A review by serendipitysbooks
Nobody's Magic by Destiny O. Birdsong

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 
Nobody’s Magic is a set of three novellas. They are all entirely separate stories with no overlapping characters, but they are unified by a few common features. All three feature young Black women who are at important junctions in their lives, needing to find their way in the world. Suzanne, Maple and Agnes come from very different milieus but all have a connection to Shreveport, Louisiana. Probably the most unique unifying feature is that all three women have albinism. This fact is easy to miss since it is not an overt factor in any of the stories but it nevertheless underpins them all. It’s the reason Suzanne’s father is so overprotective and it explains why Agnes is alienated from her family. The characters were vivid, the sense of place strong and the storytelling compelling. 

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