'the blacks' and which ones were for 'the whites', even separate bathrooms, too. Different doorways for the different people, and many more things similar to this were very strong in this area. The depth of this was hitting Alison much more strongly than ever before.
Alison, or Pixie, as she is also called, is our 18 year old caucasian protagonist. Her heart would be ripped to shreds, and she knew it would be too, the more she learned about the reality of her hometown. I don't think she was fully aware or prepared for the extent to which it was when she first finds a dead black man beat up and left for dead in the side of a river. Then, falling in love, not with her High School Sweetheart but Jimmy Lee, an African American man named Jackson. Here she is supposed to love and marry Jimmy Lee, but . . . When Alison does fall in love, and when it's 'who' she falls in love with that tears her heart apart. It tore my heart apart. We ALL have the same things inside and out, feel the same things, and there is NO difference except for our 'looks'. Looks should NEVER be so important to impact society as it has over the centuries.
She hurt so deeply, as was I, all because of a four letter word called 'hate'.
I often wonder why 'hate' overrides any other emotions in any situation and why it's so strongly remembered more so over any good? This word has always bothered me, and always will the rest of my life. Positive things are not as strong as the negative it seems, which kills my spirit at times. This broke my heart several times, as I got so emotionally invested into it.
It's a crying shame, literally, to know that human beings intentionally treated other human beings in such a disgusting manner. Why did this happen? No logical reason but that it could be done, and it was done. The sick people in power here were able to enforce it, too. (Not role models like they should have been, or that I 'hope' are today.)
Alison knows she cannot continue on with a relationship with this man . . . unless . . . you see, it's forbidden during the 1960's when things were so segregated, especially in the deep south. A crying shame, and so sad to look back at how everyone was treated. Completely wrong.
Melissa Foster has once again proven herself to us with the many diverse books she has written that she is a master at storytelling. This book is no different. Melissa Foster did a wonderful job of painting a picture of this era to perfection. The characters are alive, full of feeling, secrets, and things to sweep under the rug to try to hide them. She is able to capture all of this to a "T" with words. She made us feel as if we were living right there, alongside and a part of the character of Alison as she came of age and knowledge.
I highly recommend this book be read by all.
I received a copy of this as an ARC from the author for review purposes, and I thank Melissa VERY much! Thank you, Melissa!
This book takes place in Forest Town, Arkansas, in 1967, in the deep south where segregation was very well known for being so strong, rules for the 'whites' and 'coloreds', and the unwritten rules as well, were followed as much to a "T" as you could, but even then, that did not ensure your safety. Go outside of those boundaries, and watch out!
Alison tells us about her town she lives in and what goes on. She tells us about the typical things we have heard, seen, and know about from our textbooks in school, what we've seen on TV and in the movies, and in many photos, such as signs that state which separate water fountains were for 'the blacks' and which ones were for 'the whites', even separate bathrooms, too. Different doorways for the different people, and many more things similar to this were very strong in this area. The depth of this was hitting Alison much more strongly than ever before.
Alison, or Pixie, as she is also called, is our 18 year old caucasian protagonist. Her heart would be ripped to shreds, and she knew it would be too, the more she learned about the reality of her hometown. I don't think she was fully aware or prepared for the extent to which it was when she first finds a dead black man beat up and left for dead in the side of a river. Then, falling in love, not with her High School Sweetheart but Jimmy Lee, an African American man named Jackson. Here she is supposed to love and marry Jimmy Lee, but . . . When Alison does fall in love, and when it's 'who' she falls in love with that tears her heart apart. It tore my heart apart. We ALL have the same things inside and out, feel the same things, and there is NO difference except for our 'looks'. Looks should NEVER be so important to impact society as it has over the centuries.
She hurt so deeply, as was I, all because of a four letter word called 'hate'.
I often wonder why 'hate' overrides any other emotions in any situation and why it's so strongly remembered more so over any good? This word has always bothered me, and always will the rest of my life. Positive things are not as strong as the negative it seems, which kills my spirit at times. This broke my heart several times, as I got so emotionally invested into it.
It's a crying shame, literally, to know that human beings intentionally treated other human beings in such a disgusting manner. Why did this happen? No logical reason but that it could be done, and it was done. The sick people in power here were able to enforce it, too. (Not role models like they should have been, or that I 'hope' are today.)
Alison knows she cannot continue on with a relationship with this man . . . unless . . . you see, it's forbidden during the 1960's when things were so segregated, especially in the deep south. A crying shame, and so sad to look back at how everyone was treated. Completely wrong.
Melissa Foster has once again proven herself to us with the many diverse books she has written that she is a master at storytelling. This book is no different. Melissa Foster did a wonderful job of painting a picture of this era to perfection. The characters are alive, full of feeling, secrets, and things to sweep under the rug to try to hide them. She is able to capture all of this to a "T" with words. She made us feel as if we were living right there, alongside and a part of the character of Alison as she came of age and knowledge.
I highly recommend this book be read by all.
I received a copy of this as an ARC from the author for review purposes, and I thank Melissa VERY much! Thank you, Melissa!
May 9, 2013
Melissa Foster is a wonderful story teller. Once more she triumphs in the writing of a tale where the characters conflict with one another, and where their backgrounds and experiences quite simply explode. In this single vivid cameo from the history of racial segregation, she encapsulates everything which took place, with a magic which leaves you sitting on the edge of your chair.
A young girl, Alison Jean, growing up in the sixties in a small Arkansas town begins to question herself, and then the norms by which she has been brought up. She finds herself in conflict with her basic beliefs as a white girl as she struggles to come to terms with what she sees and experiences. You feel the horror which first divides her, when she finds the decomposing body of a coloured man, who has clearly been badly beaten. Then, this division within her begins to tear her emotions apart, when her fiancé Jimmy Lee beats up a coloured boy, Albert Johns, for the only reason that he is coloured.
Alison Jean however, is a headstrong young lady, and she will not allow the life she has led to date dictate how she views society. She finds herself speaking to a coloured boy, something which was technically forbidden, and even worse, he speaks back. He explains he is a soldier in town on leave and he will come to work for her father as a stand in for his brother Albert who has been beaten up. She immediately knows who was to blame, and begins to question her relationship with Jimmy Lee. This new boy turns out to be the nephew of the dead man she found and the brother of the badly beaten boy. His name is Jackson Johns.
As the realisation of the relationships hit her she feels faint, and as Jackson places a gentle helping hand on her arm to stop her fall, she experiences her first ever physical contact with someone coloured. This immediately explodes another struggle within her, as she grapples with the love she feels for the man she is about to marry, and she begins to look more critically at what is happening closer to home. She begins to question ‘her place’ as her Daddy describes it. Then she witnesses something which raises new questions in her mind - her Mammy buying groceries in the drugstore and delivering them to the home of a coloured woman.
Alison Jean begins to meet Jackson secretly and finds herself falling in love with him, but the basic loyalty of her family ties makes her determined to go ahead with her marriage to Jimmy Lee, even though she knows the love she feels for Jackson is stronger than her feelings for Jimmy Lee. Oh dear, the conflicts which are tearing Alison Jean apart continue right to the end of this magical story. It would wrong to record more detail from this story; you simple HAVE to read it for yourself!
Have No Shame is a wonderfully romantic story, with a background of racial segregation and hatred which sours the edges, giving us another excellent product from the imaginative pen, or should I say keyboard, of Melissa Foster.
A young girl, Alison Jean, growing up in the sixties in a small Arkansas town begins to question herself, and then the norms by which she has been brought up. She finds herself in conflict with her basic beliefs as a white girl as she struggles to come to terms with what she sees and experiences. You feel the horror which first divides her, when she finds the decomposing body of a coloured man, who has clearly been badly beaten. Then, this division within her begins to tear her emotions apart, when her fiancé Jimmy Lee beats up a coloured boy, Albert Johns, for the only reason that he is coloured.
Alison Jean however, is a headstrong young lady, and she will not allow the life she has led to date dictate how she views society. She finds herself speaking to a coloured boy, something which was technically forbidden, and even worse, he speaks back. He explains he is a soldier in town on leave and he will come to work for her father as a stand in for his brother Albert who has been beaten up. She immediately knows who was to blame, and begins to question her relationship with Jimmy Lee. This new boy turns out to be the nephew of the dead man she found and the brother of the badly beaten boy. His name is Jackson Johns.
As the realisation of the relationships hit her she feels faint, and as Jackson places a gentle helping hand on her arm to stop her fall, she experiences her first ever physical contact with someone coloured. This immediately explodes another struggle within her, as she grapples with the love she feels for the man she is about to marry, and she begins to look more critically at what is happening closer to home. She begins to question ‘her place’ as her Daddy describes it. Then she witnesses something which raises new questions in her mind - her Mammy buying groceries in the drugstore and delivering them to the home of a coloured woman.
Alison Jean begins to meet Jackson secretly and finds herself falling in love with him, but the basic loyalty of her family ties makes her determined to go ahead with her marriage to Jimmy Lee, even though she knows the love she feels for Jackson is stronger than her feelings for Jimmy Lee. Oh dear, the conflicts which are tearing Alison Jean apart continue right to the end of this magical story. It would wrong to record more detail from this story; you simple HAVE to read it for yourself!
Have No Shame is a wonderfully romantic story, with a background of racial segregation and hatred which sours the edges, giving us another excellent product from the imaginative pen, or should I say keyboard, of Melissa Foster.
March 27, 2013
In the midst of another fight for civil rights, Melissa Foster reminds us of how far society has come. This is a story we’re read before – in fact and fiction – but one that as time passes, people seem to have forgotten only heading flashes of pop culture remembrance in novels like “The Help.” We all nod soulfully and make the right noises but what must it have been like to live then? Foster brings us Allison Tillman. Allison tells us her story in regional dialect and from a place of confusion. Never had she thought about it before but as an emerging adult and soon to be married woman, Foster brings us a character who is changing in a changing time.
Foster is an incredibly descriptive writer. The man that Allison finds on her walk has been dead and in the water for a number of days. In the scene, it is clear that Foster has done her homework on what would happen to a dead body when in the water.
His tongue had bloated and completely filled the opening like a flesh sock had been stuffed in the hole….
I will confess to feeling horror at this scene, which was so well described. The novel overall rings of an extreme amount of research and immersion into an era. There is a very distinct feel of time and place.
Early on Foster makes some difficult choices that require a delicate balance. As Allison starts seeing things in a new way, she’s also seeing her own insignificance in the grand scheme of the story-line. She sees what a truly bad guy her fiancé is and how nothing she does will impact him or make him think. Some readers may find him too awful to be believeable but I found him credible, as we’re not getting his internal dialogue. I think Jimmy Lee is also balanced by the willingness of officials to turn a blind eye to coincidence.
Overall Have No Shame is a stunningly impactful read. The plot is time driven and focused on Allison’s personal journey. There are many quite predictable moments. Foster writes the predictable moments in a unique voice that takes them to another level. In the end there were things that were simply too easy to be believed for Allison but it must be remembered that this is fiction.
Foster is an incredibly descriptive writer. The man that Allison finds on her walk has been dead and in the water for a number of days. In the scene, it is clear that Foster has done her homework on what would happen to a dead body when in the water.
His tongue had bloated and completely filled the opening like a flesh sock had been stuffed in the hole….
I will confess to feeling horror at this scene, which was so well described. The novel overall rings of an extreme amount of research and immersion into an era. There is a very distinct feel of time and place.
Early on Foster makes some difficult choices that require a delicate balance. As Allison starts seeing things in a new way, she’s also seeing her own insignificance in the grand scheme of the story-line. She sees what a truly bad guy her fiancé is and how nothing she does will impact him or make him think. Some readers may find him too awful to be believeable but I found him credible, as we’re not getting his internal dialogue. I think Jimmy Lee is also balanced by the willingness of officials to turn a blind eye to coincidence.
Overall Have No Shame is a stunningly impactful read. The plot is time driven and focused on Allison’s personal journey. There are many quite predictable moments. Foster writes the predictable moments in a unique voice that takes them to another level. In the end there were things that were simply too easy to be believed for Allison but it must be remembered that this is fiction.
May 9, 2013
Roughly a week ago I began to read a book which I knew would be about white people and black people and how no one during a period in our history could get along with with each other mainly because of the color of a person’s skin. A few days ago, I finished a book about love, fear, hatred, regret, respect, murder and more.
Have No Shame by Melissa Foster is an incredible read that all people should pick up and dive into the pages. The book does a spectacular job showing how segregation, though illegal, was still being enforced in a town where white people dominated and black people were used for the workforce and forced to go to the back doors of businesses to receive any goods they might need. Even then, they might not live to see another day.
We read about the story of Alison, sweet, innocent Alison, who only wants to “know her place” and to please her father in everything she does. Her sister is forthright and bold and her brother seeks to be the same. Alison tries to stay the sweet little girl her father and mother want her to be. But then she meets Jackson and her entire world is turned upside down. Her love for Jimmy Lee waivers, her fear for her father grows, but her heart knows exactly what she needs to do.
I really enjoyed reading this book. There were times when I just couldn’t put it down, I turned each page wanting to know what happened to the characters. I felt for them, having heard about the treatment of African Americans decades before I was born. I wanted to find out what happened, I yearned to see equal treatment of everyone in their town. I ached for Alison and her family. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!
This book receives 5 out of 5 stars!
Have No Shame by Melissa Foster is an incredible read that all people should pick up and dive into the pages. The book does a spectacular job showing how segregation, though illegal, was still being enforced in a town where white people dominated and black people were used for the workforce and forced to go to the back doors of businesses to receive any goods they might need. Even then, they might not live to see another day.
We read about the story of Alison, sweet, innocent Alison, who only wants to “know her place” and to please her father in everything she does. Her sister is forthright and bold and her brother seeks to be the same. Alison tries to stay the sweet little girl her father and mother want her to be. But then she meets Jackson and her entire world is turned upside down. Her love for Jimmy Lee waivers, her fear for her father grows, but her heart knows exactly what she needs to do.
I really enjoyed reading this book. There were times when I just couldn’t put it down, I turned each page wanting to know what happened to the characters. I felt for them, having heard about the treatment of African Americans decades before I was born. I wanted to find out what happened, I yearned to see equal treatment of everyone in their town. I ached for Alison and her family. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!
This book receives 5 out of 5 stars!
April 3, 2013
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to read an ARC of this wonderful book!
A book that brings the evilness of racial bigotry to light, through the eyes of one awakening to it's reality. This story is written from the viewpoint of Alison.
Alison is a white farm girl from a small town in Arkansas in the early 1960's. She is a "daddy's girl" and has always lived her life not making waves. One day, however, she finds the body of a black man, Byron Bingham, floating in the river obviously beaten to death. She starts to realize that this is a person--a man, a husband, a dad! Her world gets turned upside down. As the days pass, she begins to notice all the little things that are done to keep the races seperate and unequal. When she meets Jackson, the brother of a little boy who was beaten by her fiance and his friends, she realizes that she can't just sit back and let this continue. Doubts about marrying her fiance settle in--as she has witnessed his brutality to colored people in town. When she decides to help end this terrible curse, she finds, surprisingly, that she is really not as alone as she figured. I will not tell any more of the story.
Melissa has written a book which shows how evil racial bigotry was, and unfortunately, still is to this day. Her setting seems historically accurate, and I recall much of what she said as happening. A great testament to the fact that one person's decission to right a wrong, is a giant step to success! Fear of discovery often keeps people from voicing their disapproval of evil, which allows it to continue.
A must read!
A book that brings the evilness of racial bigotry to light, through the eyes of one awakening to it's reality. This story is written from the viewpoint of Alison.
Alison is a white farm girl from a small town in Arkansas in the early 1960's. She is a "daddy's girl" and has always lived her life not making waves. One day, however, she finds the body of a black man, Byron Bingham, floating in the river obviously beaten to death. She starts to realize that this is a person--a man, a husband, a dad! Her world gets turned upside down. As the days pass, she begins to notice all the little things that are done to keep the races seperate and unequal. When she meets Jackson, the brother of a little boy who was beaten by her fiance and his friends, she realizes that she can't just sit back and let this continue. Doubts about marrying her fiance settle in--as she has witnessed his brutality to colored people in town. When she decides to help end this terrible curse, she finds, surprisingly, that she is really not as alone as she figured. I will not tell any more of the story.
Melissa has written a book which shows how evil racial bigotry was, and unfortunately, still is to this day. Her setting seems historically accurate, and I recall much of what she said as happening. A great testament to the fact that one person's decission to right a wrong, is a giant step to success! Fear of discovery often keeps people from voicing their disapproval of evil, which allows it to continue.
A must read!
April 16, 2013
The story takes place in 1967 when most of the United States was in the midst of change due largely because of Martin Luther King Jr. Alison, fondly known as “Pixie”, is caught somewhere between being a child and becoming an adult. Her childhood thoughts and dreams start to fade away when she finds a black man who has been left along the water after someone beat and killed him. This is a defining moment for her and she starts to question the very things she holds dear.
I was swept away with Melissa Fosters writing. This was the first book written by Melissa Foster and I immediately fell in love with her writing. Its flawless and flows so well that you are taken away from reality and feels like you are transported back in time and you get to watch the story unfold right in front of you. The imagery she puts out makes you feel the pain and anguish of the characters. I loved that Alison was exactly how I thought she should be. She is young and her transformation isn’t fast. It takes time and told in a way that makes you identify with her. You feel her pain. You get angry for her. You get angry at her situation and what so badly for it to change.
I couldn’t put it down and read through it in just a couple of hours. Then I re-read it. It is gripping and you honestly wish you could change the way people act. The characters are strong and each one had their place within the story. Each one connecting every part and leading up to a dramatic end. There are a few surprises and the romance is light and sweet.
I was swept away with Melissa Fosters writing. This was the first book written by Melissa Foster and I immediately fell in love with her writing. Its flawless and flows so well that you are taken away from reality and feels like you are transported back in time and you get to watch the story unfold right in front of you. The imagery she puts out makes you feel the pain and anguish of the characters. I loved that Alison was exactly how I thought she should be. She is young and her transformation isn’t fast. It takes time and told in a way that makes you identify with her. You feel her pain. You get angry for her. You get angry at her situation and what so badly for it to change.
I couldn’t put it down and read through it in just a couple of hours. Then I re-read it. It is gripping and you honestly wish you could change the way people act. The characters are strong and each one had their place within the story. Each one connecting every part and leading up to a dramatic end. There are a few surprises and the romance is light and sweet.
June 10, 2013
HAVE NO SHAME
"Have No Shame" was a powerful story, which touched my heart and in many ways forced me to question the good and evil in people. The story takes place in 1967 in Forrest Town, Arkansas. The premise back in the day was that the coloreds were to remain in their place and therefore Division Street represented the mind's periphery to separate the two races. Those caught up in the southern web of bigotry set the existing attitude and opposing views fell short of considerable patronage. The southern mindset prevailed heavily and held the traditional standard of hatred; it was an accepted division and knowing one's place was necessary to maintain the inevitable repugnance.
Alison is destined to follow her conviction to accept and adopt a caring position; however, the consequences of her passion could ultimately destroy and endanger the lives of many. This story not only includes personal endurance for the character(s) to commit to do what is morally, humanly, and ethically right, but it forces us all to take a serious look at past transgressions. We need to pledge that this "shame" will eventually disappear and as mature adults, teach our children to love without the color of skin being an issue. This is an absolute must read. Thank you, Melissa Foster, for your lovely gift to articulate such a sensitive subject as an author and handle it with the utmost of respect.
~Heidi M. Martin
"Have No Shame" was a powerful story, which touched my heart and in many ways forced me to question the good and evil in people. The story takes place in 1967 in Forrest Town, Arkansas. The premise back in the day was that the coloreds were to remain in their place and therefore Division Street represented the mind's periphery to separate the two races. Those caught up in the southern web of bigotry set the existing attitude and opposing views fell short of considerable patronage. The southern mindset prevailed heavily and held the traditional standard of hatred; it was an accepted division and knowing one's place was necessary to maintain the inevitable repugnance.
Alison is destined to follow her conviction to accept and adopt a caring position; however, the consequences of her passion could ultimately destroy and endanger the lives of many. This story not only includes personal endurance for the character(s) to commit to do what is morally, humanly, and ethically right, but it forces us all to take a serious look at past transgressions. We need to pledge that this "shame" will eventually disappear and as mature adults, teach our children to love without the color of skin being an issue. This is an absolute must read. Thank you, Melissa Foster, for your lovely gift to articulate such a sensitive subject as an author and handle it with the utmost of respect.
~Heidi M. Martin
March 28, 2013
It takes a certain amount of courage to write in the first person but Melissa Foster is an accomplished writer and her latest book, Have No Shame, carries it off well.
Eighteen year old Alison Tillman has lived in a small town in Arkansas all her life and has come to accept racial division, and the contempt that accompanies it, as the norm. But the gruesome discovery of a corpse; and her fiancé, Jimmy Lee’s intense racial hatred begins to open her eyes to a world radically different to her own.
Melissa’s ability to accompany Alison through the slow metamorphosis is fascinating – especially to one, like myself, who was brought up in Apartheid South Africa and had to reach a similar awakening. The deterioration of Alison’s marriage and the indifferent nature of Jimmy Lee to anyone’s feelings beyond his own, bring Alison forcefully into the adult world. The tension, which held me until the climax, was that the reader becomes aware that Alison’s dark secret has an inevitable outcome. The unknown factor is how it will come to light.
Have No Shame is a quick but intense read and will certainly meet with a well-earned response.
Lyn J Pickering
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B009C8X4ZY
Eighteen year old Alison Tillman has lived in a small town in Arkansas all her life and has come to accept racial division, and the contempt that accompanies it, as the norm. But the gruesome discovery of a corpse; and her fiancé, Jimmy Lee’s intense racial hatred begins to open her eyes to a world radically different to her own.
Melissa’s ability to accompany Alison through the slow metamorphosis is fascinating – especially to one, like myself, who was brought up in Apartheid South Africa and had to reach a similar awakening. The deterioration of Alison’s marriage and the indifferent nature of Jimmy Lee to anyone’s feelings beyond his own, bring Alison forcefully into the adult world. The tension, which held me until the climax, was that the reader becomes aware that Alison’s dark secret has an inevitable outcome. The unknown factor is how it will come to light.
Have No Shame is a quick but intense read and will certainly meet with a well-earned response.
Lyn J Pickering
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B009C8X4ZY
April 1, 2013
As I began reading this book I thought wow how backwards our world has been for so long. I couldn't believe how dense some people could be. I have never let color of someone's skin or religious beliefs or any thing really stop me from seeing them as anything more than a person just like myself. This book really helped open my eyes to how cruel of a world we still live in. Melissa Foster did a magnificent job of showing you through words a world where having a different skin color gets you treated very differently no matter how educated or how hard you work.
This is a very touching and loving story that touches on some very real issues that still take place in our own country let alone other parts of the world. This story is set in the late sixties and shows how wrong some people really can be. It also shows the reader how love can blossom out of now where and how the heart wants what the heart wants! I was so blown away by this book. I laughed in a couple of places but I definitely cried more. It is a beautiful story that should not be taken lightly. I will be putting this on my read again shelf as this is one story that touched my heart so dearly. I absolutely loved this book and hope you will to!
This is a very touching and loving story that touches on some very real issues that still take place in our own country let alone other parts of the world. This story is set in the late sixties and shows how wrong some people really can be. It also shows the reader how love can blossom out of now where and how the heart wants what the heart wants! I was so blown away by this book. I laughed in a couple of places but I definitely cried more. It is a beautiful story that should not be taken lightly. I will be putting this on my read again shelf as this is one story that touched my heart so dearly. I absolutely loved this book and hope you will to!
April 3, 2013
I've read a few of Melissa Foster's books and they were all thrillers so I was surprised when I started reading this, it's very different.
The novel tells the story of eighteen year-old Alison Tillman, known to her family as Pixie, who lives with her parents on a farm in a small town in Arkansas in the late 1960s. There, she is sheltered from the real world and just accepts the bigotry and prejudice aimed at black people as part of life. Her life is turned upside down, however, when she discovers the body of a black man in the river. She is struck by the fact that he is not 'just' a black man, he is someone's father, husband and son. Alison re-evaluates her life and things change even further when she strikes up a friendship with Jackson, a young black man, and her sister visits home and tells her how things are changing in other states.
I can't say any more without ruining the story, but it is a wonderfully poignant novel which brings home the reality of living in a world of oppression, violence and hatred, and risking everything to try and change it.
The novel tells the story of eighteen year-old Alison Tillman, known to her family as Pixie, who lives with her parents on a farm in a small town in Arkansas in the late 1960s. There, she is sheltered from the real world and just accepts the bigotry and prejudice aimed at black people as part of life. Her life is turned upside down, however, when she discovers the body of a black man in the river. She is struck by the fact that he is not 'just' a black man, he is someone's father, husband and son. Alison re-evaluates her life and things change even further when she strikes up a friendship with Jackson, a young black man, and her sister visits home and tells her how things are changing in other states.
I can't say any more without ruining the story, but it is a wonderfully poignant novel which brings home the reality of living in a world of oppression, violence and hatred, and risking everything to try and change it.
April 6, 2013
Melissa Foster is one of my favorite authors – and I was very intrigued to read her latest book “Have No Shame”. Once I realized it was about the South (Coupled with the fact that I am a true Southern girl born and breed in South GA) I was even more intrigued! As always Melissa did not disappoint!!!
“Have No Shame” is a beautiful, poignant book about all that was wrong with the South in the late 60's. Sometimes hard to believe that people treated other people the way whites treated blacks on Division Street. The book was so real and raw that I sometimes found myself cringing at parts.
Whether you believe in or support interracial relationships, this book was about the love of a daughter for her father, small southern town living and the fear and desire of having a life you were brought up believing was wrong.
Alison touched my heart and lent me her bravery in more ways than one. I think you will find that “Have No Shame” is a gripping southern tale is impossible to put down!
“Have No Shame” is a beautiful, poignant book about all that was wrong with the South in the late 60's. Sometimes hard to believe that people treated other people the way whites treated blacks on Division Street. The book was so real and raw that I sometimes found myself cringing at parts.
Whether you believe in or support interracial relationships, this book was about the love of a daughter for her father, small southern town living and the fear and desire of having a life you were brought up believing was wrong.
Alison touched my heart and lent me her bravery in more ways than one. I think you will find that “Have No Shame” is a gripping southern tale is impossible to put down!
May 26, 2013
Love Conquers Hate
Growing up in a segregated town in Arkansas, Alison Tilman ‘knows her place’ when it comes to interacting with blacks in the town. However, in the winter of 1967, the eighteen-year-old discovers the body of a black man floating in the river and begins to question everything she has ever been taught. Her search for answers takes her to the colored part of town and into the arms of a man she is forbidden to love.
Melissa Foster’s coming-of-age novel, “Have No Shame,” is gripping. She deals with the taboo subject of mixed race romance in a way that is classy and remarkable. The well-defined characters leap off the page and sit next to the reader as the story unfolds. You will find yourself questioning the issues right along with the main characters. The novel is wonderfully written with just enough suspense to keep the reader guessing up until the very end.
Reviewed by: Flashette
Growing up in a segregated town in Arkansas, Alison Tilman ‘knows her place’ when it comes to interacting with blacks in the town. However, in the winter of 1967, the eighteen-year-old discovers the body of a black man floating in the river and begins to question everything she has ever been taught. Her search for answers takes her to the colored part of town and into the arms of a man she is forbidden to love.
Melissa Foster’s coming-of-age novel, “Have No Shame,” is gripping. She deals with the taboo subject of mixed race romance in a way that is classy and remarkable. The well-defined characters leap off the page and sit next to the reader as the story unfolds. You will find yourself questioning the issues right along with the main characters. The novel is wonderfully written with just enough suspense to keep the reader guessing up until the very end.
Reviewed by: Flashette
September 10, 2013
The kindle edition of this book gives the reader two choices: to read with the southern dialect or without it. The southern dialect version puts one right into the main character's (Alison) shoes as the whole novel was told in her point of view.
The trip back to Arkansas in the 60s that this book afforded brought forth a mix of emotions: sadness, anger, relief, and overwhelming love.
I admire people who stand firm on what is right. That's how Alison turned out to be, albeit belatedly, when it came down to her owning up to the battle not for her sake, but for her child.
History shaped the present time, with painful lessons learned along the way. We need to pick and prosper the good, and learn from the bad. We've gone a long way, but sadly, discrimination still abound.
A very beautiful book about awakening and taking a stand, the power of love, and the bonds of family and community.
The trip back to Arkansas in the 60s that this book afforded brought forth a mix of emotions: sadness, anger, relief, and overwhelming love.
I admire people who stand firm on what is right. That's how Alison turned out to be, albeit belatedly, when it came down to her owning up to the battle not for her sake, but for her child.
History shaped the present time, with painful lessons learned along the way. We need to pick and prosper the good, and learn from the bad. We've gone a long way, but sadly, discrimination still abound.
A very beautiful book about awakening and taking a stand, the power of love, and the bonds of family and community.
April 13, 2013
Fabulous read. I love the way it is written, the feelings of the character and personality are immediately picked up on through the first few pages. The protagonist's torment between right and wrong and loyalty and duty are painfully felt as we become Alison and feel every tormented emotion she carries with her. Brutally honest and eye opening, but lovingly told to show how strong the human soul is. Excellently done.
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