I was hoping to be utterly captivated by this book and...I wasn't. I was certainly intrigued and curious to keep reading, but I didn't feel that 'wow' effect that I was hoping for.

Red at the Bone is a very quiet, reflective novel and  I think I was in the mood for something a bit more exciting. Woodson is an excellent writer and I really appreciated all of the themes discussed in the book: motherhood, family, identity, race and racism, social mobility, grief, and more — it just didn't all come together for me with the impact that I think Woodson was trying to achieve and that I know countless other readers have experienced.

If you enjoy a more character-driven novel with multiple points-of-view, and the themes I mentioned above pique your interest, this is definitely one you should pick up!