Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.5 Stars
Sugar is a young prostitute who comes to settle down in Bigelow, Arkansas, and start over. The black Christian townsfolk are not happy for reasons that aren't obvious until they are.
Pearl is still living a half-life, after 15 years after the brutal death of her daughter, Jude. Sugar's arrival ignites something in Pearl. The duo forms a tentative bond that strengthens over time. Pearl's husband, Joe is a steady character, being there when needed.
Things seem to be better, but life has a mind of its own. Sugar still has unanswered questions and Pearl's presence isn't enough to make up for it. When her past and present threaten to destroy her future, Sugar does what she thinks is the right thing. How does it affect her, Pearl, and Joe? What do the townsfolk feel about it?
Well, I went into the book with zero expectations and was quite surprised by how it progressed. Yeah, it was slow, and I sped-read through most of it. But I saw all that I was supposed to see and know. The writing is raw, brazen, and rustic. It suits the setting, timeline, and characters. However, I can't rate it more than 3 stars because it would have bored me if I went with the actual pace. The prose needed some tightening.
The side characters are etched well despite having a limited presence. They do what they are supposed to do. Pearl has a major role in the book, making an almost equal share of the story. That worked for me.
Sugar is how she could be. Her character has limitations by the virtue of the backstory, and the author doesn't make her bigger than her character at any point. That makes her real and impactful even when we want her to be someone with more depth. Sometimes, a character is effective because it adheres to the characterization instead of becoming something else. This may not work for some readers, but it does for me.
Forgiveness isn't exactly the main point of the book. Moving on isn't either. I'm a fan of HEA, but I loved the ending of this one. A happy ending would have ruined the story. This had to end this way to stay true to the plot.
There are questions, obviously. I guess those will be answered in the sequel. I'll pick it up one day. There is graphic violence and abuse, so be prepared.
Sugar is a young prostitute who comes to settle down in Bigelow, Arkansas, and start over. The black Christian townsfolk are not happy for reasons that aren't obvious until they are.
Pearl is still living a half-life, after 15 years after the brutal death of her daughter, Jude. Sugar's arrival ignites something in Pearl. The duo forms a tentative bond that strengthens over time. Pearl's husband, Joe is a steady character, being there when needed.
Things seem to be better, but life has a mind of its own. Sugar still has unanswered questions and Pearl's presence isn't enough to make up for it. When her past and present threaten to destroy her future, Sugar does what she thinks is the right thing. How does it affect her, Pearl, and Joe? What do the townsfolk feel about it?
Well, I went into the book with zero expectations and was quite surprised by how it progressed. Yeah, it was slow, and I sped-read through most of it. But I saw all that I was supposed to see and know. The writing is raw, brazen, and rustic. It suits the setting, timeline, and characters. However, I can't rate it more than 3 stars because it would have bored me if I went with the actual pace. The prose needed some tightening.
The side characters are etched well despite having a limited presence. They do what they are supposed to do. Pearl has a major role in the book, making an almost equal share of the story. That worked for me.
Sugar is how she could be. Her character has limitations by the virtue of the backstory, and the author doesn't make her bigger than her character at any point. That makes her real and impactful even when we want her to be someone with more depth. Sometimes, a character is effective because it adheres to the characterization instead of becoming something else. This may not work for some readers, but it does for me.
Forgiveness isn't exactly the main point of the book. Moving on isn't either. I'm a fan of HEA, but I loved the ending of this one. A happy ending would have ruined the story. This had to end this way to stay true to the plot.
There are questions, obviously. I guess those will be answered in the sequel. I'll pick it up one day. There is graphic violence and abuse, so be prepared.