Description from Goodreads:
James Witherspoon is a
bigamist. His daughter, Dana, and her mother both know about James's
other daughter, Chaurisse, who lives with his other wife in a nicer
neighborhood nearby. But Chaurisse and her mother are blissfully unaware
of James's secret family.
When Dana--tired of a life in the
shadows--accidentally meets her half-sister, she befriends her. For Dana,
it's an irresistible opportunity to secretly see how the other half
lives. For Chaurisse, Dana is a glamorous friend--a "silver girl"
possessing all the style, popularity, and long pretty hair that
Chaurisse thinks would make her happy. But their friendship is destined
to explode when secrets are revealed and illusions shattered.
Set
in 1980s Atlanta and told in the alternating voices of the two girls,
this is a classic story of loyalty and love, class and privilege. Like
the early works of Toni Morrison, Jones's story is populated with rich,
flawed characters who win and then break your heart. Written with grace
and style, Silver Sparrow is the novel that will put Jones on the literary map.
My Thoughts:
I bought this book shortly after it was released, and I wish I would've read it sooner! This story is told by two sisters, except one of them doesn't know she even has a sister. Dana is the "secret" sister. She has lived her life knowing about her Dad's wife and daughter Chaurisse, but they know nothing about her. The first half of the book is told by Dana and the second half told by Chaurisse.
Their father James, married both women and lives a double life. Dana has seen Chaurisse here and there over the years because they live in the same area and she finally decided to befriend her. Not everything goes exactly as planned, and the ending is not happy as expected. Tayari Jones did a great job writing this book. This is the first book I've read by her, but I am excited to see what else she has to offer. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a great fiction novel.
I rate this 4.5 out of 5 stars
