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Gone Like Yesterday
A lyrical debut novel that asks what we owe to our families, what we owe to our ancestors, and what we owe to ourselves. Janelle M. Williams's Gone Like Yesterday employs magical realism to explore the majestic and haunting experience of being a Black woman in today's America.
Gone Like Yesterday follows two Black women--Zahra, a listless college prep coach, and Sammie, a teenage girl and budding activist soon off to college--who are drawn to each other through the songs of gypsy moths. Gypsy moths have been singing the songs of Zahra's ancestors to her for years, so when Zahra realizes that Sammie might be a moth person too, their paths become intertwined.
Then, the unthinkable happens: Zahra's brother, Derrick, goes missing. Derrick has always been different--sensitive and connected to the spiritual world, he has been drifting from Zahra and her family for some time. But this time feels different. Zahra is panicked that he may really be gone for good, lost to her forever.
Zahra can't let that happen. So, she, along with Sammie, embarks on a road trip from New York to Atlanta, Zahra's hometown, in search of Zahra's brother, but also to uncover just what the moths and their ancestors want with them, and what to do about their individual and collective futures.
Sharp and wholly original, Gone Like Yesterday is a novel about family and legacy but also a literary exploration of racial identity, self, and what it means to be found.
Gone Like Yesterday follows two Black women--Zahra, a listless college prep coach, and Sammie, a teenage girl and budding activist soon off to college--who are drawn to each other through the songs of gypsy moths. Gypsy moths have been singing the songs of Zahra's ancestors to her for years, so when Zahra realizes that Sammie might be a moth person too, their paths become intertwined.
Then, the unthinkable happens: Zahra's brother, Derrick, goes missing. Derrick has always been different--sensitive and connected to the spiritual world, he has been drifting from Zahra and her family for some time. But this time feels different. Zahra is panicked that he may really be gone for good, lost to her forever.
Zahra can't let that happen. So, she, along with Sammie, embarks on a road trip from New York to Atlanta, Zahra's hometown, in search of Zahra's brother, but also to uncover just what the moths and their ancestors want with them, and what to do about their individual and collective futures.
Sharp and wholly original, Gone Like Yesterday is a novel about family and legacy but also a literary exploration of racial identity, self, and what it means to be found.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2023
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10302 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
April 13, 2023
Gone Like Yesterday is a lyrical fiction novel that follows closely Zahra (a prep coach) and Sammie (a high school student). They had never met each other, but when they do, they seem to have a lot more in common than they think. They can both hear the singing moths which through songs seem to be telling them something deep.
Why is it that the moths sing to them? Will they be able to decipher their message?
Derrick (Zahra's brother) who can also hear the moths goes missing and it is this what brings Zahra and Sammie even much closer. It seems the only way to find Derrick and get an answer is by joining forces, and for us to know we have to follow their path on this debut novel by Janelle M. Williams.
I was really enthralled by the novel, especially from the second part towards the end.
If you're into lyrical fiction you'll probably enjoy this book as much as I did!
Why is it that the moths sing to them? Will they be able to decipher their message?
Derrick (Zahra's brother) who can also hear the moths goes missing and it is this what brings Zahra and Sammie even much closer. It seems the only way to find Derrick and get an answer is by joining forces, and for us to know we have to follow their path on this debut novel by Janelle M. Williams.
I was really enthralled by the novel, especially from the second part towards the end.
If you're into lyrical fiction you'll probably enjoy this book as much as I did!
December 6, 2023
This was an interesting read.
Williams debut novel gave readers a feel of magical realism that explored sometimes surreal experiences of what it is like to be a Black woman in today’s America.
There is also…
A sense of place with both Atlanta and Harlem feeling like characters themselves.
Reviewing an interview with the author she shared that her book is about so many things…
“…family, identity, love, nature, spirituality, culture. …To be clear, I wasn’t trying to sum up the African American female experience. I just so happen to be an African American woman, and I had questions.”
How many times do we ask what our ancestors would do, say, or feel in situations/circumstances?
So…
With her words, she takes us there on a quest for legacy.
In a very different way…
Because it felt like…
There was also something musical about this book. How the author’s words play like its own soundtrack carrying the spirit, jazz, blues, and the soul of people’s lives. Music lived through the characters, and we as readers could feel it.
How can I describe this book…?
Family drama. Relationships. Magical. Musical.
It may take a bit to get in to it, but once you do, it carries you.
Williams debut novel gave readers a feel of magical realism that explored sometimes surreal experiences of what it is like to be a Black woman in today’s America.
There is also…
A sense of place with both Atlanta and Harlem feeling like characters themselves.
Reviewing an interview with the author she shared that her book is about so many things…
“…family, identity, love, nature, spirituality, culture. …To be clear, I wasn’t trying to sum up the African American female experience. I just so happen to be an African American woman, and I had questions.”
How many times do we ask what our ancestors would do, say, or feel in situations/circumstances?
So…
With her words, she takes us there on a quest for legacy.
In a very different way…
Because it felt like…
There was also something musical about this book. How the author’s words play like its own soundtrack carrying the spirit, jazz, blues, and the soul of people’s lives. Music lived through the characters, and we as readers could feel it.
How can I describe this book…?
Family drama. Relationships. Magical. Musical.
It may take a bit to get in to it, but once you do, it carries you.
February 15, 2023
I’m always a bit apprehensive when it comes to stories that center magical realism because I inevitably always want more magic. However, Williams delivered a powerful story about identity, family, and race with the perfect amount of magic and mystery dispersed throughout.
This story follows two Black women - Zahra, a Stanford alumna turned college prep coach and Sammie - a teenage girl with activist dreams who is applying to college.
I adored Zahra and the magical moths that sing to her. I really appreciated her introspection when it comes to her attending a PWI versus an HBCU and the regrets she has. I felt very seen. I loved her budding romance with Sammie’s uncle!
I loved Sammie’s story and seeing her trying navigate her next steps in life while also figuring out the tumultuous relationship she has with her parents. I admired her courage to assemble in the face of racist BS rather than fold. I think her immigration story will also be near and dear to a lot of folks.
I’m excited for what’s next from Williams after this magical debut!
Thank you Tiny Rep Books & PRH Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
This story follows two Black women - Zahra, a Stanford alumna turned college prep coach and Sammie - a teenage girl with activist dreams who is applying to college.
I adored Zahra and the magical moths that sing to her. I really appreciated her introspection when it comes to her attending a PWI versus an HBCU and the regrets she has. I felt very seen. I loved her budding romance with Sammie’s uncle!
I loved Sammie’s story and seeing her trying navigate her next steps in life while also figuring out the tumultuous relationship she has with her parents. I admired her courage to assemble in the face of racist BS rather than fold. I think her immigration story will also be near and dear to a lot of folks.
I’m excited for what’s next from Williams after this magical debut!
Thank you Tiny Rep Books & PRH Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
November 19, 2022
I absolutely adore Zahra. And her moths.
The air of magic and mystery, the feeling of not being quite sure of anything, the fog between magical realism and the blurred lines of activism and contemporary fiction. This book is such a brilliant blend of the best kind of character-driven stories. Debut novel? Simply excellent! And I was hoping for a playlist of songs since there are so many snippers and pieces of amazing music sprinkled throughout.
"Even the moths sing love songs."
And the final third of the book is un-put-down-able.
Alright.
'Alright is reconnecting with an old friend.' 'Alright has been getting to know you.'
"A ring shout, a call and response, from the past to the present, to the future and back again."
The air of magic and mystery, the feeling of not being quite sure of anything, the fog between magical realism and the blurred lines of activism and contemporary fiction. This book is such a brilliant blend of the best kind of character-driven stories. Debut novel? Simply excellent! And I was hoping for a playlist of songs since there are so many snippers and pieces of amazing music sprinkled throughout.
"Even the moths sing love songs."
And the final third of the book is un-put-down-able.
Alright.
'Alright is reconnecting with an old friend.' 'Alright has been getting to know you.'
"A ring shout, a call and response, from the past to the present, to the future and back again."
March 6, 2023
This book slapped. Transparently, I work with Janelle at Writopia and she is so cool. It was an honor for me to know the author and I wonder how that may have impacted my reading... but either way, I was a rapt reader of this debut of magical realism.
The novel follows two women and the moths that bind them. Zahra is a college prep coach and Sammie is one of her students. The two of them have so much depth and are the beating hearts of this book. The men in their lives (Sammie's uncle and Zahra's brother) sometimes drive the plot but ultimately take a back seat to Zahra and Sammie. They take a road trip from NYC to Atlanta to find Zahra's missing brother and we meet a beautiful collection of Zahra's southern family members.
Okay I really think you guys should all read this!!!
Reminiscent of:
BLACK CAKE
THE LOVE SONGS OF WEB DUBOIS
The novel follows two women and the moths that bind them. Zahra is a college prep coach and Sammie is one of her students. The two of them have so much depth and are the beating hearts of this book. The men in their lives (Sammie's uncle and Zahra's brother) sometimes drive the plot but ultimately take a back seat to Zahra and Sammie. They take a road trip from NYC to Atlanta to find Zahra's missing brother and we meet a beautiful collection of Zahra's southern family members.
Okay I really think you guys should all read this!!!
Reminiscent of:
BLACK CAKE
THE LOVE SONGS OF WEB DUBOIS
February 17, 2023
This was a lyrical debut novel that followed the lives of two Black women (one a tutor, the other her student) as they bond and end up travelling looking for the tutor's missing brother. Full of heart and an interesting magical realism element that fans of Sarah Addison Allen would enjoy. Great on audio too. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend!
February 10, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Tiny Reparations Books for the opportunity read an advanced copy of ‘Gone Like Yesterday’ By Janelle M. Williams in exchange for an honest review.
This is not a book for people who do not like reading books where unexplained things happen and those things also don’t really have a name.
If you plan on reading this book, I suggest you open your mind and just go with it. Trust me, it make it much more enjoyable.
By nature, I am an analytical person who thinks that there are logical explanations for almost everything. One of the problems I have with my need to analyze almost everything is that I cannot enjoy things that don’t align with my expectations. When too many things start happening in a novel that do not make sense to me, I will go back and re read chapters and passages wondering WTF I misinterpreted or misunderstood because my brain sometimes has a hard time accepting the unexplainable and unexpected.
I honestly did not start TRULY enjoying this book until about 60% or so in. That’s not to say that I only enjoyed 40% of this story, it’s just that I was so wrapped up in trying to understand what the hell was going on.
And that was my fault.
I did not go into this book realizing that while it is a story of fiction, it also toes the line of historical fiction and fantasy/mysticism and once I understood what the author was doing, a switch flipped in my mind and everything became clearer.
As much as this novel is about a young woman who is looking for her lost brother, it is also a story about her being found. It’s a story about destiny and a story about life and what our lives truly mean to not only us but to those who love and care for us.
What I liked most about the book is even in my confusion, I still felt like all of the characters were fated to meet and travel a journey together. The parallels between the main characters Zahra and Sammie were very intentional but not in a way that made the story predictable, it actually kept me on the edge of my seat wondering when the similarities would be significant.
I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Janelle Williams is a literary daughter of Toni Morrison. The way she manages to weave this story together is nothing less than purely creative genius, I just hate that I spent so much time initially not enjoying the ride.
This is not a book for people who do not like reading books where unexplained things happen and those things also don’t really have a name.
If you plan on reading this book, I suggest you open your mind and just go with it. Trust me, it make it much more enjoyable.
By nature, I am an analytical person who thinks that there are logical explanations for almost everything. One of the problems I have with my need to analyze almost everything is that I cannot enjoy things that don’t align with my expectations. When too many things start happening in a novel that do not make sense to me, I will go back and re read chapters and passages wondering WTF I misinterpreted or misunderstood because my brain sometimes has a hard time accepting the unexplainable and unexpected.
I honestly did not start TRULY enjoying this book until about 60% or so in. That’s not to say that I only enjoyed 40% of this story, it’s just that I was so wrapped up in trying to understand what the hell was going on.
And that was my fault.
I did not go into this book realizing that while it is a story of fiction, it also toes the line of historical fiction and fantasy/mysticism and once I understood what the author was doing, a switch flipped in my mind and everything became clearer.
As much as this novel is about a young woman who is looking for her lost brother, it is also a story about her being found. It’s a story about destiny and a story about life and what our lives truly mean to not only us but to those who love and care for us.
What I liked most about the book is even in my confusion, I still felt like all of the characters were fated to meet and travel a journey together. The parallels between the main characters Zahra and Sammie were very intentional but not in a way that made the story predictable, it actually kept me on the edge of my seat wondering when the similarities would be significant.
I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Janelle Williams is a literary daughter of Toni Morrison. The way she manages to weave this story together is nothing less than purely creative genius, I just hate that I spent so much time initially not enjoying the ride.
February 13, 2023
Janelle William's debut novel is exquisite. Her book left an indelible mark on my heart. The writing was musical. It danced across my eyes and into my soul, often leaving me rereading phrases and paragraphs just because of their beauty. Sometimes (often) magical realism is a miss for me, but William's use of the form was perfect. Every character deserved an investment of my time to get to know them. I rooted for them and grew very attached by the end of the story. I am already sure that Gone Like Yesterday will be one of my top books of the year.
Readers who loved Jesmyn Ward's Sing, Unburied, Sing will find Gone Like Yesterday pulling at the same heartstrings.
This book would make an excellent book club selection. There are so many discussion topics to bring forward - I want one of my book clubs to pick this book because I need someone to talk to about it.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC in exchange for a review.
Readers who loved Jesmyn Ward's Sing, Unburied, Sing will find Gone Like Yesterday pulling at the same heartstrings.
This book would make an excellent book club selection. There are so many discussion topics to bring forward - I want one of my book clubs to pick this book because I need someone to talk to about it.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC in exchange for a review.
April 14, 2023
2.5 This book and its characters had a lot of potential. There were lots of 3+ star moments that involved Raw dialogue. Relatable content— pop culture , career, dating, and complicated family dynamics, but overall, the music, moths, double consciousness, lost brother, talking house, and love story themes didn’t connect very well. It was trying to do too much. I wish she had stuck to one narrative. This book could have been multiple books. Way too much going on especially from the moment they arrive in ATL on forward.
Either make it a quest for family reconciliation led by music and moths or a black girl goes to Stanford and is trying to make sense of her self, career, and love life. Trying to tell both of these stories did neither path true service, which sucks b/c the characters were very likable.
Either make it a quest for family reconciliation led by music and moths or a black girl goes to Stanford and is trying to make sense of her self, career, and love life. Trying to tell both of these stories did neither path true service, which sucks b/c the characters were very likable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2023
A story of family history and family trauma and the impacts it has, long after it seems, on the surface, the repercussions should be gone. Those who need shiny bows and wrapped-up stories will be frustrated with this one, but it's the way the story was meant to be told.
This reminded me of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, though plots are not similar, but the incredible depth of characters and lyrical writing are the standouts.
CW: Black trauma, racism and discussions of racism, family arguments, absent parents, discussion of drug addiction, suicide (brief, not central to main characters), discussion of prison injustice
This reminded me of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, though plots are not similar, but the incredible depth of characters and lyrical writing are the standouts.
CW: Black trauma, racism and discussions of racism, family arguments, absent parents, discussion of drug addiction, suicide (brief, not central to main characters), discussion of prison injustice
March 18, 2023
It was confusing at first and hard to follow. I did appreciate Zara and Sammi ultimately finding themselves in the end and I also enjoyed the way it hinted upon the emotions that are kept within as Black Women. Still confused about the moths….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2023
Was this a case of wrong book at the wrong time? Maybe? I just couldn't bring myself to pick this up so back to the library it went.
March 21, 2023
For a long time I wondered what the heck this book was about. Finally, at the end it came together. The themes are so important and relevant, I just wish it didn't take such a long time to develop.
January 30, 2023
Wow! What a beautiful read. So much to unpack with this one. Zahra is a young women working in New York as a college prep coach. Her brother is missing and she is dealing with the fear of what has become of him. After a rude encounter with an Uber driver she offers to counsel his niece and the intertwining of their lives begin. Going back to Atlanta and searching for her brother leads Zahra to find herself in ways that she never knew she needed. The moths in the book provided beautiful imagery. I look forward to hearing an interview with the author regarding what her interpretation is of the moths. This book was beautifully written, flowed well, and had unforgettable characters. Highly recommend and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review***
****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review***
April 18, 2023
I won't lie. I originally bought this book because the cover is gorgeous. But I also thought the summary was pretty interesting. Ultimately, I don't think I was the target audience.
The first thing that really irked me is that the spelling of Zahra's ex, Khalil, kept alternating between Khalil and Kahlil. It happened multiple times.
The writing felt fairly disorganized to me. The topic jumps from one point to the next without much transition before switching back. There are many flashbacks that weren't integrated well and threw off the flow of the story.
The relationship between Zahra and Sammie felt really rushed. It takes them less than a month to for a tight bond, and I feel like I didn't get to see most of it. I don't understand why Zahra and Sammie are even connected. What is so special about them that they can see these moths while others can't?
The tension in this story surrounds Zahra's brother, Derrick, and how he vanishes without a trace. Zahra goes home to Atlanta to find him, but Derrick doesn't actually hold a big role in the story.
I couldn't really follow the storyline, couldn't understand why moths???, and I don't get what motivated each character. There was a lot that this novel was trying to tackle, and it was spread a little thin for me.
The first thing that really irked me is that the spelling of Zahra's ex, Khalil, kept alternating between Khalil and Kahlil. It happened multiple times.
The writing felt fairly disorganized to me. The topic jumps from one point to the next without much transition before switching back. There are many flashbacks that weren't integrated well and threw off the flow of the story.
The relationship between Zahra and Sammie felt really rushed. It takes them less than a month to for a tight bond, and I feel like I didn't get to see most of it. I don't understand why Zahra and Sammie are even connected. What is so special about them that they can see these moths while others can't?
The tension in this story surrounds Zahra's brother, Derrick, and how he vanishes without a trace. Zahra goes home to Atlanta to find him, but Derrick doesn't actually hold a big role in the story.
I couldn't really follow the storyline, couldn't understand why moths???, and I don't get what motivated each character. There was a lot that this novel was trying to tackle, and it was spread a little thin for me.
January 22, 2023
In "Gone Like Yesterday", debut author Janelle Williams weaves together the stories of two separate families, highlighting what draws us together can be deeper than ties of blood.
Zahra makes her living as a college prep coach in New York City, helping children of wealthy families get into elite colleges. As a black woman who attended Stanford, she certainly has the experience to for her job, but nonetheless struggles with the irony of her work. She unexpectedly meets Trey when he's assigned as her Uber driver, and offers to help his niece Sammie with her college aspirations. Despite Sammie's initial reluctance, she and Zahra slowly connect beyond just her college essays and applications, and when Zahra finds out her brother Derrick has disappeared from their home in Atlanta, Trey and Sammie immediately offer to drive her and join in the search.
We come to learn that both Zahra and Sammie are able to see and hear the illusory gypsy moths; they've been present throughout both of their lives and appear just as quickly as they disappear. As Zahra's and Sammie's lives and pasts are slowly revealed, and as Derrick's story also comes to light, we come to learn what these moths represent - and the complex and lengthy weights of their pasts and their ancestors. This novel does certainly utilize aspects of magical realism, but it doesn't rely on it beyond the ability to create a tangible, concrete form for what many of us carry with us that's invisible to others.
Williams' writing is beautifully structured and emotional, and I appreciated how she alternated perspectives throughout the novel to carry the story forward as well as reveal different histories and aspects across each of the characters. Both Zahra and Sammie were complex, empathetic characters that I couldn't help but root for, and the relationship that the two are able to develop was one I wished I'd had with an older sibling. A number of weighty issues, including racism and multi-generational trauma, are covered with care and depth, and are especially relevant today.
An impressive debut work and one I'm sure many others will come to love.
Zahra makes her living as a college prep coach in New York City, helping children of wealthy families get into elite colleges. As a black woman who attended Stanford, she certainly has the experience to for her job, but nonetheless struggles with the irony of her work. She unexpectedly meets Trey when he's assigned as her Uber driver, and offers to help his niece Sammie with her college aspirations. Despite Sammie's initial reluctance, she and Zahra slowly connect beyond just her college essays and applications, and when Zahra finds out her brother Derrick has disappeared from their home in Atlanta, Trey and Sammie immediately offer to drive her and join in the search.
We come to learn that both Zahra and Sammie are able to see and hear the illusory gypsy moths; they've been present throughout both of their lives and appear just as quickly as they disappear. As Zahra's and Sammie's lives and pasts are slowly revealed, and as Derrick's story also comes to light, we come to learn what these moths represent - and the complex and lengthy weights of their pasts and their ancestors. This novel does certainly utilize aspects of magical realism, but it doesn't rely on it beyond the ability to create a tangible, concrete form for what many of us carry with us that's invisible to others.
Williams' writing is beautifully structured and emotional, and I appreciated how she alternated perspectives throughout the novel to carry the story forward as well as reveal different histories and aspects across each of the characters. Both Zahra and Sammie were complex, empathetic characters that I couldn't help but root for, and the relationship that the two are able to develop was one I wished I'd had with an older sibling. A number of weighty issues, including racism and multi-generational trauma, are covered with care and depth, and are especially relevant today.
An impressive debut work and one I'm sure many others will come to love.
March 30, 2023
I really enjoyed so many things the author did here: the many perspectives of the Black experience in America, learning more about system and structural racism, etc. I do think this could’ve benefited from some editing as some characters and scenes seemed irrelevant and distracting. This is a book that is written heavily in internal monologue which can get a bit tedious, but in my mind gives a great perspective of a Black woman’s lived experience. Overall, this book was important and I am excited to see what the author does next.
February 9, 2023
This was a stunningly beautiful magical realism book. It follows Zahra and Sammie as they maneuver through New York and Georgia. I loved when they made it to Atlanta because I was able to picture all the settings in my head. I loved the concept of the singing moths. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was amazing.
Thanks to Libro.fm for providing an advanced listening copy of this title. It has not affected my review.
Thanks to Libro.fm for providing an advanced listening copy of this title. It has not affected my review.
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February 16, 2024This book centers around two female characters, one who had a part time job working to help kids get into college, the other a senior who is applying. The book covers a lot of themes, figuring yourself out, the weight of your ancestors and the decisions you make, what life is like being black in the United States. There is some magical realism. Glad I read the book, because I’ll be thinking about it a lot, but I didn’t love it.
June 5, 2023
Beautiful book! The depth of the character development was so impressive. Once I got to know Zahra and Sammie, their specificity and aliveness got me fully hooked in finding out more about the story. I needed to know both how and why their lives intersected.
December 10, 2024
This was a good audiobook, longer than what I thought and not the turn of events that I was expecting but nonetheless very entertaining. It emphasized about how sometimes the only way forward is by understanding your past and moving in such a manner that the past also tags along (for reminders).
May 1, 2023
Fantastic book, love the story and symbolism!
March 15, 2023
Good coming of age story about two Black women, one aged 31 and the other a senior in high school. Deft exploration of family relationships, including the effect of hiding secrets upon generations to come. A revealing portrayal of racism as it persists today in a northern city and a southern one. How much do we try to fit in with another culture, vs. how much do we gravitate toward those who are like us?
The tension in the novel revolves around the search for a lost Black brother who becomes emblematic of all Black brothers.
Contains foul language.
The tension in the novel revolves around the search for a lost Black brother who becomes emblematic of all Black brothers.
Contains foul language.
April 16, 2023
Rounded up to 4 stars. My logical brain had to work a bit to follow the magical realism towards the end, and I wasn’t always in the right head space to go that - but that’s on me. At bottom, this book tells important stories in a creative way.
June 24, 2024
I love the way this book was written was like poetry. The words made you feel and come to life in a way I never really expected. I enjoyed the references. I enjoyed the metaphor and similes, it made me think. It also made me think about where I am in my point of life and how I want to change or be more aware of things surrounding me and others. growing to be the best person I can be for myself. Sidenote; this book had so many relations to my life. my family and I are from New York, however, I grew up in Atlanta, so all the references to both places was very nice to see and be familiar with. Both of my brothers names are mentioned in this book as well as my current boyfriend, I thought that was pretty eerie. I am also a black millennial woman that works with high school students, and I currently live in Mississippi where the main characters family is from. Is it a sign I read this book? lol who knows?!? Truly enjoyed it. 4.5⭐️
August 22, 2023
A little slow but overall enjoyable. It’s a sad story that weaves in the racist history of Atlanta and how it affected the protagonist.
There’s a mystical side to the story - the moths which always took me by surprise.
And there are some loose ends in the story.
This novel is about Zahra trying to find her way as she searches for her missing brother in Atlanta while bringing two others along - her Uber driver and his niece.
Self discovery happens in the most unpredictable ways in this book.
There’s a mystical side to the story - the moths which always took me by surprise.
And there are some loose ends in the story.
This novel is about Zahra trying to find her way as she searches for her missing brother in Atlanta while bringing two others along - her Uber driver and his niece.
Self discovery happens in the most unpredictable ways in this book.
January 20, 2024
This was a unique and powerful tale of family, identity and race, with a magical realism element woven through.
The story follows two Black women, Zahra and Sammie, a teenaged girl with a big heart for activism and is in the process of applying to college.
*many thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy for review
The story follows two Black women, Zahra and Sammie, a teenaged girl with a big heart for activism and is in the process of applying to college.
*many thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy for review
September 9, 2023
Rated this story a 4.0. I hade to look up the meaning of Magical realism: a genre of literature that depicts the still grounded real world as having an undercurrent of magic or fantasy.
I consider magical elements normal in the world. My grandmother used to tell us she would find a way to communicate with us after her passing. In addition, I enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy so the important undercurrent of moths appearing to 3 characters in the book with an impressive musical playlist communicating through time was much appreciated after the plot played out later in the story. I was a bit confused early on as the moths popped up in unconnected scenes throughout the years. The interactions of the main characters in this book. (Sammie and her uncle Simon, Zahra and her brother Derrick,) revolve around Zahra, a 31 year old Stanford alumna turned college prep coach and Sammie - a teenage senior girl with activist dreams who is applying to colleges will the life choices that they made/make over the years.
The author, Williams tells an influential story about identity, family, and race with the perfect amount of magic and mystery interspersed throughout.
I adored Zahra and the magical moths that sing to her. The moth music playlist had me rocking and creating a playlist of the songs they all heard. I was intrigued by her thoughts about her attending a PWI versus an HBCU and the regrets she has.
I appreciated the slow roll toward a “situation-ship” with Sammie's uncle!
I loved Sammie's story and seeing her trying to navigate her next steps in life while also figuring out the tumultuous relationship she has with her parents and reaction to facing racism in her daily life.
There are many flashbacks that I didn’t understand and threw my connection to the flow of the story until the end when it all became clear. The negative force in this story surrounds Zahra's brother, Derrick, who vanishes without a trace. Zahra goes home to Atlanta to find him, with Simon and Sammie and when they find Derrick the big role of the moths comes out in the end of the story.
I like the cover and it wasn’t until I finished the book that I realized it was moths pictured!
I consider magical elements normal in the world. My grandmother used to tell us she would find a way to communicate with us after her passing. In addition, I enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy so the important undercurrent of moths appearing to 3 characters in the book with an impressive musical playlist communicating through time was much appreciated after the plot played out later in the story. I was a bit confused early on as the moths popped up in unconnected scenes throughout the years. The interactions of the main characters in this book. (Sammie and her uncle Simon, Zahra and her brother Derrick,) revolve around Zahra, a 31 year old Stanford alumna turned college prep coach and Sammie - a teenage senior girl with activist dreams who is applying to colleges will the life choices that they made/make over the years.
The author, Williams tells an influential story about identity, family, and race with the perfect amount of magic and mystery interspersed throughout.
I adored Zahra and the magical moths that sing to her. The moth music playlist had me rocking and creating a playlist of the songs they all heard. I was intrigued by her thoughts about her attending a PWI versus an HBCU and the regrets she has.
I appreciated the slow roll toward a “situation-ship” with Sammie's uncle!
I loved Sammie's story and seeing her trying to navigate her next steps in life while also figuring out the tumultuous relationship she has with her parents and reaction to facing racism in her daily life.
There are many flashbacks that I didn’t understand and threw my connection to the flow of the story until the end when it all became clear. The negative force in this story surrounds Zahra's brother, Derrick, who vanishes without a trace. Zahra goes home to Atlanta to find him, with Simon and Sammie and when they find Derrick the big role of the moths comes out in the end of the story.
I like the cover and it wasn’t until I finished the book that I realized it was moths pictured!
September 20, 2025
This is a book that’s not meant for me as a white woman. I don’t feel the types of family ties or get all the references or understand the experiences the characters are going through and that’s important to note. It allowed me to look through a window into a world that is not my own and understand a fraction of what I didn’t before and that should be the purpose of a truly great book. As a novel the story is compelling as the characters simultaneously search for meaning, college essay writing, family and home, as well as the search for a missing brother and the mystery behind why the Gypsy Moths are singing to the main characters. It has some almost stream of consciousness writing that many will find disjointed and confusing but for me it felt like stepping into how confused and lost the characters felt. Life doesn’t unfold with easy to follow plots and narratives. As a critical thinking piece it opens a number of discussion topics from POC attending primarily white schools versus HBCU’s to gentrification to ancestral memory to the experience of growing up as a black woman in the United States.
The book doesn’t actually go into any of the following but for me in this first reading it brought up questions as to the nature of invasive species and how that ties to colonization entering into a place and taking over often destroying what was there previously. Sometimes an invasive species is introduced intentionally like ornamental bamboo or the Japanese Elm. Other times by accident like moths and bees but the result is the same. The book ponders early on when a non-native species like the Gypsy Moth eventually becomes naturalized. As a white woman this is an important question to ask because generations of living in this land does not make me entitled to it and I need to listen to the ancestors whether mine by blood or not and learn the stories even if they aren’t my own or written for me so that I stop being part of an invasive species but one that can harmonizes in the songs sung by moths.
The book doesn’t actually go into any of the following but for me in this first reading it brought up questions as to the nature of invasive species and how that ties to colonization entering into a place and taking over often destroying what was there previously. Sometimes an invasive species is introduced intentionally like ornamental bamboo or the Japanese Elm. Other times by accident like moths and bees but the result is the same. The book ponders early on when a non-native species like the Gypsy Moth eventually becomes naturalized. As a white woman this is an important question to ask because generations of living in this land does not make me entitled to it and I need to listen to the ancestors whether mine by blood or not and learn the stories even if they aren’t my own or written for me so that I stop being part of an invasive species but one that can harmonizes in the songs sung by moths.
February 7, 2026
This book was recommended to me by a coworker and she enjoyed very much. I can’t say that I enjoyed it as much as she did thought. Loved her thoughts on the book and of course the cover is gorgeous, it just didn’t hit me like I expected it. Maybe the right book, wrong time case for me.
A debut, lyrical piece with magical realism that will make you do the work; delve deeper inside of your mind and feelings. Look outside the box, so to speak. The premise of the story is our FMC Zahra is tasked to look for her older brother Derrick. Derrick has always seemed a little different; a little peculiar. No one really acknowledged it while him and Zahra were younger. Their mother was too focused on her career, father wasn’t much in the picture and their grandmother didn’t really like to divulge too much information to the younger generation. The voices in Derricks head however, became too much for him and he disappears without a trace. Zahra is tasked to find him with the help of some unlikely individuals she meets in the beginning of the book.
It was a decent story but I felt it could’ve been shorter in a sense. I kept getting confused on whose POV I was reading at the time. Our FMC Zahra or supporting FMC Sammie. It seemed like their thought processes were entangled with each others and the transition between the two, to me, wasn’t that smooth.
The author also focused on Zahras job as a tutor, as well as Sammie’s life of a student writing an essay to submit to with her college application. Zahra’s help students write their college essays. At the time of the story Zahra has a white student her belt when she meets Sammie. She deals with the stark comparison how one has to work harder than the other and how each of their essays reflect that in regard to the topics they decide to focus on. Zahra struggles with this throughout the book.
There’s a fostering romance that REALLY annoyed me because the communication was completely nonexistent.
A debut, lyrical piece with magical realism that will make you do the work; delve deeper inside of your mind and feelings. Look outside the box, so to speak. The premise of the story is our FMC Zahra is tasked to look for her older brother Derrick. Derrick has always seemed a little different; a little peculiar. No one really acknowledged it while him and Zahra were younger. Their mother was too focused on her career, father wasn’t much in the picture and their grandmother didn’t really like to divulge too much information to the younger generation. The voices in Derricks head however, became too much for him and he disappears without a trace. Zahra is tasked to find him with the help of some unlikely individuals she meets in the beginning of the book.
It was a decent story but I felt it could’ve been shorter in a sense. I kept getting confused on whose POV I was reading at the time. Our FMC Zahra or supporting FMC Sammie. It seemed like their thought processes were entangled with each others and the transition between the two, to me, wasn’t that smooth.
The author also focused on Zahras job as a tutor, as well as Sammie’s life of a student writing an essay to submit to with her college application. Zahra’s help students write their college essays. At the time of the story Zahra has a white student her belt when she meets Sammie. She deals with the stark comparison how one has to work harder than the other and how each of their essays reflect that in regard to the topics they decide to focus on. Zahra struggles with this throughout the book.
There’s a fostering romance that REALLY annoyed me because the communication was completely nonexistent.
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