A Sunday in June

by Phyllis Alesia Perry

Now in paperback, an electrifying novel of love, brutality, and transcendence.

In a remarkable follow-up to her highly acclaimed first novel, Stigmata , Phyllis Alesia Perry chronicles the lives of three sisters who experience much more than the bond of family. Eva, Mary Nell, and Grace share with each other and with generations of their female ancestors the ability to see into the future and to remember the pain of the past, even of events long before their birth.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published February 4, 2004

Reviews

[Passion Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book… omg. I didn’t expect so much family trauma to be unpacked in one story. Three sisters have a gift of sight. Two can see the future and one sees the past. Their parents though, try to overlook it all.

⚡️

I’ve read stories about people that have the gift of sight, or psychics. But the way the author showed how these girls gifts eventually broke them apart was unmatched. The biggest plot twist was the sisters shared their dreams and one dream they failed to understand. When it was understood, it was too late.

A story of forgiveness after lies, deceit and betrayal after 20+ years. This story showed how lives can be changed and hearts and minds can be broken by trying to hide the truth.

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Sunday in June is the long awaited prequel to Stigmata. It is the story of the Mobley's "curse" that has besieged their family for generations. Set in 1920's Johnson Creek, Alabama and spanning four decades, the novel largely focuses on the two younger sisters, Mary Nell and Eva, who possess psychic abilities and often experience the same visions. Their visions throughout their childhood are prophetic and accurate, but one vision involving Mary Nell's future husband terrifies the girls and threatens to tear the family apart. Their destinies collide one Sunday in June and the sister's relationship changes forever.
At the same time, the oldest sister, Grace, discovers a trunk that contains artifacts from her ex-slave grandmother (Ayo). Ayo's spirit visits Grace causing her to relive Ayo's horrific middle passage, experiences as a slave (beatings, rapes, etc.) and will eventually drive Grace and her descendants to madness as detailed in Stigmata.

The book chronicles the lives of the sisters as they grow into adulthood and how their "gifts" severely influence their choices in life. It shows how ill-equipped the parents were at handling their daughters' talents and chose largely to dismiss the signs as insomnia or bad dreams. While I loved Stigmata, I liked A Sunday in June; although both books were well constructed with compelling plots filled with lyrical prose. A Sunday in June is not a quick read; it is one that must be absored slowly. The author's message is deep but rings loud and clear - the pasts affects us all and she emphasizes the importance of seeking resolution and healing from family trauma.

[Kaitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently, A Sunday in June is the prequel to Perry's first book, Stigmata. I say apparently because it felt very much as though the business of A Sunday in June was over when the book was - actually, about 100 pages beforehand. Perhaps the author had a certain framework that she absolutely had to have laid down in order for Stigmata to work, but if so it needed to be something that allowed me to feel the same compassion and interest in her characters that she had so carefully cultivated during the suspenseful buildup to the titular event. Instead, the last half of the book was a rattling off of plot points: so-and-so dies, this person is still seeing visions, blah blah. On top of that, many details are given off-screen, or alluded to right before a scene-change, stylistic elements that pulled me even further outside the story. By the ending, I had no connection to characters' feelings, and so could not care what the resolution was, or how it worked out for anyone. Two stars for a great start.

[Shirma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully written book. This is my second Phyillis A. Perry book and she did not disappoint. Two sisters divided by something that should have brought them even closer. It's a strong statement for the cruel burdens that women sometimes carry in order to be accepted or maintain a "respectable" image. This is a story of love, forgiveness and the power of family. There was a disconnect, some implausibility in the story for me though, I can't believe that someone only one generation removed from her African heritage, like Joy, could be so in opposition to and fearful of their own traditions. Also, I think in Stigmata Mary Nell and Eva were said to always be together but that doesn't follow in this story. Other than that, the story is very believable and engaging. The abruptness of the ending of the book left me feeling as if someone unexpectedly pushed me over a cliff, with no parachute.

[Pam]

06/02/08 rec via bookmooch

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story, bit slow @ some points, but good.