A review by jdamae11
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

challenging emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow I loved all of these stories! I’ll be reading anything Deesha Philyaw puts out after finishing this collection. She covers the complexities of mother-daughter bonds, sexism, religion, spirituality, sexuality, and Black life and Black womanhood with so much care, authenticity, and nuance. There were a few times I would go back to reread lines or just pause on a page to appreciate what was conveyed. Adding this to my favorites shelf for sure. The collection opens with an absolute banger with “Eula” and although I really enjoyed all the stories, “How to Make Love to a Physicist” had me screaming crying throwing up it was so amazing. Gunna have to go back and reread that one a few more times. So thankful to the author for putting out this lovely collection!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings