by Ayana Mathis. 3 stars
Ayana Mathis is a gifted writer but I really did not enjoy this book as much as I expected to from the glowing reviews. I was really hoping to connect more with the characters, especially Hattie. My parents were from Philadelphia as well and stuggled through the Depression also. We had a huge family and very little money but my mother always gave us love and affection, which didn't cost a thing. I think Hattie's tragic losses during this time pretty much altered and mostly ruined her other children's lives and this was so frustrating and sad to me. She raised all of them like an automaton, never giving them the love and tenderness they needed, I guess she couldn't give of herself again after that kind of pain. Life is about choices we make too and she picked a drinking, philandering, gambling man for a husband and we see this same trait in just about all of her sons. The women all seemed to be filled with serious emotional mental health issues, some totally debilitating. Hopefully Hattie saves one from the next generation at the end but the rest was just so very depressing to me.
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