As the title says, this is a book about difficult women, hard to love women, women who are uncomfortable in stereotypical femininity, women who stand, women who have dimensions, women who have color. As such, it can be a difficult read with its intricate, intoxicating blend of love and violence, it is like a knife, cutting deep into the reader. A wonderful read.

While I used to love Eggers, this book is a lot of Eggers to swallow in one setting. A loose babble of a book that bumbles along like a drunk mother with two kidnapped children facing a disappointing summer read.

Amazing amazing book with its breadth and depth and nuance into the concept of racism in America. It points out the connection between culture, society and politics in a dense yet interesting manner. As you read, you see how history builds on itself and recalls itself again and again. Absolutely incredible.

What I found most compelling about this book is he way Baldwin uses religion as a vehicle to tell the story of the black experience in America, seeing as the church played a crucial role in Black Liberation. It is religion that permits Gabriel to sin, that gives the numerous women their strength and ultimately helps John find his identity. It's not so much the church but the history and community around the church that helps center and create life which Baldwin captures in such a beautiful, nuanced manner.