Wow. This book. I’ve been told to read this book for months but have never gotten around to doing it. Man, am I glad I did. I’m not going to go into spoilers for this novel because it follows the sisters’ separate lives and giving that away would take away from the power this book has. However, I do absolutely love the world building that Brit Bennett does for this book.

Mallard, Louisiana is where the girls grow up. It is a fictional town that basically determines your worth based off of how light-skinned you are as an African American. This whole concept intrigued me, but it made me so sad because people truly felt like they had to change back then (and now, too) to be accepted by society.

Many things that this book deals with are uncomfortable, but so so necessary for readers. The reason I say it’s necessary is because understanding a person’s differences and accepting them is one of the greatest things you can learn to do as a human being. I found this book beautiful in the way that it described the sisters as they tried to find their way in life and tried to fit in.

Bennett’s writing style is also nothing short of gorgeous. I was so impressed with this book and the fact that it covered most of three generations in one family.

Overall, I can’t recommend this book enough. The fact that I grew up in rural Louisiana makes me appreciate it even more, but what was really great about this book was its perspective. Perspective on life and human beings and the way that we treat each other. It basically proves to me even more that being an adult requires not only maturity, but empathy, compassion, and a willingness to forgive.  

Source: Personal Copy