As we finish up Black History Month, I am excited to share these two compelling books by African American authors, reviewed by our teen volunteer Sarah. Sarah wrote these thoughtful reviews on The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.
For more information or to place a hold on these books at the library, click on the title links below. You can also borrow the ebook using the free Libby app or at owwl.overdrive.com
Review of The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
book review by Sarah B.
Privilege. Something that many of us have grown up with. In The Color Purple by Alice Walker, it dives into the harsh reality that African American women endured during the 1900's. As it takes place in Georgia and Africa, two sisters, Celie and Nettie, communicate and write their two different experiences with society. Walker depicts the environment and its impacts on each of the women, and although some characters brought damage and unhappiness to their life, the empowerment of the female gender in this book made it truly remarkable.
As the sisters are directed into two different lives from their abusive and manipulative father at a young age, Celie is forced to marry an abusive man, Albert, while Nettie becomes apart of a kinder family who treats her and what she does for them with more respect than what was 'normalized' during that time. Nettie becomes a part of helping a family, Samuel and Corrine, who adopted Celie's children who she had to give up, Olivia and Adam. Both females act as mother figures either to Albert's children, especially to Harpo who struggles with how to act appropriately and respectfully towards women, or as Nettie towards Olivia and Adam. Celie writes letters to God, expressing her experience with abuse by Mr. . Yes his last name was used with a blank space which I find quite amazing. It is almost as if he didn't deserve that title because of his abusive actions but Celie would still have to respect his male figure. As Celie meets Shug Avery, she is provided with guidance with finding her voice and strength to live her life freely. Later in the book, Nettie experiences a missionary trip in Africa with her new family and writes to Celie her experiences with this new unfamiliar environment and what she learns from the people she meets. One quote that stood out to me during her time in Africa was, "an African daisy and an English daisy are both flowers, but totally different kinds'' (135). African Americans, including these women, had to find a way to endure through the mistreatment and struggles that were because of the uneducated and inaccurate opinions of the white race. Both characters grow and learn their true selves throughout this book.
Overall this book made me fall in love with reading about African Americans, especially women, voices and perspectives. I would definitely recommend this book as it was a challenging but very interesting read. These women empowered me as a reader as it showed their strength and leadership they faced in the mean and cruel world and that giving up reflects weakness to a woman's character which allows justification to the male gender with their 'superiority' they feel over women. Other books like this include I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou which is an autobiography of Angelou and her story in overcoming racism and setbacks and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe that is about African American's perspective and experience with Europeans in the 19th century. It was truly a good read and if you are 16 and over, make sure you grab a copy!
Review of Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi
book review by Sarah B.
If you're looking for an engaging book that comes from multiple characters perspectives then I have a book for you! After I completed The Color Purple, I was eager to find more books that revolved around African Americans. Homegoing follows the timeline of generations among a family from the times of slavery to freedom, each member of the genetic line having a different challenge and environment they were living in but at the end finding their way back to their original roots.
It begins with the separation of two sisters, Esi and Effia. Both were born in the Ghana region where conflict between the Asantes and British were increasing. Esi was put into slavery under the castle where Effia was forced to marry James Collin, a powerful man that allowed this slavery to take place in the dungeon, shut out from the rest of the world. There the story follows the journey of their children, and each generation until the end of the story where Marjorie, from Effia's line of family encounters Marcus, from Esi's line and explores the history of stories that the book dives into. From forced marriages, to escaping the life of the unwanted, to working in dusty coal mines, to the fear of fire and the damage it tolls, and to the life in the city of isolation, Gyasi depicts how each character was transformed and shaped as they embody their peers and environment. I thought it was very fascinating how the book began with the historic feature of the Asantes and the war they were fighting in the country of Ghana against the "white men" and ends with how African Americans were faced with life in Harlem, where they were surrounded by a completely different population of color and how they were impacted with trying to maneuver a way of life and family. The symbolism of fire and the black stone necklace that was carried down to generation played a huge role in representing that change or continuation from their past but also how it reminded them of it leaving a permanent or valuable reminder of their other family and their trials that led them to the life they were able to live. Read about the escape, the growth, and the courage among these characters in this amazing novel.
This was one of my favorite books I have read. From my past review, I mentioned how much I like reading through African American lenses and voices and it continues with this engaging masterpiece. It is a whole other side of the world that you get to read about and it educates the reader on the different lives that African Americans were faced to live in through the nineteenth century and beyond, conflicting between different areas of the world as well. This book is about growth, independence, and strength as these brave warriors live on through their relatives' experiences and endure new struggles and people on their own. Other books like this include The Vanishing Half and The Mothers by Brit Bennett, two other African American based novels. Another amazing read that I definitely recommend and would be a great read to start during February break!
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Have you read either of these books? If not, has Sarah inspired you to pick one up? Let us know in the comments if you have any feedback or any other book recommendations.
