Narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt's sweet voice and vibrant characterizations entice listeners into this first novel by bestselling writer Morgan Jerkins. Known for her memoirs and essays, Jerkins here blends magical realism and a story about the challenges faced by contemporary Black women. Harlem's Melancon women survive by selling pieces of their life-giving caul to white people who can pay well. A multigenerational crisis ensues when they refuse to help Laila, a local Black woman who has suffered numerous pregnancies. Abbott-Pratt changes her pitch atmospherically as she shifts between the Melancons' gothic domain, Laila's increasingly unhinged desperation, and the bright pace of Laila's niece, Amara, a law school student. Abbott-Pratt's melodic tone is an engrossing through line in this ambitious novel about gentrification, exploitation, generational trauma, and Black identity. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2021]
Trade Ed. Harper Audio 2021
DD ISBN 9780063070431 $26.99
Get our FREE Newsletter and discover a world of audiobooks.
Let us recommend your next great audiobook!
No algorithms here!
We pick great audiobooks for you.
Sign up for our free newsletter with audiobook love from AudioFile editors.
If you are already with us, thank you! Just click X above.