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Conception
In the same vein as her critically acclaimed debut novel, Upstate, Kalisha Buckhanon again shares an emotionally beautiful story about today's youth that magnifies the unforgettable power of hope and the human spirit.
Buckhanon takes us to Chicago, 1992, and into the life of fifteen-year old Shivana Montgomery, who believes all Black women wind up the same: single and raising children alone, like her mother. Until the sudden visit of her beautiful and free spirited Aunt Jewel, Shivana spends her days desperately struggling to understand life and confront the challenges she faces growing up in a tough environment. When she accidentally becomes pregnant by an older man and must decide what to do, she begins a journey toward adulthood with only a mysterious voice inside to guide her. Then, when she falls in love with Rasul, a teenager with problems of his own, together they fight to rise above the circumstances and move toward a more positive future.
Through a narrative that sweeps from slavery onward, Buckhanon unveils Shivana's connection to a past filled with tragedy, courage, and wisdom.
274 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2008
13 people are currently reading
698 people want to read
About the author
Kalisha Buckhanon
12 books373 followersKalisha is the author of the novels UPSTATE, CONCEPTION, SOLEMN and SPEAKING OF SUMMER: a book pick of Essence, O Magazine, TIME, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmo, Buzzfeed, Lit Hub and more. Her stories and essays are published in Fiction, CrimeReads, Fiction International, Oxford American, Black Renaissance Noire, Michigan Quarterly Review, pluck! and more. She is also seen on ID, BET and TV-One true crime shows as an expert. Her work is honored by the American Library Association, National Book Foundation, Audie Awards, Hurston-Wright Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Friends of American Writers and more. She has English degrees from University of Chicago and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from The New School in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
January 10, 2016
The ending is WRONG NONE OF THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN
May 18, 2009
In 1992 Chicage, 15-year old Shivana gets pregnant by the married man upstairs. Then she meets 19-year old Rasul and it seems life might change for the better for both of them.
This is street lit meets literary fiction and both halves are successful. The chapters in which the unborn fetus talks about its previous conceptions might seem pretentious, but darned if it doesn't work to really build on African American history.
And the Ending! OMG the Ending!
I loved this book!
Gift booklist.
This is street lit meets literary fiction and both halves are successful. The chapters in which the unborn fetus talks about its previous conceptions might seem pretentious, but darned if it doesn't work to really build on African American history.
And the Ending! OMG the Ending!
I loved this book!
Gift booklist.
October 11, 2009
As the title implies, Kalisha Buckhanon's sophomoric offering, Conception, is nothing short of outstanding. Initially, I was truly concerned if she could deliver as strong and solid a follow-up to her hit debut Upstate - but with this second novel, she removes all doubt. She is truly a talented writer.
Buckhanon returns to familiar territory - the trials of adolescence set in 1992 on the South Side of Chicago where the story focuses on the unpopular, unpretty, undereducated, unmotivated 15-year-old Shivana Montgomery. A product of a single-parent home with a verbally and physically abusive mother, she naively becomes a victim of molestation which results in an unplanned pregnancy by the unemployed, drug-dealing husband of the family she baby-sits for weekly. She is a typical troubled teen hiding behind "ghetto-girl" attitude and street-wise bravado who grapples with school bullies, a despondent, distrusting mother, and humiliating, clandestine trips to the free clinic as she considers her family planning options. Complicating matters further is her budding love affair with a new guy in the building, Rasul.
Blended between Shivana's daily drama is the voice of the unborn spirit child who has been searching for the perfect womb to allow its birth to come to fruition. The child tells of its previous conceptions in 1842 to Yoshi, a young slave girl, impregnated by the plantation stud; 1892 to the homely and newly emancipated Darlene who is smitten with Tuck; and lastly in 1942 to recently widowed Southerner, Tawana, disillusioned by the promises and hopes that the North (Harlem) offered. To reveal more would spoil the plot for the reader; however, I will say, I found these passages equally as engaging as the present-day plotline. The wisdom and dreamlike sequences of the child are beautifully written segments of lyrical prose. The breath and depth of the story is not lost with the rich and heart-breaking stories behind the supporting characters. And the ending - well, I will simply say...Brilliant!
The book is masterful in that it combines age-old themes of abandonment and its embittering effects on those left behind, particularly the women and the children. The author seemingly has her pulse on the mindset of the youth and delivers to the reader a realistic glimpse of the obstacles, the sense of hopelessness and despair that runs rampant in their world. More evidence of her genius is the clever use of metaphors and symbolism sprinkled throughout the story. The use of color (i.e. the recurring white head scarf) and aquatic references (e.g. drowning and the use of water as a medium for purification, escape, and rebirth) yields nothing short of a page-turner that will appeal to fans of the urban, contemporary ficton, and literary genres. I reviewed an advanced reading copy in 2007 and this novel has solidly earned a place on my Top Reads List for 2008. Well Done and Bravo!
Reviewed by Phyllis
December 28, 2007
Buckhanon returns to familiar territory - the trials of adolescence set in 1992 on the South Side of Chicago where the story focuses on the unpopular, unpretty, undereducated, unmotivated 15-year-old Shivana Montgomery. A product of a single-parent home with a verbally and physically abusive mother, she naively becomes a victim of molestation which results in an unplanned pregnancy by the unemployed, drug-dealing husband of the family she baby-sits for weekly. She is a typical troubled teen hiding behind "ghetto-girl" attitude and street-wise bravado who grapples with school bullies, a despondent, distrusting mother, and humiliating, clandestine trips to the free clinic as she considers her family planning options. Complicating matters further is her budding love affair with a new guy in the building, Rasul.
Blended between Shivana's daily drama is the voice of the unborn spirit child who has been searching for the perfect womb to allow its birth to come to fruition. The child tells of its previous conceptions in 1842 to Yoshi, a young slave girl, impregnated by the plantation stud; 1892 to the homely and newly emancipated Darlene who is smitten with Tuck; and lastly in 1942 to recently widowed Southerner, Tawana, disillusioned by the promises and hopes that the North (Harlem) offered. To reveal more would spoil the plot for the reader; however, I will say, I found these passages equally as engaging as the present-day plotline. The wisdom and dreamlike sequences of the child are beautifully written segments of lyrical prose. The breath and depth of the story is not lost with the rich and heart-breaking stories behind the supporting characters. And the ending - well, I will simply say...Brilliant!
The book is masterful in that it combines age-old themes of abandonment and its embittering effects on those left behind, particularly the women and the children. The author seemingly has her pulse on the mindset of the youth and delivers to the reader a realistic glimpse of the obstacles, the sense of hopelessness and despair that runs rampant in their world. More evidence of her genius is the clever use of metaphors and symbolism sprinkled throughout the story. The use of color (i.e. the recurring white head scarf) and aquatic references (e.g. drowning and the use of water as a medium for purification, escape, and rebirth) yields nothing short of a page-turner that will appeal to fans of the urban, contemporary ficton, and literary genres. I reviewed an advanced reading copy in 2007 and this novel has solidly earned a place on my Top Reads List for 2008. Well Done and Bravo!
Reviewed by Phyllis
December 28, 2007
August 18, 2008
Sad. Beautiful. Sad. Reminds me of my 5 years in Chicago, though unlike Shivana, the protagonist, I was on the white side of town-- noting the oft denied but clearly present segregation of the city for the first time when I got on the El on the wrong side of the track due to my lack of internal compass, only realizing I had done so when the last white person on the train was myself and I was being peered at by those who knew exactly where they were headed, wondering why I was still there. Ms. Buckhanon is certainly a talent. Shivana, young, Black and cast off as a piece of waste by society-- this story, with the exception of the end, perhaps, happens all too frequently. Another perspective, that of an embryo, is also part of the novel, lending an unusual, and yet somehow quite believable, compassionate and gentle tone.
January 26, 2013
This is a weird one. It's definitely the story of black girls in the 90s and the shit that goes through their lives. What I love is that this book could only be written by a black woman. It deals with intense subject matter in a way that only works if you're very familiar with what you're writing about. It deals in subtleties and actualities of life without falling into steretypes in any way. It's awesome. The weird thing is that large portion of this book that takes place from am unborn character. Not a fetus (and not any political statement about abortions or anything) but an conscious spirit thing that recounts the awful life of a slave woman and gives insight into the hard lives of pregnant black women in various circumstances. It's done really really well.
March 19, 2010
This book was and wasn't what I expected it to be (if that makes sense). I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The reason it doesn't have a five star rating from me is that at first it was a bit confusing. There is still one part I'm confused by but I can't get into it without giving an awesome part of this story away.
I love Buckhanon's writing! It's beautiful and the kind you want to take your time with. It's not long winded descriptions which I absolutely can't stand, it's almost like poetry at some parts. I can't say enough good things about this book! Just go read it, you wont regret it!
I love Buckhanon's writing! It's beautiful and the kind you want to take your time with. It's not long winded descriptions which I absolutely can't stand, it's almost like poetry at some parts. I can't say enough good things about this book! Just go read it, you wont regret it!
May 5, 2008
Story of 15 year old Shivana who finds her self accidentally pregnant. She shares her stress, fears and hardship of her new experience while seeking a resolution to this adult issue. It was a pretty insightful story with an unexpected ending
November 23, 2016
Review forthcoming...
August 28, 2017
I am super shaken up. I haven't read a book this heartbreaking in quite a while. I'll try to explain why with no spoilers but really, anyone who picks up this book should have seen all of it coming. I just didn't (until I sneaked a peek in the back).
This is the story of Shivana and her conceived baby. Shivana is a 15 year old girl growing up in the early nineties on the South Side of Chicago. She doesn't consider herself particularly pretty, and she has almost no friends besides Nakesha who is also harassed for her non-specialness. Shivana's father left her and her mother when Shivana was younger and Shivana's mother is difficult to get along with. To top it off, Shivana babysits for a family in the building and the husband/father of the home, is sleeping with her (hint: this is statutory rape). Shivana knows that men ain't s*** but she kinda loves this guy anyway even though he's an ugly OLD man at that. Well anyway, surprise surprise, because he doesn't use protection she ends up pregnant with his baby and Shivana must figure out what to do. Meanwhile, her Aunt Jewel comes to town and she's as glamorous as Shivana can fathom - living in New York, with a man she loves, away from the miseries associated with their neighborhood. She idealizes Aunt Jewel and this is perhaps what arguably leads to her demise.
The book is SAD. No way around it. I mentioned that the story is also about Shivana's conceived child. right? I guess we would call this personified fetus a child, yet it has never exited the womb. This fetus has always been in the womb of dispossessed, unfortunate black women, throughout the history of time, and therefore due to some unhappy accident the fetus never makes it to labor. The fetus hopes Shivana will be different, and seemingly attempts to convince her out of an abortion. Both Shivana and the fetus feel better about their situations when they meet Rasul who has also struggled in his life but is overall a good guy.
Now here's the thing. Back to this book being sad. I'm not gonna give anything away. At all. But like...this book will actually rip your heart out and there is almost nothing of comfort in it (at least not to me). I liked the character of Shivana, though. I sympathized with her and generally felt like she was smart but was just placed in an unfortunate scenarios. The narration from her unborn child seemed to imply that Shivana was not nearly as smart as she thought she was, and that throughout she was actually making decisions that could cause her ultimate demise. But I didn't think so - I thought Shivana was doing the best she could with what she was given. And the thing is, some annoying boot strap folks might say that she was playing victim and that she didn't make use of the few opportunities she was afforded. I don't think anyone, unless they've grown up in similar circumstances as a young black woman in America, could make such claims though. I really felt for Shivana. The thing about her and Rasul is, I was never quite sure what I was supposed to feel about him and it's never really revealed if Rasul lives up to the "bad man" stereotype or if he's actually good. And besides acting as a love interest for Shivana, I felt this character fell a little flat. The reason I'm giving the text four stars is because the writing was GOOD. It's probably some of the best writing I've read in a while, and it's just about what the doctor ordered - nice flowery writing with tons of metaphor (my favorite).
The only thing that is leaving me uneasy is that I'm not sure what to take from this book. That bad things happen even when you have dreams? That sometimes love isn't enough? That poor circumstances will sully any attempts to pursue said dreams? I don't even know but this book was sad and that's that.
This is the story of Shivana and her conceived baby. Shivana is a 15 year old girl growing up in the early nineties on the South Side of Chicago. She doesn't consider herself particularly pretty, and she has almost no friends besides Nakesha who is also harassed for her non-specialness. Shivana's father left her and her mother when Shivana was younger and Shivana's mother is difficult to get along with. To top it off, Shivana babysits for a family in the building and the husband/father of the home, is sleeping with her (hint: this is statutory rape). Shivana knows that men ain't s*** but she kinda loves this guy anyway even though he's an ugly OLD man at that. Well anyway, surprise surprise, because he doesn't use protection she ends up pregnant with his baby and Shivana must figure out what to do. Meanwhile, her Aunt Jewel comes to town and she's as glamorous as Shivana can fathom - living in New York, with a man she loves, away from the miseries associated with their neighborhood. She idealizes Aunt Jewel and this is perhaps what arguably leads to her demise.
The book is SAD. No way around it. I mentioned that the story is also about Shivana's conceived child. right? I guess we would call this personified fetus a child, yet it has never exited the womb. This fetus has always been in the womb of dispossessed, unfortunate black women, throughout the history of time, and therefore due to some unhappy accident the fetus never makes it to labor. The fetus hopes Shivana will be different, and seemingly attempts to convince her out of an abortion. Both Shivana and the fetus feel better about their situations when they meet Rasul who has also struggled in his life but is overall a good guy.
Now here's the thing. Back to this book being sad. I'm not gonna give anything away. At all. But like...this book will actually rip your heart out and there is almost nothing of comfort in it (at least not to me). I liked the character of Shivana, though. I sympathized with her and generally felt like she was smart but was just placed in an unfortunate scenarios. The narration from her unborn child seemed to imply that Shivana was not nearly as smart as she thought she was, and that throughout she was actually making decisions that could cause her ultimate demise. But I didn't think so - I thought Shivana was doing the best she could with what she was given. And the thing is, some annoying boot strap folks might say that she was playing victim and that she didn't make use of the few opportunities she was afforded. I don't think anyone, unless they've grown up in similar circumstances as a young black woman in America, could make such claims though. I really felt for Shivana. The thing about her and Rasul is, I was never quite sure what I was supposed to feel about him and it's never really revealed if Rasul lives up to the "bad man" stereotype or if he's actually good. And besides acting as a love interest for Shivana, I felt this character fell a little flat. The reason I'm giving the text four stars is because the writing was GOOD. It's probably some of the best writing I've read in a while, and it's just about what the doctor ordered - nice flowery writing with tons of metaphor (my favorite).
The only thing that is leaving me uneasy is that I'm not sure what to take from this book. That bad things happen even when you have dreams? That sometimes love isn't enough? That poor circumstances will sully any attempts to pursue said dreams? I don't even know but this book was sad and that's that.
Read
August 9, 2011At the tender age of fifteen, Shivana already has her mind set on what the life of a black woman is. She thinks that eventually all black women get stuck in the losing battle of getting pregnant by a man that never sticks around. Shivana’s own mother has followed the same path so that’s all she’s ever known. Shivana is suddenly pushed into adulthood when she becomes pregnant by an older man. She now has to make a decision on whether or not to keep the baby. In this journey, Shivana also becomes friends with a troubled teen named Rasul who gives her life new meaning. Will Shivana realize how precious her and her baby’s lives are?
Kalisha Buckhanon created an extraordinarily haunting tale about an impressionable pregnant teen. This is not your typical black teen mother type story. What makes this story stand out is that readers not only get to see Shivana’s side of the story, but you also get to see this story through the eyes of her unborn child. You see how this unborn child’s spirit has traveled through time to find Shivana and to show her how important it is to bring this child to life.
Kalisha Buckhanon created an extraordinarily haunting tale about an impressionable pregnant teen. This is not your typical black teen mother type story. What makes this story stand out is that readers not only get to see Shivana’s side of the story, but you also get to see this story through the eyes of her unborn child. You see how this unborn child’s spirit has traveled through time to find Shivana and to show her how important it is to bring this child to life.
May 13, 2020
I read and LOVED Ms. Buckhanon's first novel 'Upstate'. I've been looking forward to reading this book for sometime, but was a bit skeptical that I would enjoy this book as much as I did her first. Well, I certainly was not disappointed. Ms. Buckhanon is an amazing storyteller. It was near impossible to put this book down. The struggles of Shivana Montgomery and her unborn child (yes, even the unborn child has a story to tell) are heartbreaking, yet hopeful. You find yourself rooting for Shivana, wanting so bad to see her achieve her dream of a 'Cosby Show' kinda life, and rise above her tough South Side Chi way of life.
As for the ending...very emotional, and not something I saw coming. I really don't want to give anything away, but, it was a memorable one. I find myself still thinking about it days after finishing the book. If you're at all interested in reading this, go for it. It's an extremely satisfying read...and when you've finished this one, go ahead and pick up her first novel. I absolutely look forward to future works from this super talented author.
As for the ending...very emotional, and not something I saw coming. I really don't want to give anything away, but, it was a memorable one. I find myself still thinking about it days after finishing the book. If you're at all interested in reading this, go for it. It's an extremely satisfying read...and when you've finished this one, go ahead and pick up her first novel. I absolutely look forward to future works from this super talented author.
March 5, 2008
I liked it, but it took me a while to figure out that I liked it. It didn't immediately endear me like Buckhanon's first novel, "Upstate," did.
The main character in this one, Shivana, is really unlikeable. Once I got beyond that, though, I grudgingly invested in her struggles and her future... only to have something totally unexpected happen to her in the end. This twist is really the triumph of the story.
There's also the disembodied voice of an unborn child/fetus intercut between Shivana's chapters. These vignettes really threw me off at first, as they take you out of the central action and away from Shivana. But they definitely prove vital to the overall narrative.
I'm really interested in what other people have to say about this one.
The main character in this one, Shivana, is really unlikeable. Once I got beyond that, though, I grudgingly invested in her struggles and her future... only to have something totally unexpected happen to her in the end. This twist is really the triumph of the story.
There's also the disembodied voice of an unborn child/fetus intercut between Shivana's chapters. These vignettes really threw me off at first, as they take you out of the central action and away from Shivana. But they definitely prove vital to the overall narrative.
I'm really interested in what other people have to say about this one.
April 29, 2008
A precocious fetus narrates her reincarnated history from within the womb while on the other side of the uterus, her potential teenage mother debates whether or not to have an abortion in 1992 Chicago. Interesting premise, but ultimately didn't work for me. The two voices were on opposite ends of the narrative spectrum and therefore jarring instead of complementary. I would have preferred more of the teen mom's day-in-the-life story than the fetus's esoteric prose.
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July 24, 2020I ate this up. Drank it in...inhaled then held it in and let it dissolve into me. What a gorgeous book that shows the rawness and grittiness of the streets with a "gingerness" and linguistic beauty...for more visit: http://www.hypelit.com/#!Conception-b...
March 3, 2013
The way this was written was weird. Sections were written like the fetus was narrating. And the ending - boo.
January 9, 2013
Very intense and dark book.
August 18, 2008
Conception by Kalisha Buckhanon, the author's second novel, opens with a first person narrative of the spirit that wants to enter the soul of fifteen-year-old Shivana Montgomery’s unborn child. It’s intriguing. It’s a device that will keep you reading if only for the clarity that Buckhanon shelves out with captivating language. “When the months crept on and I grew older inside Shivana than with any others in the past,” says the Spirit who narrates stories of the bodies it has inhabited before. They are stories that illustrate that we’re all spiritually connected.
Buckhanon accurately portrays foolish youth with wonderful insight into the minds and voices of young black girls; the type of portrayals that will leave you reminiscent of your own indiscretions. Some of the best moments are Shivana navigating her uncool self through high school. “Without talent to dance, dress, rap, sing, ball or wisecrack, we were irrelevant to our peers,” Shivana says describing the rules of admission to an inner city high school status quo.
“About the most we had going for us was our curvaceous bodies: narrow waists and thick bottoms that had cursed us to an everyday torrent of catcalls from men and boys who had no true interest in what we held inside,” says Shivana who finds a love of her own in rapper wannabe Rasul, and also after bearing witness to her Aunt Jewel’s healthy relationship. Perhaps this suggests that just the example of a healthy love will help young girls navigate their sexuality with their hearts and minds instead of their bodies. Perhaps, though, Shivana’s love story perpetuates the narrative that women need men to achieve a level of happiness.
It’s only half way through the novel that it begins to feels like a pro-life novel. “She needed to know the power of options, what the availability of choice signified, the freedom of making a mistake and correcting it yourself, rather than having others decide the proper remedy for you,” says the Spirit juxtaposing Shivana’s predicament with the lack of options faced by the past women it has occupied. The suggestion that fifteen-year-old Shivana should consider having a child before barely living her life is overwhelmingly frightening. But the pregnancy does lead Shivana on a path towards responsibility. The prospect of being a mother creates, for Shivana, a sense of the future.
However beautifully written sometimes Buckhanon hits her readers with a barrage of metaphors that break the plot flow and make the reader strain for imagery instead of absorbing the story. At its core Conception is a love story; a story of self-love and acceptance, a love of life “amid chaos and fury.”
Buckhanon accurately portrays foolish youth with wonderful insight into the minds and voices of young black girls; the type of portrayals that will leave you reminiscent of your own indiscretions. Some of the best moments are Shivana navigating her uncool self through high school. “Without talent to dance, dress, rap, sing, ball or wisecrack, we were irrelevant to our peers,” Shivana says describing the rules of admission to an inner city high school status quo.
“About the most we had going for us was our curvaceous bodies: narrow waists and thick bottoms that had cursed us to an everyday torrent of catcalls from men and boys who had no true interest in what we held inside,” says Shivana who finds a love of her own in rapper wannabe Rasul, and also after bearing witness to her Aunt Jewel’s healthy relationship. Perhaps this suggests that just the example of a healthy love will help young girls navigate their sexuality with their hearts and minds instead of their bodies. Perhaps, though, Shivana’s love story perpetuates the narrative that women need men to achieve a level of happiness.
It’s only half way through the novel that it begins to feels like a pro-life novel. “She needed to know the power of options, what the availability of choice signified, the freedom of making a mistake and correcting it yourself, rather than having others decide the proper remedy for you,” says the Spirit juxtaposing Shivana’s predicament with the lack of options faced by the past women it has occupied. The suggestion that fifteen-year-old Shivana should consider having a child before barely living her life is overwhelmingly frightening. But the pregnancy does lead Shivana on a path towards responsibility. The prospect of being a mother creates, for Shivana, a sense of the future.
However beautifully written sometimes Buckhanon hits her readers with a barrage of metaphors that break the plot flow and make the reader strain for imagery instead of absorbing the story. At its core Conception is a love story; a story of self-love and acceptance, a love of life “amid chaos and fury.”
April 1, 2011
"At least when somebody's suffocating, you can tell: you see their faces turn blue, their lips quiver, their eyes buck, and their throats jerk. But when a man is mentally packing his bags the suitcase is never out until he's already standing on the other side of the door." This book was about a teen girl named Shivana who gets pregnant in high school by her neighbor's husband. Shivana wasn't a wealthy girl her family didn't have a lot of money , she didn't really wear nice clothes and people at school made fun of what she wore. Shivana never thought she was pretty at all she thought she was ugly , fat and had very bad hair. When Shivana goes to her local clinic to receive birth control she learns that she is pregnant she doesn't want to believe this she doesn't think there is anyway she could be pregnant. One thing she knows is that if she really is pregnant she will not be having it at all, she doesnt think she can take of a baby. The only problem Shivana has about getting ride of the baby is how is she going to get the money to get rid of it. While thinking about the decisions she might have to make Shivana meets this boy in her building who she grows to like even though he isn't the cutest boy she has seen. When Shivana and Rasul become close they run of together to start their life over but something terrible will happen to them both. I would recommend this book to young adults who are going through something like this or just wants to get the feeling of how this situation would be like if they were in it to.
February 15, 2009
The story of 15-year-old Shivana who ends up pregnant to a married man. She wants to break out of the cycle of poverty and men leaving women and children behind that has plagued her family and her community. She meets 19-year-old Rasul who also dreams of making something out of himself and gives her hope that life doesn't have to be like that which she has known. Intertwined with Shivana's story is that of the soul she has conceived, a soul who has unsuccessfully tried to come to life three time previous. Shivana is convinced abortion is the only option but Rasul and the soul both aim to change her mind. This book was a quick read for me, but I really had trouble with its authenticity. It is a 1st person narrative, and the actual conversation is written as though a 15-year-old girl were speaking, but the narration was that of a well-educated adult. Shivana at one point remarks about not knowing about any of the literature on Rasul's shelves (titles by authors such as Maya Angelou & Toni Morrison) yet the words chosen for her narration clearly are those of someone who would have...I also took issue with a road trip she and Rasul took - Sharon, PA is mentioned on page 268 (which in itself was a kinda cool surprise), but she puts it too far into PA, but really who would notice other than Sharon folk...
September 30, 2009
I thoroughly enjoyed this author's debut adult novel, Upstate, so I was looking forward to reading this one. I loved it! Whoo-whoo for Kalisha Buckhanon! She creates wonderful urban romances. Realistic. I mean, I kept thinking, "these kids are stupid" as the character's actions unfolded. But, I kept reading and stayed up late to finish the book in one sitting.[return][return]The setting is Chicago in the early 1990's (and I loved the few music references) in the "almost" projects. Shivana has an abusive mother and doesn't know a single man who is a good dad. In fact, the women around here don't expect a man to be good--which is so, so sad. Shivana ends up pregnant and finally meets a promising boy, although he's unemployed and getting his GED, so is that really promising? The two of them hold on tight to survive and leave Chicago to find a better life. Shivana's story is interrupted by the story of the fetus who is trying to be born. Beginning in slave days, the poor girl hasn't had the chance to grow up. She's trying to be born, but isn't too sure it's going to happen. This book reminded me of The Lovely Bones and the love story reminded me of Upstate. Realistic, gritty, thought-provoking, and just dang good. Read it!
March 16, 2011
This book was about a girl named nakisha she is 15 yrs old and pregnant with a married mans baby who ends up in prison for selling dough. She runs away from home 2 times the 1st time was because she was scared that the wife was going to come after her and kill her so she ran away. She wanted to get an abortion badly because she lied to her mom and told her she wasnt pregnant then she ran away again and ended up going to a womens shelter were she had to go to church.. She and her new boyfriend who is 19 decided to leave chicago forever and go live in New York with her aunt Jewel little did they no they were in for a big surprise they were very closed to new york but some how got lost on their way and ended up on a mouinten with lost of fog which made it hard to see even with the lights off so if something was in the middle of the road u only had time 2 run it over then react. And dats wat happened a deer was in the middle of the road they didnt want 2 hit it so they drove of the mountain and died.
September 20, 2016
Smh, this book. This Freaking Book ! This book was so good. She had me from the introduction. The storyline, passion, poetry. I love books that make me say "Did she just say that?" Books that pull emotion from me(rare). It kept the momentum all the way through.
The back and forth between mother and child. Now that I think about it, this reminds me of the book: The First Part Last by Angela Johnson which was also an amazing read. This book really hit home for me. It shows the personal struggle that some females go through. It also shows the part that almost everyone overlooks which is what the fetus might be thinking. To include the voice, mind, soul of the fetus is...is powerful.
I would have NEVER guessed this book would end the way that it did but that just shows how great of a writer Buckhanon is. This is one of those books where you say "I would read it again"
I want to tell the author Thank You. Thank You for writing this book. When I chose to read this book, in that moment, I needed it.
The back and forth between mother and child. Now that I think about it, this reminds me of the book: The First Part Last by Angela Johnson which was also an amazing read. This book really hit home for me. It shows the personal struggle that some females go through. It also shows the part that almost everyone overlooks which is what the fetus might be thinking. To include the voice, mind, soul of the fetus is...is powerful.
I would have NEVER guessed this book would end the way that it did but that just shows how great of a writer Buckhanon is. This is one of those books where you say "I would read it again"
I want to tell the author Thank You. Thank You for writing this book. When I chose to read this book, in that moment, I needed it.
July 8, 2008
I would have given this book a better rating if it had a better ending. The writing was really good but the ending was horrible. Having the unborn baby tell parts of the story was a really original concept & I liked the baby's personality. I didnt like Shivana's personality though. She's a nasty person who has a lot of problems in her life. At the beginning she gets pregnant at 15 by a married 36-year-old drug dealer. I found myself getting angry about the people's problems in this book, both at Shivana for making so many bad choices & at her mother for being such a bad example & not teaching her any values, so Shivana really didnt know how to make good choices. In each part told by the baby she talks about how she wants to be born & see the world but the mother always dies in a tragedy before she can be born & then her soul is conceived by a different mother. I wont give away the ending, but maybe the author should write a sequel to tell where the baby ends up next.
May 9, 2008
The book offers a glimpse into the life of a character whose life may seem strange to most, whose perspective is both raw and young. Living in the city with her mother in a small apartment, she is struggling to understand life, love, and self-worth while living in a hostile environment.
I'm reminded of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", as this is also a personal account of what it is like to grow up in an unforgiving city. The honesty and personality of the characters make this book very enjoyable to read, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to explore the world through someone else's eyes.
One of my favorite things about this book was how the author incorporated the spiritual aspect of the pre-born infant. The unborn child's voice is reincarnated throughout the various women that conceive it.
I'm reminded of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", as this is also a personal account of what it is like to grow up in an unforgiving city. The honesty and personality of the characters make this book very enjoyable to read, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to explore the world through someone else's eyes.
One of my favorite things about this book was how the author incorporated the spiritual aspect of the pre-born infant. The unborn child's voice is reincarnated throughout the various women that conceive it.
March 24, 2010
Ok. I had originally wanted to add this title to my to-read books for our monthly book discussion group, but unfortunately we only had five copies in the system. Anyhoo. I've finally had a chance to read it and I'm truly glad that I did. This book was sad and tragic from the very beginning although the ending was quite not what I thought it would be. The main character Shivona is one that I feel a lot of teenage girls in her predicament can relate to. She is anxious and self-conscious and scared. This is a must read for anyone who has a teenager that is thinking about sex or has already begun to have it. Although it is a little bit on the risque side, I feel that it is appropriate for older teens.
June 10, 2011
This is a story of a young black girl who gets knocked-up by the father of the kids she is baby sitting. But the book alternates between what is happening to her and what her unborn fetus (baby, what ever you what to say) has gone through though out history, trying to get born.
Honestly this book gave me the creeps and at the same times made me what to bash my head against the wall! This girl makes stupid mistake, after stupid mistake. You don't have sex as a teen, at the very least, not without protection and not with a married guy! I'm sorry this book screamed anti-abortion, and I don't like other people's opinions shoved in my face. It wasn't well written and just said no abortion and you are never going to get out of the live you where born into.
Honestly this book gave me the creeps and at the same times made me what to bash my head against the wall! This girl makes stupid mistake, after stupid mistake. You don't have sex as a teen, at the very least, not without protection and not with a married guy! I'm sorry this book screamed anti-abortion, and I don't like other people's opinions shoved in my face. It wasn't well written and just said no abortion and you are never going to get out of the live you where born into.
February 18, 2016
This book was absolutely excellent. I think I may have liked this one better than Upstate. This lady is talented. I loved the narrative of the fetus. I think that was unique and added so much to the story. I was rooting for Shivana and Rasul. I didn't want it to end like it did. I hope Leroy felt all of this in his gut like a festering disease. A large part of the tragedy is his nasty fault. His trifling behind sleeping witha a 15 year old girl. Shivana should not have run away from her situation; this caused a big mess. She dragged Rasul into her mess and he had already been through a lot. He was sweet to be with her though. Tragedy follows the spirit of this narrator fetus. All four women met tragic demises.
September 23, 2008
I really wanted to like this book more but the ending was so horrible and abrupt...it kind of ruined it for me. I didn't like the baby's voice throughout the story - it was actually annoying. But there were a lot of parts where I enjoyed reading the book b/c the writing was so good. It was hard to relate to Shivana because seriously, she made so many poor choices. Granted, she is 15 years old and grew up in the semi-projects or whatever she calls it. At first i emphathized w/ her but then I was angry w/ her. Overall, an interesting book - but really just very sad and depressing. I'm a happy ending type of girl.
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April 8, 2009This tells the story of a girl who lives with her mother but they have nothing in common with each other so their relationship isn't that good. She has a job babysitting and the man of the household ends up trying to hit on her and she falls into the trap and gets pregnant by him. She knows her mother will never accept her so she turns to the person that she know will not turn her downs and that is her boyfriend rasul and her aunt jewel. She ends up running away with her boyfriend to go to newyork and see her aunt. She makes the decision of keeping the baby and her mom and her end up mending things so she moves back home.
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July 27, 2012A darkly difficult book in passages, but beautifully written and very compelling. The story follows Shivana, a 15 year old black girl from Chicago who ends up getting pregnant at the "hands" of a much older man, and has to manage her abject poverty, abusive mother, and damaged view of relationships while trying to deal with the unexpected and unwanted pregnancy. The plot also follows the story of her unborn child, and the other times the baby has been conceived and lost.
It's a well-told story that feels very authentic. I found myself rooting for the main character, hoping that against all odds she would succeed and find happiness.
It's a well-told story that feels very authentic. I found myself rooting for the main character, hoping that against all odds she would succeed and find happiness.
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