BOOK REVIEW
Ok, have you heard of a TV show that airs on
NBC’s network called “The Slap?” Well,
if I could give this book a nickname that’s what I’d call it because it all
begins with that, a slap. A mother
slaps her daughter at a young age, leaving a profound impression on the
daughter for years, which causes them to have a strange and broken
relationship. Sherry, the daughter in
the story, has to deal with her nerve-racking mother, Dumpling, while they’re
on a road trip to their family reunion in Georgia. Sherry, the classic narcisstic Bohemian, has difficulty staying
in relationships due to her “mother issues,” but she wants to know more about
her family’s history and their origin.
As she and Dumpling travel along the road together, we hear more about
the family’s stories & secrets and the reason behind the long ago
slap. Sherry shares with her mother a
book that she writing about her ancestors and their journey from Native
American descent to slavery. The
unveiling of two stories take place in the book, Sherry & Dumpling trying
to mend their broken relationship and the family’s secret past.
This was the first book I had read by this
author, Bernice L. McFadden, and I wasn’t disappointed at all! I liked the way the story was written,
toggling back & forth from the present story about Sherry and her mom to
the past, sharing the historical account about their family’s struggle and
pain. Nowhere Is A Place has all
the ingredients of a good historical fiction for me; A family in crisis,
historical context, genealogy, character depth, captivating plot, redemption
and hope. McFadden does a wonderful job
of storytelling and keeping the reader on edge, guessing what will happen
next. Months after reading the novel, I
listened to it again on audio books and I enjoyed it even more! I rated this book with 5 stars and I
recommend it to anyone who likes fictional memoirs.
