OK I guess, not so great. Some of the writing was ok, but a lot of the dialog seemed clumsy, and a lot of the story was just depressing and draggy. I could imagine a great book going through three generations of a New Orleans family; I guess this disappointed me. ( )

Set in New Orleans in three time periods, this novel follows the stories of three individuals of different generations in the same family. In 1944, Evelyn, daughter of a successful black doctor, develops a relationship with a young man from a lower social station, though his future appears bright. In 1986, Evelyn’s daughter, Jackie, a new mother, is coping with her husband’s drug addiction. In 2010, as the city is dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Jackie’s son, T.C., is being released from prison and is about to become a father.

The story arc is almost the opposite of what would be expected. With the passage of time, the family’s situation deteriorates. The author explores factors that contribute to ongoing racial disparity in a way that inspires compassion and does an excellent job of instilling hopefulness even when many adverse events are occurring in these family members’ lives. Though part of it is a coming of age story, I would not classify it as “young adult” due to the descriptions of drug addiction and small amount of explicit sex.

The structure of the book one in which the three primary plot lines are interwoven and non-linear, so the reader knows some of what happens before the story gets to how it happened. This approach is very effective, as the reader keeps rooting for the characters to succeed, even though we know some of their obstacles and choices are going to make life difficult for them. This is primarily a character-driven novel and the characters feel authentic. I could relate to their struggles, which says a lot about the author’s ability to appeal to a diverse audience. It is a subtle commentary on the racial issues that still permeate our society.
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This story covers three generations of a Black family in New Orleans, starting during WWII, and ending at 2010. The structure of the novel moves back and forth between the generations, so that just as I was settling into one story, the next generation popped up. I had an urge to simply read the story by generations, which for me would have been more satisfying. In this story, I'm not sure what purpose was served by bouncing between stories. For me, it was confusing. And there were pieces of the story that were left unfinished. What did Renard do when he returned from WWII and married Evelyn? How did they end up running a daycare service, and was Renard part of that or had he had another career? He didn't get to medical school, but what did he do?

Then Jackie chooses a man who should be a star, until drug addiction claims him. It was sad, but was it inevitable? Did addiction claim him because he was a Black man? Was Jackie's life over when Terry left? Why couldn't she make a go towards a better life for her and TC? Jackie's sister Sybil seems to escape the poverty and drugs, and become a lawyer, but she doesn't become a wife and mother, it seems. It's as if the novel is saying, "you can have one, but not the other."

TC, the son of Jackie, becomes a drug dealer and ends up in jail for minor offenses. I understand that he might not have ended up in jail had he been white. Is it because his mother was unable to pick herself up or because he was a Black youth? We are left wondering if he will be able to save himself and his family after his sentence is served.

This book is about the effects of systemic racism, yet it starts with a prosperous Black family where the father is a doctor. Is the author trying to say that this downward slide was inevitable? ( )

A difficult and beautiful story of three generations living in New Orleans moving back and forth between 1945 and 2011. The importance of family holds throughout their lives and all that they experience. ( )

A really great, inter-generational look at mobility and race in New Orleans from 1944 to now. I wanted so much for Evelyn and Jackie and TC. I wanted Renard to finish school and for Terry to break the cycle of addiction. I didn't necessarily get what I wanted, but that's not what this novel is about - or any novel for that matter. The story served the characters and vice versa. A great debut novel. ( )