REVIEWS

Cynthia Burek-Cubitt

This is a story of 3 generations of a black family living in Memphis from 1937 to 2003. It is seen through the eyes of 4 women: Grandmother Hazel, Miriam, August (her daughters) and granddaughter Joan. At the beginning is a family tree which was invaluable as the story constantly skips back and forth through time. Each of these strong women suffers loss, success, abuse and experiences love. Each has a gift which is not always allowed to develop. The story slowly unfolds and you learn why people are behaving as they do. The book is well written. I love some of the phrases “Sunflowers grown toddler-tall in her garden” and “Sistine chapel in reverse” conjure up real images. The characters are well developed. You can feel Hazel’s pain when her husband is murdered or when Joan is raped by her cousin. I enjoyed the book but sometimes found the back and forth through time challenging. I would recommend this book as it covers actual historical events: the assassination of Martin Luther King or the Twin Tower disaster. The reaction of the women is recorded. The book ends on a happy note with hope and demons put to rest.

Janet Welch

Before reading this novel I would recommend photo copying the included North family tree to refer to at the beginning of each chapter as the story is told through the North women’s' lives at different ages. Such a stunningly well written debut novel with beautiful descriptive passages. The story of the admirable North family women over 60+ years completely took me over and opened my eyes to the struggles these strong, powerful women had and what they came up against growing up in Memphis. Their lives were revealed by the author as if she were an artist painting a picture (just like the very talented Joan), giving snippets of information as the story unfolded which would eventually come together to form the complete picture and satisfy the reader's curiosity. I was definitely drawn into the lives of these women and found myself desperate to know what happened to them next. My opinions about certain characters changed as the story went along and I sympathised with some of the family in the book (who I had initially taken a dislike to) when the reasons for their actions became apparent. The subject matter is very dark in places but shows how resilient and determined these women were to overcome what life had thrown at them. I would love to see a follow up novel - highly recommended!

Audrey Lumsden

Memphis tells the stories of three generations of black women from Memphis, beginning in 1937, and concluding in 2003. Courageous, vibrant, talented women, whose circumstances are often dire, but who survive and thrive thanks to their strong family bonds and supportive community. We learn about Hazel, Miriam, August, Joan, and Mya, and become invested in their futures. Tara Stringfellow paints a vivid picture of life in the American south, in which the reader gains an appreciation of the struggles faced by these black women (and their menfolk) over the decades. There is quiet menace, but also love and laughter. I was uncertain whether I would enjoy this book in the first few pages, unused to the vocabulary, and dismissive of the repetition of “atop the canopy” in the third paragraph of the book. I sometimes found the chapters hopping between characters and dates confusing. But it did weave the storyline together and the North Family Tree was a helpful reference. I am very glad I continued to read. The author draws us in and creates characters who matter to us. Powerfully descriptive, and emotionally intelligent, she shows us life in all its glory and despair.

Karen Marjoram

How can 200 words do this slow burn of a book justice? The interweaving of time and lives of the women in this story was magical. Joan, I kind of wanted her to get revenge of some sort on Derek, but in a strange way, her realising he would suffer a more lasting hell on earth in prison was fair justice. The sadness the women carried about their lost men was profound. I loved the way their community properly supported them when they needed it. The sisterhood of these women was amazing. " I got you" was a phrase used a number of times. I liked the relationships that the main characters had with Stanley and Miss Dawn. And if true love should taste of anything, it should be butter pecan ice cream.

Bob Moody

Thought provoking rather than a classic 'holiday read'. This is certainly well worth reading even though it comes across as being barely disguised misandry. It is the story of three generations black women and their strength, resilience, and creativity. The book tells us about the lives, mishaps and good times of the North family from World War II to Afghanistan. The women come out of this well but the men less so. I have always held the view that women are the glue that holds families together and deserve our respect and admiration.

Julie Watkinson

This is the debut novel of Tara M Stringfellow. It charts the 3 generations of women from the North family, who encounter trauma, tragedy, poverty, violence, domestic sexual and racial abuse. It has some significant events in American history, such as the civil rights movement, the 9/11 attacks and the impact of southern American racism. Miriam finds herself escaping a violent husband with her two daughters, Joan and Mya and ends up back at her ancestral home, built by her grandfather a black detective who was lynched whilst her grandmother Hazel was pregnant with August. It shows how strong and resilient the women were and what family means to them. Overall, a really enjoyable read and will follow this author in the future.

Heather Limb

A very enthralling book. The family is so well described, each character having incredibly interwoven life experiences. The book is also an insight on Memphis, its history, the difficulties the family faced whilst celebrating their successes. It also gives insight into how the family survived in the south with influences, not always welcomed, from other parts of the country. It’s a delight to read, be prepared for humour, sadness, excitement, frustration, admiration as just a few of the emotions the author was able to convey through these women. Hardship is hard but the resilience is amazingly powerful. The descriptions are vivid, and I look forward to another publication from Tara M Stringfellow. I recommend long reads as the book deserves this enjoyment! Maybe on a relaxing Viking cruise?

Colin Holgate

If you are looking for a book with one gripping story then maybe this book is not for you. It is however the story of three generations of a black family in America. How the characters met and the elements of their lives that were important in their lives, some pleasant, others not quite so pleasant. Without a doubt it gives an insight into American attitudes to black people, albeit the attitudes of southern Americans. The language of the book, which is sometimes difficult to understand because of, understandably, the American use of English is somewhat “choice” to the British reader. The use of certain words, although shared by all English speakers, can at times come across as offensive. The “F” word is pretty well commonly used by all, but the “C” and “N” words do not sit well in the UK. The life stories of the characters unfold throughout the book and in places the progress of the family members gives pleasure to the reader but at times shock. The instance of the coat hanger on Joan is difficult to understand such brutality on one so young. As you read through the book you become attached to the characters and start wanting the best for them and sad when things don’t go their way. The brutality and total disregard for the sensibilities of black people by some of the white population makes for unpleasant reading. As a black family their progress and their trials and tribulations draws you in until you want to read more and more to find, perhaps not the end, but how they deal with the circumstance of being black in what is ostensibly is a white dominated culture. Without a doubt when you look at the lives of the characters and their experiences of life you learn more and more and develop an affinity to them and the persecution that they suffer. The start of the book is not particularly gripping but reading on your interest is sucked in and it makes for a good read.

Eileen North

It took me a little while to get used to the style of writing. Once I got used to each chapter not necessarily following on from the previous one in time or character I found it interesting. The book deals with three generations of black women living in Memphis, from 1937 to 2003. Over the time we learn about the racism in Memphis, 9/11 and other relevant events. It is written as if being spoken by the main characters in the southern black dialect.