6/1/2023 0 Comments Diane mckinney whetstoneThe major conflict of the novel unfolds gradually: developers are seeking to move people away from the neighborhood, ostensibly because they need the land to build a road. Liz, a red-headed fashion plate, continues to suffer from a fear of abandonment. Fannie can foretell the future, which is both a blessing and a curse. Although the same age, each is distinct in her talents and troubles. Herbie and Noon’s daughters, Fannie and Liz, grow up during the course of this novel. Herbie is a light-skinned porter who is devoted to Noon, yet seeks the company of a local singer, Ethel, who assuages her own dark secret by liaisons with a series of men. Noon, absorbed with her church, her children, and her housekeeping, harbors a deep secret that prevents her from “mixing pleasure” with her husband. There are so many things I like about this novel, from the engaging story lines to the vibrant descriptions to the energetic dialogue, but perhaps my favorite are the distinctive, well-developed characters. But their lives are so intertwined with other community members that the novel is really about the entire neighborhood of African-Americans. The story, which takes place in Philadelphia in the 1940s and 1950s, focuses on Noon, her husband Herbie, and their two adopted children. Diane McKinney-Whetstone is the acclaimed author of six novels, the first of which is Tumbling, first published in 1996.
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