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Saturday, April 11, 2015

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.

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