Absalom's Daughters

by Suzanne Feldman

A spellbinding debut about half sisters, one black and one white, on a 1950s road trip through the American South

Self-educated and brown-skinned, Cassie works full time in her grandmother’s laundry in rural Mississippi. Illiterate and white, Judith falls for “colored music” and dreams of life as a big city radio star. These teenaged girls are half-sisters. And when they catch wind of their wayward father’s inheritance coming down in Virginia, they hitch their hopes to a road trip together to claim what’s rightly theirs.

In an old junk car, with a frying pan, a ham, and a few dollars hidden in a shoe, they set off through the American Deep South of the 1950s, a bewitchingly beautiful landscape as well as one bedeviled by racial strife and violence. Suzanne Feldman's Absalom’s Daughters combines the buddy movie, the coming-of-age tale, and a dash of magical realism to enthrall and move us with an unforgettable, illuminating novel.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Magical Realism, Audiobook, Southern, Historical, Family

272 pages, Hardcover

First published July 5, 2016

About the author

Suzanne Feldman, a recipient of the Missouri Review Editors' Prize and a finalist for the Bakeless Prize in fiction, holds an MA in fiction from Johns Hopkins University and a BFA in art from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her short fiction has appeared in Narrative, The Missouri Review, Gargoyle, and other literary journals. She lives in Frederick, Maryland, and can be contacted through her website for virtual readings and book club visits: suzannefeldman.net

Reviews

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

In her debut novel Absalom's Daughters, Suzanne Feldman tells the story of two half sisters Cassie and Judith, one black and one white, growing up in small town Mississippi during the 1950s. In the Jim Crow era, neither girl had a future besides Cassie working in her grandmother's laundry and Judith assisting her in delivering the laundry back to its owners. This bleak existence changes one day when Cassie is fifteen and Judith is sixteen when they receive a letter letting them know they are entitled to an inheritance as part of their father's progeny in Virginia. Despite the dangers of a white and black girl traveling together in the south, the two girls jump at the opportunity to get out of Heron Neck, Mississippi in order to better their lives.
Traveling in an old beat up car and spending their nights sleeping behind billboards, the girls slowly inch their way toward Virginia. When things look bleak, Judith tells everyone they meet that she is going to be a radio star in New York City and sings for cash. Meanwhile she is unable to let people know that Cassie is her sister, so Judith is forced to relegate her to the role of maid. It is at this point on the journey that Feldman weaves in magical realism that I enjoy but normally do not see in American authors. To paint the picture of life in the south, Feldman has men turn into mules, houses haunted by ghosts of slaves and overseers, and a ball of tar given by a reverend's wife to Cassie that could change her future should she so accept.
This debut was part coming of age story, part road trip story mixed with a harrowing story of life in the south before the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Feldman cites being influenced by William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom, which I have not read to compare the two stories, as well as the works of Toni Morrison. Feldman is a gifted writer in her own right and I look forward to reading more of her works in the future. A stunning debut.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

in the author's afterword she give a nod to Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom, and other reviewers who have read it are also able to make comparisons. I cannot since that particular Faulkner I have never read. So I can only review this on the story as is, if reading the aforementioned book would have added to this story I don't know but not reading it did not lessen my enjoyment in any way.

Jim Crow south, Mississippi, Cassie a young black girl lives with her mom and grandmother, they do the laundry form the town's wealthy residents and Judith, a young white woman from a poor family, deliver the laundry to said residents. They are sisters, share the same family, a man who has deserted his white family and his town. When they find out he is in Virginia trying to collect on a family inheritance the girls take a road trip in a beat up car, to confront their father and get some of the money. After all they are progeny too.

So begins a madcap adventure, an adventure that includes a town where mules were once men, turned into mules for cheating, and I have to admit I kind of liked that idea. Towns that appear on maps but are not where they are said to be. A town where whites and black seem to exist together, where a ball of tar will come into play. I enjoyed this story immensely, took these two young girls to heart, wanted them to find good things at the end of their trip. They grown they change, they come to certain realizations that will decide how they both end up. Meet many good people, some bad, funny moments, sad moments. Wonderful use of magical realism, this author is a stunning new talent and one to watch for. Shades of Toni Morrison but really the author has made this story her own. Well done.

ARC from Netgalley.

[Tom Mathews · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first heard that Suzanne Feldman had written a book about two sisters, one black and one white, who took a road trip through the Deep South during the Jim Crow era I immediately imagined ugly encounters with racist law enforcement officers and Klansmen. While racism is a key element of this story it is not the dominant theme. Rather, Absalom’s Daughters is a journey of discovery, both literal and rhetorical. It is a journey taken by Cassie and Judith, two women sharing the same father, to find out who they are and what they wish to become.

A reviewer trying to suss out Feldman’s thought processes in writing this book might be tempted to read Biblical story of Absalom the rebellious son of David, but that would be a mistake. In southern literature when the name Absalom pops up, there is really only one possible source: Faulkner. In the book Absalom, Absalom! the relationship between two brothers is destroyed when it is learned that one brother, Charles, is part black. If that clue isn’t enough, the revelation comes out when Charles wants to marry a young woman by the name of, wait for it, Judith. And that’s just the beginning.

Many great journeys in mythology include elements of magical realism and Cassie and Judith’s story does as well. There is Porterville Township, a community as elusive and ephemeral as Brigadoon. It is a town where a black person’s dreams of becoming white can come true. There are men who might be mules, or vice versa (a nod to Zora Neale Hurston?). Most magical of all, though, is what happens once Cassie and Judith get to Remington, Virginia, and start to find out about their common ancestors. Faulkner fans will find much familiar before the journey comes to its end.

This review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.

FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.

[Alena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good effort for a debut novel but it felt a little timid. Elements of magical realism are interesting and creative, but Feldman could have explored those further. She paints the typical portrait of the segregated South, but didn't really break any new territory. There was a lot of potential in the premise of 2 sisters, 1 black 1 white, but I was left wanting more.

[Kim McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet as molasses, heartwarming as pecan pie and dangerous as a boy's promises on a hot summer night - two half sisters set out on an adventure to get what is rightfully theirs and end up finding friendship and maturity. Judith is white and Cassie is black and they share the same no good dead- beat father who has run out on both families in search of his golden ticket, inheritance money from the family estate in Virginia. They decide that part of that money should be theirs and they set out in a junk car and no money from Mississippi to Virginia in time for the decision over the money.
With a bit of luck , some truly kind souls along the way and a lot of moxie these two innocent girls manage to land on their feet. Wonderful heartfelt and undeniably Southern, this debut written by a Yankee author is sure to put a smile on your face. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Ammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

In 1950s rural Mississippi, two teenage girls, one illiterate and white, the other self-educated and brown, are half-sisters. They catch wind of their wayward father’s inheritance in VA and hitch their hopes to a road trip to claim what is rightly theirs.

I was hoping to fall in love with the characters and the story but it didn’t happen. The premise was spot on but the execution was disappointing even with the individuals they met on their journey. I disliked the “magical realism” that appeared out of nowhere.
2016(39)

[Sharon Huether · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this free book through Goodreads- First reads. Thank you Goodreads.
This story is one, when you read it, your glad you did.
Two half sisters, when hearing of a possible family inheritance went on an interesting adventure to find it. Some good things happened on the way. Through the kindness of strangers, they made it to their destination.
Judith wanted a singing career in New York City, Cassie didn't have such ambitions. Life was good to them, but not as planed.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Jim Crow South of the 1950s two girls find their reflection in each other's faces. Although one is black and one white they share the same father-- 'skirt-chasing, adulteratin' white trash'--who has abandoned both families. A rumor comes to town that their father is to inherit a legacy, and being 'progeny' the girls are encouraged to find their father and demand their inheritance.

Sixteen-year-old Judith is white, uneducated, and devastatingly poor. What she possesses is a beautiful talent for singing. Hearing the Negro music aired from New York City--only at night due to its scandalous sexuality--Judith longs to go to New York and become a famous singer.

Cassie, fifteen and cinnamon in color, lives with her grandmother and mother, a hardworking laundress. Grandmother determined that her daughter--and plans for her granddaughter--to take white lovers with the expectation of diluting their African blood until they can pass as white. Cassie's mother hopes to spare her daughter this indignation, encouraging her to follow Judith's quest for the father and leave town.

The story of the girls' road trip across the south is delightful reading, episodic with wonderful characters and twists and memorable characters.

Early in the story Cassie meets Ovid Beale who tells her that mules 'useter be colored folk'; it is easier for colored folk to turn into a mule because they are 'already half one thing and half another.' And it is this theme of passing between two worlds, the legacy of slavery making colored folks black but not black, appearing white while being deemed legally black, that informs the story.

On their travels each sister acts out different roles according to the expectations of the audience and what they need to do to survive. Cassie acts the black servant to Judith, then tries passing as white, learning about herself and deciding on her future. Cassie learns that what is important is the past, to never forget her roots.

It took time for me to get hooked to the story, then it picked up considerably. The characters are interesting and Feldman has an original take on the timeless theme of race and identity in America.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a sweet story, but ultimately forgettable. There's a small dose of magical realism that frankly wasn't even useful to the story. I liked that the girls were half sisters, one black girl and one white girl, with the same daddy. I liked that Cassie was very introspective and trying to determine how comfortable she wanted to be with herself.

Ultimately though it's just Cassie and Judith meeting lots of random people who give them money and are ridiculously nice before the girls move on. There didn't seem to be a point to most of the interactions, especially since they (for the most part) didn't treat the girls differently for being black and white. There wasn't any conflict at all except Cassie's half-assed internal conflict.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a coming of age story about two half sisters, one black, one white, who take a road trip to track down their deadbeat father and claim an inheritance they have heard about. The story takes place in Mississippi in the 1950s and about race, but a little different than what you normally read. This book has some magic realism in it which totally threw me off because I wasn’t expecting it. I guess the best message the book teaches is to accept and love yourself no matter what skin you are in. I thought the book was pretty good, but not gripping.

Thanks to Library Thing for an Early Reviewer’s copy of the book.

[Ryan Fields · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Absalom referenced in the Absalom’s Daughters is a clear call to Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom!, which is a reference to the Old Testament son of David. Part of Absalom’s story is the murder of his brother, who has raped their sister. Faulkner plays with the incest and violence in the Biblical story throughout his Southern epic. Suzanne Feldman also incorporates these themes into her novel, albeit much more gently.

Absalom’s Daughters begins with a much more lighthearted escape from Mississippi by interracial half-sisters Judith and Cassie. The first half of the novel has a more carefree tone. Sure, Judith and Cassie experience a distrust and misunderstanding of each other’s cultures. But, throughout their journey to find their father, there is no apparent hatred in either one; pity is the strongest emotion that I remember. Then the novel shifts in tone as Cassie, the black sister, begins to consider her world in flux between her whiteness and blackness. She’s even given the chance to see the world from a completely white perspective through a magical discovery she makes along the journey.

One of the strongest contrasts between the two novels, Faulkner’s and Feldman’s, is that Absalom’s Daughters focuses more on the impact Civil-War era, interracial infidelities have on the future generations. Cassie lives under the weight of her family’s plan to lighten their complexion through coupling with white men. However, the greatest struggle she has is understanding to which culture she belongs.

Feldman’s novel has several strengths including how, where Faulkner’s work is dark and melancholy, she uses humor and moments of compassion (or at least empathy) to offset the hopelessness of Black families in the Jim Crow South. The focus on the women’s perspective also serves as a mirror to Faulkner’s novel. And the conflicted reality of Judith and Cassie’s relationship shines throughout: “I ain't gonna be your maid, an' I guess I can't really be your sister." I have noticed that some reviews have pointed out the noticeable shift in tone between the two halves an indicator that the novel was indecisive (something which I felt to some extent). Yet, I’m not sure that it actually hurts the novel. The “escape from Mississippi” helps to draw the reader into the story enough the feel the bittersweet emotions of the story’s conclusion. While possibly lacking some of the depth (and bias) of Faulkner’s work, Feldman’s is certainly the more readable of the two works.

Thanks to LibraryThing and Henry Holt and Co for this ARC.

[Arielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absalom's Daughters began as an intriguing read about coming of age, dealing with racism and prejudice, and the powerful bond of sisterhood with a touch of magic realism. There are two teenage half sisters: Cassie who is self-educated and brown skinned and Judith who is illiterate and white. They live in Mississippi and their father has run off to make his fortune. When they hear rumors of their father's possible inheritance in Virginia, they decide to travel to him and to claim their share too. Their adventure in a junker car and a few dollars in Cassie's shoe through 1950s Jim Crow's South is one filled with many self discoveries and intriguing odd places touched by hints of magic. I LOVED the careful attention to diction and the message of the novel to remember and embrace one's history.

"Colored folks doin' the same thin' now. They gits whiter, and they fergits everythin' 'bout they past. One day they ain't gone to be no past, jus' folks behavin' like today the only day that ever was." (p. 147)

"I pledge never to forgit the past…I pledge to recollect my roots, no matter what my state of affairs." (p. 156)

I found this a delightful and softer read about racism, discovering one's identity, and staying true and firm to one's roots. I have not read Faulkner's Absalom so I missed some of the allusions. However on a side note, I read this story right after I read Homegoing (also about two half sisters who never meet and about their progeny and generational and racial specific hardships). Whereas Homegoing was vivid in imagery and heart-wrenching shocking at times, Absalom's Daughters was a softer and playful approach to racism and prejudice in America's Deep South of the 1950s. I appreciated the lighter tone of this book but I craved for some more depth and real hardships for the characters to overcome and therefore truly evolve and mature.

[SundayAtDusk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suzanne Feldman knows how to tell a tale. Her winning story is about two teenagers during the 1950s who live in a small town in Mississippi. Cassie is black and Judith is white, and they both have the same good-for-nothing white father, who skipped town years ago. When a letter arrives at Judith's home telling about a possible inheritance their father might be getting, the two girls take off in a clunker of a car to Virginia. While it's a story with a lot of laughs, it's also one that explores racism, including the prejudice held by many blacks against those of darker shades of black. Cassie's grandmother wants more white blood in the family, and plots ways to make that happen. That's one reason Cassie decides to take off with Judith, with the blessings of Cassie's mother.

The theme about wanting to be white also leads to a strange episode in the novel where Cassie and Judith end up separated for two days. Judith ends up at their correct destination in Remington, Virginia, while Cassie ends up in Richmond in a Twilight Zone episode. To me, the story went too far off the track there; and all of Ms. Feldman's previous books have been science fiction ones; but maybe I'm missing something about the tar bar. As I see it, Cassie could have learned the lessons she learned during those two days in a more normal manner, which would have been truer to the story. Moreover, the part with her grandmother in the last chapter didn't have the punch I think the author intended it to have. The last chapter of the book was actually weak, which was a shame considering how strong the rest of the story happened to be. Nevertheless, it still gets five stars, because it was one of the best stories I have read all year.

(Note: I received a free copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.)

[E.H. Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loaned to me from my mom’s collection, all she told me was Absalom’s Daughters followed two Southern girls, one white and one black, who take a road trip together. It was the perfect introduction with no spoilers, and that’s all I’ll tell you about it either! I will add that I loved this book and highly recommend it for female readers. It definitely belongs in the Women’s Fiction genre.

The story itself is timeless and simple, exploring the bonds of friendship and family, but it’s Suzanne Feldman’s writing style that makes the book fantastic. Her dialogue is written as Mark Twain’s and Margaret Mitchell’s was, phonetically inserting the very thick Southern accent into the reader’s minds and never letting it lapse. I love that style, but if you don’t, you’ll find this book impossible to get through. To me, Feldman’s dialogue is enough to create vivid, realistic characters who are ignorant but not unlikable. It’s a tough line to walk, and she nails it. Add in descriptions of the surroundings, from the poverty-stricken households to the broken-down car and spotty reception of the “reddio”, and you’ve got an irresistible story that will stick in your mind for years afterwards.

http://hottoastyrag.weebly.com/absalo...

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 A debut novel, highly rated by most Goodreads readers - great expectations from outline of plot - just didn't follow through with any of the themes. Two sisters, teens in Mississippi, one black and white, two mothers and same father - meet each other by chance. Read a letter with information that the father may be heir to an estate in Virginia. They decide to go to Virginia and share in the wealth that's due them. Could have been so good from this point on. But . . . it wasn't a cross-country road trip in a junk car; it wasn't a magical tale even with the parts of magical realism; it wasn't really a coming-of-age story; not even a story of a relationship between two sisters. Was a little bit of all-of-the-above combined, but didn't ever quite reach my soul, and will be possibly quite forgotten. Just didn't live up to my expectations or to its potential.

[Marlene England · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enchanted by this book. So much more than a coming-of-age story. Finished it in one sitting, thanks to a rainy Sunday. Can't wait to share with our Tuesdays with Tea book club. And I suppose Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom! is now on my to-read list.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is easy to read even though it deals with serious subjects. I enjoyed reading about the relationship between the two sisters and following the adventures they had on their way from Mississippi to Virginia.

[Gail Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seldom has a debut so absorbed and touched me. It is simply magnificent - beautiful, funny, wise and filled with heart. Suzanne Feldman has given us two sisters in Heron-Neck, Mississippi in the early 1950s - each are poor and both work hard. Born of the same father Cassie is black and Judith is white.

Cassie lives and works with her mother and grandmother doing laundry. Both Cassie and Judith pile their carts with freshly done laundry to tote up the hill to luxe mansions where the white folks live. We can forget their father as he has been long gone. Cassie’s grandmother warns her about Judith by saying, “no matter how twice related you are, she’s no kin to you.” Nonetheless, Cassie is drawn to Judith, becoming almost protective of her. Feldman’s descriptions of their conversations are telling, they shine with wit and truth.

When the girls learn that their father has gone to Virginia to claim his inheritance an unforgettable road trip, one like no other begins. Judith believes she can be a radio star in New York City so she convinces Cassie that they should find their father, prove they are his progeny and claim their share of the money. They go off in an unbelievably old junked car that belches steam, sleep behind billboards, and try to follow a route on a map so old that the state lines are blurred. For the reader Feldman has deliciously introduced us to unreality - the sisters come across mules who were once men, find towns that seem to be one place on the map and somewhere else on the road, Cassie even spends some time as a white girl. They meet kindness and adversity as each searches for her own freedom.

Many may be reminded of William Faulkner as they read Absalom’s Daughters yet Feldman’s voice is entirely her own, brilliantly so. She writes with total authority, entertaining us, engaging us, and at times provoking us.

Enjoy!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absalom's Daughters by Suzanne Feldman, is much more than a coming of age travel adventure book. It is full of suspense, mystery and meaningful fables. I worried about two teenage girls, one black and one white, traveling through the south in the 1950's. Will their dreams come true; will they reach New York. How does the dilapidated car they are driving work. Of course there are twist and turns and issues for reflection. I truly enjoyed this book, I thought about things I did at their age when I had a car that didn't always work as well as many other things.

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quirky and heartfelt journey that will intrigue readers from the beginning. From an early age Cassie and Judith knew they were sisters. Even though Cassie was black and living with her mother and grandmother above a laundry shop and Judith was a white girl living with her redneck family, they knew they were sisters, and so did the whole town. Grandmother was obsessed with getting the family lighter and lighter because living in the Jim Crow south during the 50s was no cake walk for colored folks. In order to whiten the family line, grandmother would push her offspring to get knocked up by white men, hoping that in a few generations, no one would be none the wiser. When their father ran off (although he was certainly no father to poor Cassie and ignored her very existence) and left Judith's mom and siblings up shit creek, Judith has decided that she's had enough and she's going to make her own way in the world. She convinces Cassie to join her and together they dig an old car out of the woods and start a road trip across the south that they'll never forget. A wonderful read that has elements of folklore, mysticism, family, friendship, and heartbreak.

[Rheetha Lawlor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom, but now I think I want to. There are apparently many parallels between Ms. Feldman's book and Faulkner's. But ultimately both unveil some more layers of racism, despite the "progeny" blood (when you read the book, you'll get that). Cassie is black, and her half sister Judith is white, living in Mississippi. The two girls, in their older teens, run away to Virginia during the Jim Crow era. They encounter the basic occurrences of running away- hunger, fending away boys who aren't nice, and who to trust. Racism is an underlying theme, but it isn't proselytizing. The book is also about growth in a relationship, about goals, how we define ourselves, and it's an adventure.

At one point, there is an odd shift in which Cassie receives "tar" that changes her appearance. That was weird. But it fits, kind of, in the story. I don't want to give too much of it away. I read this book in a day; it was that good.

[Kay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sisters, one white, one black, escape their fate in Mississippi in an old jitney. With a lot of luck and magical coincidences they make it north. The half black sister is the narrator, the story of her mother, grandmother and childhood are the heart of the story.

How she is treated by those she meets along the way exposes Jim Crow America in the 50's. She handles it well, trained to be subservient while working in her grandmother's laundry. Reading the Underground Railroad days later, it struck me how little our country changed in 100 years in its treatment of African Americans. Things are not as physically violent but it's pretty awful psychologically. And it certainly remains where I live in Southern Ohio.

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met and listened to the author Suzanne Feldman at a book lecture and signing in January (pre-pandemic). I didn't know anything about the book, but I found her talk compelling, and I like to support authors, so I bought the book, and didn't get around to reading it until recently....having been disappointed in some of my recent reading of contemporary fiction, I was more than pleasantly surprised by this book...fascinating story of female friendship, issues of race in the Jim Crow South, bi-racial identity, family relationships....I couldn't put it down, particularly because of the great interpersonal dialogue. Cassie was an unforgettable character. It was a real, as well as metaphorical, road trip.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This coming-of-age story is an easy and interesting read. Two teenage girls, one black and one white and also half-sisters, take a road trip through the south to locate their father and claim their rightful inheritance. The story centers around racism, poverty, heritage, and accepting who you are. There was a short magical aspect to the story which was significant and important to the outcome. Probably the most important theme of the story to me was that even though there may be negative and embarrassing moments concerning your ancestors it does not have to affect your outlook on life and your future.

I won this book from LibraryThing.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting, and I wish it were longer. The author really delivered on selling the time period and how different ethnicities were treated and how they were expected to behave.
Judith spoke perfect English at home, but because she was black, she spoke with the dialect people expected of her.
This really was a fun read, following these young sisters on their journey toward their inheritance. One sister was white and one black. They both shared a white father.
I wish this was more of an epic saga, following the girls as they reach for their dreams, perhaps sequel is in the works ?

[Delores Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two girls of southern Mississippi have the same father but one is black and the other black. Cassie, the black girl, is self educated and works with her grandmother and mother in the laundry. Judith is illiterate and white and has discovered she can sing "colored music" very well and dreams of being a big city radio star. They decide to try to find their father and set off in a barely running piece of junk for Virginia. There are difficulties and help along the way which helps them learn about themselves and learn many myths and truths along the way especially about themselves.

[Susan Stevenson]

Easy to follow story line, nice flow. Would recommend !

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Crowe's south is alive-two girl, sisters, one white and one black have a journey into "life's lessons". Great read.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Absalom's Daughters is, in truth, just not my kind of book. Books with thick dialect, even Twain, make me cringe as I read them, and doubly so in current times when written by white authors for black characters- this may be something particular for me as a reader though, so I am trying to separate that consistent aspect if the book from myboverall review. The story outline, if it came across as simply a summary, sounds awesome-1950s Mississippi sisters who share a philandering father, one white and one black, find eachbothwr, become friends and embark on a road trip through the deep south in a jalopy to claim their inheritance from some obscure relative. I thought I would love it. When actually reading the book, though, I felt like a lot of the writing was forced, a lot of the plot not simply unlikely, but unbelievable, and the elements of "magic" that the author slipped in (that others seemed to praise in their reviews) came across to me as condescending and racially charged in a way that a white author should not take liberties with in a story. Overall, I just didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. It feels like the author was trying too hard, and it simply fell flat to me.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

PopSugar Reading Challenge - book tied to my ancestry