Lavina

by Mary Marcus

Mary Jacob grew up as an anomaly. A child of Louisiana in the early sixties, she found little in common with most of the people in her community and in her household, and her best friend was Lavina, the black woman who cooked and cleaned for her family. Now, in the early nineties, Mary Jacob has escaped her history and established a fresh, if imperfect, life for herself in New York. But when she learns of her father's critical illness, she needs to go back home. To a disapproving father and a spiteful sister. To a town decades out of alignment with Mary Jacob's new world. To the memories of Billy Ray, Lavina's son who grew up to be a musical legend whose star burned much too bright.And to the echoes of a fateful day three decades earlier when three lives changed forever.A decades-spanning story both intimate and enormous in scope, LAVINA is a novel rich in humanity, sharp in its indictments, and stunning in its resolution.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery

Paperback

First published April 28, 2015

About the author

Very Briefly….

I was born and raised in Louisiana, but left for New York after graduating from Tulane. I worked very hard to get rid of my southern accent, and now I wish I hadn’t. For many years, I worked in the advertising and fashion industries for Neiman Marcus, Vogue, Lancome, Faberge and San Rio Toys where I worked on the Hello Kitty Brand. My short fiction has appeared in North Atlantic Review, Fiction, Jewish Women’s Literary Journal and others.
My husband, Joel Goodman and I live in Los Angeles and East Hampton, New York. We have a grown son, Amos Goodman.

Why I Write

Reading a book has always seemed to me to be the greatest magic trick. You hold an inanimate object in your hands, you look down and wham, you’re transported into an entirely different reality. You encounter people you know instantly and go to places you’ve never been before. Deep reading is a relationship of complete trust when it’s really working.

To say my best friends are books may be an exaggeration–but my favorite books are like best friends: they make me laugh, they entertain me, we have fun together, I find out appalling things, wonderful things and I’m continually moved.

I never get sick of them (and books never get sick of me) unlike my human friends. Books are also very low maintenance (unlike people) requiring no more than a nice shelf and a little dusting once in a while. And of course, books don’t have anything else to do other than hang out with me (unlike my flesh and blood friends and family who have such busy schedules).

I have an electronic reader now that I like, but am just a little afraid of, that stores thousands of books and that seems to me to be both slightly sinful as well as gluttonous but in the nicest possible way. When I get in bed with my electronic reader and it lights up the dark, I feel like a teenager with a flashlight.

All my close friends are so called creative types; consequently no one really except strangers or half acquaintances ever ask me why I became a writer. I was thinking about it this morning why writing has always seemed to me to be the only thing to do (other than painting or pot throwing or drawing, though I can’t do any of those) and that’s because writing is the only form of power I really trust. And doesn’t involve telling other people what to do. Which I never seem able to do with any kind of authority or enthusiasm.

Fahrenheit 451 is the scariest book that has ever been written.

I’d be insane or dead if it weren’t for books.

Reviews

[Judy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top 50 Books of 2015. Charming-Best Southern Gothic, infused with music, history, injustice.

Loved, loved everything about LAVINA by Mary Marcus --beautifully crafted, from the stunning front cover, the well-developed characters, setting, plot, and remarkable storytelling.

Marcus skillfully crafts and unveils the lives, layer by layer, of two families, rich and poor, black and white, past and present-- for a powerful story, set in the Deep South in the sixties. A small town of Louisiana with racial unrest, filled with music, pain, turmoil, heartache, determination, and courage.

From the big white house on Fairfield Street to the wrong side of town on Morehouse Road. One with wealth, and no love, to one of poverty with boundless love to give.

Mary Jacob: At the opening of the novel, in the early nineties, Mary Jacob, a well-known children’s book author is flying home to Murpheysfield, Louisiana from New York. Her books are centered around a little black girl, named Vina, the star character, in memory of her beloved former black housekeeper, Lavina. She loved this woman more than anyone or anything in her life, while being a part of a total dysfunctional family. Without Lavina, her childhood would have been unbearable.

Her former childhood home, is a place holding many bad memories, those she can recall; a family, and a home she left years ago, never to return. A town taking away her Lavina. Her father, Jack Long is dying and on his death bed, has requested her return. A father who was cruel and never a father to her. Of course, her nasty sister from Atlanta she despises will be there, as well. Needless to say, she is not looking forward to this visit.

A tragic event occurred back in 1963 when she was twelve years old, the day at the sit-in, at Woolworths, the day Martin Luther King was to be in town. Certain critical parts of her life are missing. She continues to dream of an African American boy called Billy Ray, her first kiss, as she recalls telling him to run for his life.

Billy Ray: Billy grew up poor, in Murpheysfield with a father who left at an early age. It was only his mom, Lavina, going to work every day as a maid for the rich white family, he grew to despise. He hated being poor until one day the hum came. His musical ability with his harmonica – his discovery of “Diamond Buttons”, his mom’s wig, and sunglasses; making him famous in all the jazz clubs and his rise to the top of the charts. Of course, with this fame came drugs and other vices. His fame came a little too late – He was on top of the world to help save his mother so she could finally escape this town and this life; however, a tragedy occurred which took his beloved mother.

Now he is returning to this Godforsaken town in Louisiana to perform a gig, possibly for a second chance. However, after all these years, he still wants answers to that day long ago at Woolworth’s. The day of the sit-in, and he cannot forget the girl, Mary Jacob—the girl who saved his life. When he learns she is also returning to her hometown, he has to see her. He knows the girl in the books was named after his mother. His mother and Mary Jacob were close and neither of them could save his mother.

Marcus takes us back from the present to the early sixties, as we learn about Mary Jacob, a misfit, the youngest daughter of a powerful good-looking rich man, a string of ex-wives, a man who is part of a group of racial injustice and carrying on with a younger woman under everyone’s nose, a poor mother coming from a Jewish wealthy family who has cancer, staying in her room on the upper level drugged out, and an older mean, self-absorbed sister, Kathyrn, and her sister’s beautiful friend and daughter of her father’s deceased best friend, Van. She has no one except her faithful best friend, Lavina.

Three strong characters bound by love Lavina, Mary Jacob, and Billy Ray for an emotional and heartfelt story that will keep you laughing and crying at the same time--characters you will long remember, well after the book ends. Written with compassion, humor, and insights into the realistic times of this era for a combination of southern, women's, and historical fiction; racial injustice, family drama, mystery, intrigue, coming of age, and suspense.

A magical tale, taking me back, having grown up in the South about the same age as Mary Jacob-- I laughed so hard at some of the things of her childhood, which I could relate. Loved characters, Lavina and Mary Jacob – these two had a special bond and loved the banter and dialect (did not want the book to end). You know when you are reading a great book and feel sad when it is over? Just one more chapter . . .

The author brings magic to each word on the page with beautiful lyrics, prose, and music. I felt so bad for Billy Ray, as was hoping for a real reunion with he and Mary Jacob, as wanted to see these two together without an audience. (Possibly a sequel)? These characters are too good to end, as my kind of book!

If you enjoyed Dollbaby, by Laura Lane McNeal, you are assured to fall in love with LAVINA. Fans of Diane Chamberlain, Sarah Jio, Charles Martin, and Wiley Cash will appreciate the rich history, and human dynamics of this era.

Highly recommend! Can't wait to read more from this exciting newfound author; she knows the South, with pitch-perfect dialect.

A special thank you to The Story Plant and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Review:
#JDCMustReadBooks

[Carmen Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lavina took me a few chapters to really understand who was who but once I got it all straight I was able to invest emotionally. It really wasn't hard because Lavina is charged with emotion. Telling different perspectives and thoughts on the civil rights movements lent to a wide array of emotion. Where I believe Mary Marcus is genius is in the ability to balance such an intense time in history with humor and compassion.

Lavina is book that I will definitely re-read in the future.

Thank you Netgalley and The Story Plant for this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Melanie Coombes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Jacobs is a young, white girl who was raised by her black nanny and housekeeper, Lavina. She lives in Louisiana during the early 1960s. The books goes back in forth from when Mary Jacobs was about twelve years old in 1963 and then it goes back to the 1990s when Mary Jacobs is about 40 years old.
We also flip from Mary Jacob to Billy Ray, who is the 15 year old son of Lavina. A few chapters are also told from the view point of Lavina, who we learn right away has died during that 1960 time frame.
The characters were well written and I loved Lavina. Her personality seemed genuine. It was a very good depiction of life in 1960s Louisiana. The story started off a bit slow, but was worth the read and enjoyable. I received a complimentary e-book via Netgalley.com.

[Julay · Rating 4 out of 5]

On sent que Mary Marcus est une enfant du Sud dans sa manière de décrire la chaleur, la poussière rouge qui vole constamment partout, et surtout dans sa profonde connaissance de l'ère ségrégationniste. L'ambiance est vraiment glauque, anxiogène, et en même temps elle parvient à faire vivre les couleurs, les odeurs, la musique des personnes de couleur dans ce monde aberrant. (La quatrième de couverture mentionne que Mary Marcus a fait partie de ces enfants blancs élevés par la mama noire de la maison, et qu'elle a connu le début de la fin des lois ségrégationnistes).

Le travail réalisé autour du personnage de Billy Ray était très intéressant, de son enfance solitaire à ses années de star lumineuse, avant la descente aux enfers. J'ai beaucoup aimé.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Lavina from the author in exchange for an honest review. This book met the standard of excellence as did Kitchen House! Set in mostly in 1960s in Louisiana, this brought up my own feelings and experiences of that time even though I grew up in Indiana.

The characters are richly drawn and I fell for Lavina, the hired and vastly underpaid and underappreciated cook and housekeeper. She knew the true meaning of mother love. She was generous to Mary Jacob unconditionally. In 1957, my own family moved to a suburb of Indianapolis. And I remember a woman who reminds me of Lavina’s situation. My mother were shocked when we found out that our next door neighbors had a black maid who rode the bus out to the house. She carried a brown paper sack, entered the house through the back door. Then she changed into her maid uniform and put on her wig. Mother and I wondered why they had a maid. Were our neighbors lazy? Why did the maid enter through the back door? Why did she wear a wig? Over the years, I figured out the answers to those questions but had not figured out the wig. Besides answering the questions, the author brought me back to the feelings that I had in the 1960s. If Lavina was real I would have loved to have known her.

Mary Jacobs, did not fit in with the rest of her family. She felt that Lavina was her real mother. Lavina is the only one who gave her love and did not judge her. The scenes between Lavina and Mary Jacobs are wonderful. They are so easy to picture, poignant and unforgettable. Mary Jacobs escaped when she grew up to New York and had married and had a family. When she got a call from her older sister, Kathryn to come back to see her father because he was very ill. She didn’t ever want to go back but she did. She always wanted love from her father but so many of her experiences added up to a deep hatred for him.

Billy Ray is Lavina’s son, music is what made a difference in his life. His story gives us a glimpse into a black musician’s life during the 1960s with the booze, drugs and women. He feels empty and lost.He seems self-centered and full of hate. But he gave Mary Jacob her first kiss and misses the chance to really show his love for his mother.

The whole story turns on what happened in Woolworth’s Drug Store at a sit in inspired by Martin Luther King.

I usually say, you will love this book, but I think this book is a book that you need to read. There are family secrets in this book, also humor but mostly the human experiences that people can learn from.

[Ashley Farley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lavina is a strange book, one step shy of Southern gothic, although some may say it easily fits the criteria for the genre. If you are a fan of Southern literature, this one is a #mustread for your summer TBR list. The cast of eccentric characters will hold you captive on a dark journey through the deep South in the unsettled days of the Civil Rights Movement in 1960s.

Mary Jacob hasn’t been home to Louisiana in more than two decades. When she returns to Murpheysfield to visit her estranged father on his deathbed, the forgotten secrets of her past come back to haunt her. Through alternating points of view, Mary Marcus shares the events leading up to the tragedy that changes not only Mary Jacob’s life but the lives of her beloved black housekeeper, Lavina, who Mary Jacob loves like her own mother, and Lavina’s son, Billy Ray.

Through beautifully written description, Marcus brought back many memories of my own childhood. She nailed the tone of the novel, from all three points of view.

With that said, I got bogged down in places, in the deep pockets of description that did little to drive the plot forward. Repetitive at times and unnecessarily wordy at others, Marcus exerts more effort than necessary to drive the point home. I skimmed and skipped but I never consider abandonment.

3.5 stars from me

[Jayne Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley & Story Plant for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. A brilliant story from start to finish. I loved the way the book is narrated by the three main characters - Lavina, Mary Jacob & Billy Ray. Lavina is the maid & housekeeper in the Long big house. Mary Jacob is the youngest child of Jack Long & his wife is sick & spends her days in bed. Lavina does everything a mother does for Mary Jacob & Mary Jacob loves Lavina & thinks of Lavina as her mother. Mary Jacob finds it difficult to understand the differences between life for Lavina who is black & struggling to make ends meet & hersel the daughter in the big house. The relationship is detailed & intense. Billy Ray is Lavina's son - & he has been given the gift of the hum & makes sweet music.
Mary Jacob is returning home after 20 years to visit her ill father whose love she always sought. The memories come back - father & daughter talk & enjoy each other's company. Mary Jacob is able to ask about Lavina's murder and what happened that fateful day. Billy Ray seeks out Mary Jacob. & she in turn visits him to give him the item his other purchased for him 30 years ago but never got the chance to give him. A truly wonderful story. I highly recommend this book.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Louisiana during the Civil Rights movement, this story revolves around black women raising white children and two children in particular. The title character is biological mother to one and raised the other. All the characters, dads, sisters, girlfriends, etc. are well done and jump off the page. The situations ring true, especially to someone who was raised during the tail end of that era. You won’t regret picking up this one. Received free copy for review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable look back on the south in the 1960's. No families were perfect. No society is perfect for ever caste. Sometimes a marker to show progress is in need. This is such a marker. Anyone interested in history will be interested in this book.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lavina: Mary Marcus

Mary Jacob lived her life in the shadow of others. Whether she was with her father and sister or a family friend she never really accepted herself for who she was. Always trying like her sister, pleasing her father, but not always succeeding, Mary Jacob lived in the dark path of others never really finding her own light. Now, many years later she reenters her father’s home to help care for him in his final days. Their relationship seems odd at times and even strained as her sister, self-absorbed, selfish, greedy and unfeeling has requested she return to help care for their father allowing her the freedom to pursue not only another husband or man but her own dreams and wants.
Jack Long is hoping to find a way to understand and develop some type of relationship with Mary Jacob. His older daughter having power of attorney is determined to rid herself of him any way she can. Nursing home, clean out his home, use all of his money and then throw him to the wind you might say. But, Mary Jacob makes a deal with her father to protect his interests and stop what her sister has already put into motion.

Mary Jacob’s voice is not the only one we hear in this novel. We hear two more. One Lavina the title of the novel a black maid who played an important part in Mary’s life since she accepted her the way she was, her awkward appearance, her way of speaking and dress. Lavina was her only ally and friend growing up in a house filled with selfishness, verbal abuse and a mother who was sick.
Billy Ray was Lavina’s son. A singer, on drugs and drinks a lot . The novel spans many decades and highlights his career. But, Billy Ray is bent on seeing and finding Mary Jacob in the present but why? As we hear the next voice: Lavina’s we flash back to the 1960’s when Martin Luther King held many protests and demonstrations. When civil rights and civil rights issues were front and center to meet Lavina as black maid who cooked, cleaned nurtured and cared for Mary Jacob and her family. As the story begins during that time period we learn more about a central and prominent figure : Dr. Martin Luther King and the real definition of racism. Lavina worked hard for may white families and helped raise their children as if they were hers. The time period the 60’s the place Louisiana.

Lavina and Mary Jacob had a special relationship that transcended beyond her being a maid and taking care of her family. Each one came to the aide of the other when anyone threatened them or created difficult situations. Lavina adored Mary Jacob and through everything including the hate, prejudice and racial tension within the Long home, as Jack and his council members met, discussed Dr. King and their true feelings were revealed, we realize that Lavina was special and Mary Jacob like her own. But, Lavina had a son named Billy Ray whose life was always in turmoil. Not really finding a place for himself anywhere he created his own persona, his own special brand as he rises to the top of the charts amid the women, drugs and alcohol that filled his world. But, within that world was Mary Jacob who his mother loved and who he was jealous of.

Added in as we take the journey back to the past we learn more about Jack Long, his true feelings for Mary Jacob, his love for her friend Van and his lack of acceptance for who she was. Finding herself at odds within her own family, Lavina provided the comfort she needed until that was taken away from her when her father banned her from the kitchen and forced her to become like the others. Remaking herself, getting a makeover, and trying to fit into his world and that of her sister and Van, did not change his perspective of her.

Both Mary Jacob and Billy Ray wanted to be loved by Lavina. He in his own way by making himself popular, singing his special song and creating a brand for himself. Each one vying for her attention and each one jealous of the other one wanting to be the primary focus in her life. But, when Billy Ray finally hit it big and was able to provide for his mother something happened that would change it all. Mary Jacob overheard her father talking with his council members and instantly she decided she would change the course of events, make sure Dr. King did not get shot and hopefully sacrifice herself. With a father who did not and never would see her for who she was or allow her to be her own person, always creating the standard and she never fitting his mold, Mary Jacob learns in a harsh and cruel scene vividly described by author Mary Marcus, another meaning of the word hate and prejudice. Not only did he hate Black people but he hated her for not being what he wanted in a daughter and hoping to turn her into a son.

When you area page 315 you will get another perspective on what Mary Jacob felt and a perfect description of Billy Ray “ like her father , was beauty itself, through the dark where he was light.”

The power of Billy Ray’s playing, his music and song brought an energy to his listeners and hypnotized them. When Dr. King was supposed to appear what happens next will shock readers as someone else is sacrificed and a murder is covered up.




his book is not just about race, but also the struggle to find one’s identity and to become accepted. There are strong themes of heartache, hate, attachment, and love. The core of the book is formed by three extraordinary characters, and cleverly gives the story three different perspectives. The history of the day is dramatically told in their own distinct voices, which brought the story to vivid life.

Lavina – A lovable character that exuded strength, and managed to carry on and care about others despite an unjust system. She loved Mary Jacob like her own child. She really added humor to the story. Living in her own shadow and never quite accepting herself as unique and special Mary Jacob’s heart and soul suffered and when Lavina was no longer her life as she knew it was over. Standing up to her father and letting him know she would no longer take his abuse was a major turning point in the story making you wonder why she even came home to care for him. Van and Mary Jacob talk about the harsh cold realities of that day when someone was killed and Dr. King was shot. His sons echo on and her voice and warmth remains in her heart as Lavina will live on forever in the heart of Mary Jacob.

Lavina made more than just a difference in Mary Jacob’s life. She taught her the true meaning of love, understanding, tolerance and joy. She helped her to understand that it was okay that she was not perfect or looked like her sister or Van. Lavina truly loved Mary Jacob whose mother was ill and would soon learn as others did the meaning of her father’s lust and betrayal. An ending that is quite powerful and two lives changed by one woman. What is the final song that Billy Ray will sing? What is next for Mary Jacob? A powerful book. A compelling story with many lessons to be learned during a time when civil rights and racial issues were in the foreground and sit-ins, protests and racial riots took place and one man tried to temper it all because: He had a dream but unfortunately someone silenced him before he could complete and fulfill it. Living in the shadow of others will Mary Jacob lift the veil and find the shining light?

Let’s Dedicate this to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King and other civil rights leaders who are still trying to teach tolerance, understanding, love, promise and hope.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer



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[Judith Sulivan]

This book has flaws but in the main it has a great deal of truth especially about familial relationships.

At first I feared it would stray too far into The Help territory. But Marcus eschewed that and her narration of the Mary Jacob/Lavina friendship was genuine and reminded me a great deal of my day to day as a small child (in Baltimore so not the deep south) with Philester, our friend, employee and tower of strength.

The novel a few times entered soap opera territory but in the main a strong and interesting tale of families and some Southern eccentrics in the Tennessee Williams vein.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lavina by Mary Marcus
Story of a black woman who served a household throughout her life. She has a son Billy Ray and he tries to go his own way but still lives at home.
Story also follows the family and the upheavals they go through from when the girls were young and as they aged.
Hated to hear about abuse and sexual content but it goes with the story line.
Riots are prevalent to the story and what happens during them.
Received this review copy from The Story Plant and this is my honest opinion.

[Téa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written book and story reinforced by the different perspectives which provide a deeper insight on Lavina’s story and those who surrounded her. The book also clearly highlights the very well established difference between white Americans and Afro Americans, which takes a saddening turn costing Lavinas life.

[Camille Marsella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this story. What happened to Lavina? This gentle and kind woman, was she assassinated in the little town of Murpheysfield? Mary Jacob, the Long's girl was there, the day it happened. 30 years later, Lavinia's son returns to his birth town to understand what happened. He talks to Mary Jacob. Will they be able to relive the past and accept the horrible truth?

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting story based around Jim Crow Days of 1963. I've never read a story like this before and it was fascinating. The differences between black and white people were well told. I am interested in learning more about this time in history. Until next time Happy Reading!

[Viviane Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

It takes a while to figure out who’s who in this richly nuanced novel depicting the civil rights struggle. Mary Marcus is a believer in those who march for the cause because of the intimate relationship she had with Lavina, the black woman who cooked for the Marcus family. Now Mary has returned to a father who is obviously terminally ill and a sister who is just downright mean. Lavina’s son is the famous Billy Ray Davis, the harmonica player of musical legend, but his life is a sad outcome of the harsh divisions of the time.
Billy only feels connected to life when he’s making music or presenting it although his appeal has declined later on. It may be the drugs that take over his life more frequently. Later, he swears he’s clean but the wild yearning never goes away and the drugs were all that ever covered over the loneliness he has felt constantly. Mary describes that sense so well without ever precisely naming it.
Now Mary has returned to watch her father die, a father she has hated for most of her life. The care she always wanted has come too late and so it is bittersweet to say the least. Lavina remembers the years of black struggle, hated by the whites she served. Yet there was always fear mixed with the ever-yearning dreams, hopes, aspirations for a different world. Yet in the middle of the mixed emotions, Lavina is the only one who has a realistic sense of humor, a healthy sign that life really isn’t all that dismal as the people around her seem to be hell-bent on proving otherwise.
The story is told in different voices that reflect all of the above and so much more, reading like sultry blues with occasional bursts of something approaching a wild, musical cornucopia.
Lavina… is a historical novel written in a unique style of reminiscences that brings alive the period of the 1960s to the 1990s. It’s got swagger, violence, languorous moments, and nostalgia to go with each phase of the historical and familial evolution. Very nicely crafted, Mary Marcus!

[Penny Schmuecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me first say that I loved this book. I was thoroughly invested in the characters and the author painted an accurate picture of the turbulent South in 1963. The story begins with Mary Jacob, in her 40's, flying back home to Louisiana at the request of her sister to help with the care of her father in his final days. At the same time, we are introduced to Billy Ray, who also left Louisiana many years before to become a successful musician, but whose best days are perhaps, over. Mary Jacob and Billy Ray shared one thing in their contrasting lives: the love for Lavina, the maid in Mary Jacob's upper class family and also Billy Rays's mother. Lavina was Mary Jacob's best friend, something not taken lightly in the racially divided South. Billy Ray hated that he shared his mother with Mary Jacob and that she was forced to work nearly night and day, bringing home leftovers for dinner so the family could stay afloat. Mary Jacob is an outcast in her own family: her mom is dying, her sister knows the role wealth and privilege can play in society, and her somewhat abusive father is having an affair with her sister's friend. She turns to Lavina for all things motherly. Billy Ray is looking for a way to make a better life for his mother and for himself and he finds it in music. Just as he begins to emerge as a potential star, an event occurs that brings Mary Jacob and Billy Ray together for a fleeting moment, but the results are heartbreaking as Lavina becomes just a memory to both of them.

The author uses alternating points of view between Mary Jacob and Billy Ray but also uses the voice of Lavina's ghost to give us insight into her life. When I was reading it, sometimes I even read Lavina's parts aloud, because it is so spot-on that I could imagine talking to this woman.

This will be a book that I will recommend to my friends and family.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lavina tells the 1990s present day of the characters but the bulk is what happened back one hot summer in the 1960s. Mary Jacob is summoned home by her sister Kathryn because Big Daddy Jack Long is dying and wants to see his youngest daughter again. Mary Jacob doesn't really remember much of her youth before she was shipped off to boarding school. She does remember the hatred she has for her father and the tumultuous relationship with her vain older sister.

Shortly after returning home to Louisiana she is confronted by someone from her past which unleashes all of the memories from the summer that changed her life. Billy Ray is the son of her beloved Lavina. Lavina who raised Mary Jacob and whom Mary Jacob thought for awhile was really her mother.

My favorite parts were from her memories of the past. That was the bulk of the story. That summer shaped the future of everyone involved. The writing is awesome. The character's have their own unique voice. The dialects change with the characters and you can see the characters. There is a nurse who is mean and racist and I immediately had conjured up an image based on way Mary Marcus used her words.

The first couple chapters did take a bit to get into. I actually put it down and read a different book and then I went back. It helped and I was quickly engrossed after that. So, if you do read it and the first two chapters are hard to get into, the next bit is far better and I feel like they are even written differently, in a very good way!

If you loved The Help, I'd definitely recommend this book. It's not exactly the same but if you loved it, you will enjoy this one too! It focuses on the black housekeeper of an affluent white family in small racist Louisiana town.

[Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and thoughtful story that I couldn't put down. Set in Louisiana in the tumultuous 60's, the happenings of one eventful summer are told through three characters' voices:

Mary Jacob, raised in the South in the 60's, grew up a privileged white child. Now living in the North, estranged from her harsh bigoted father, she reluctantly returns to her hometown when he becomes critically ill.

Lavina, the black woman who cared for and nurtured Mary Jacob, is deceased and speaks to us from the grave. She has a unique gentle wise voice.

Billy Ray, Lavina's son, is a gifted musician, but full of hate and resentment. He provided another less expected view of the civil rights movement.

All of the characters were realistic and sympathetic. I especially loved Lavina's voice.

So what did happen that summer? We know that it was devastating to Mary Jacob, but she has blocked the memories. The author had me turning pages compulsively, ... needing to understand. The ending was a bit disappointing but the characters are ones I will remember.

[Victoria Brinius · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good story about Louisiana during such a difficult time in History. Not only does Mary live through the civil rights movement, but she also got to live during a musical revolution. However this book is about so much more. There are people not willing to embrace the ways of the future, and they get stuck in the past. The characters deal with different races and income levels. Mary is used to her life in New York, but when she travels back to her home town she realizes that she left more behind than her family members. Speaking of her family members there are issues there as well. I really liked that the author chose three main characters to focus on through a span of thirty years. The ending surprised me and I had to read the last few chapters twice. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review via The Story Plant, however all opinions are my own.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the USA in turbulent years between the 1960s and the 1990s, Lavina explores the differences, not just between the wealth and social status of society but also of those who find themselves ostracised because of the colour of their skin.

Whilst this is not a period of American history of which I am familiar, however, the author is clearly writing about what she knows and this is evident in the way the story is allowed to evolve in a slow and considered way. The characters are authentic without ever becoming caricatures and there is a believable realism to the story which, I think , will strike a chord with readers.

Overall, this is an interesting story and well worth a read if you enjoy stories about social change.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book meandered around a lot. Maybe since I read it as a bedtime story, I just couldn't stay focused and there wasn't much of a real plot. Outlines the relationship between a well-to-do white child and her father's black maid (Lavina) during the early days of Martin Luther King's campaign. Since Lavina was more like a mother to the child than the real mother, and since she had a son of her own, the interaction among the three main characters was painful and sad, but came to no reasonable closure at the end. Barnes & Noble ~ $1.99 special ~ glad I don't pay too much more for some of these books ...........

[Shawna Briseno · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley:
This is a good story, one that meshes the tumultuous 1960s with the less-so present day. It connects the story of Mary Jacob, a privileged white child, with the story of Lavina, a black woman who worked for her family. The basic story was great, and the characters were relatable and likable. The build-up to the mystery of the story was a bit slow but worth reading for.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the voice of Lavina best. She is the character full of giving, able to love a child not her own. It often seems that life is harshest and cruelest to the most genuine and best people.
I kept holding out higher hopes for the book and the ending seemed slow and a little weak.
All in all it was a pleasant read if not compelling. It tells of a sad chapter in our country's history and the people and their grandchildren are still suffering its effects today.

[Alma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Jacob barely remembers her life before she was 13, growing up in Murpheysfield, Louisiana. She is shocked when her older sister calls to say her dad is dying and wants to see her, as she hasn’t spoken to either of them in years. Despite her misgivings she decides to return home, where she is soon forced to face memories she has tried so hard to forget. Read the rest of the review on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a four star book--amazing writing (the story is told by three different characters, and the story flowed without confusion)--realistic and heart-wrenching in places. I had to deduct a star because the sadness was just so great. If you enjoy reading stories set in the Civil Rights era, you'll want to read Lavina.

[Gail]

I received this book as a give away in exchange for an honest review. I wanted to love it like I did with The Kitchen House and The Help, but I just couldn't get there. I feel the storyline has been overdone and the characters are cliches. It missed the mark in my opinion.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried, I really did, and while I was taken with Mary Jacob's narrative, finding her fresh and funny and real, once we switched to Billy Ray, I found the writing, particularly the dialogue, to be trite and cliched. Life's too short...

P.S. Thanks to Edelweiss and NetGalley for the ARCs.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are not enough words to describe how much I enjoyed this book. Such descriptive and specific character thoughts given to towards the hostile discrimination and racial tension in the deep South during the civil rights era.

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. Reading this was difficult. Sometimes the writing was wonderful and other times so pointless and boring I wondered if I really wanted to find out what happened. I plowed though and finished, although I can't say the ending was all that great.