A review by booklywookly
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

5.0

I had promised myself not to pick up another coming of age novel for the next few months. And here I am, reviewing one.

This book was picked up because, it’s tiny (under 200 pages), written by American-African author (I recently had enough of South Asia), and published by W&N, an imprint that constantly brings me good but understated reads. Glad I didn’t keep my promise because this turned out to be a brilliant (a five star if you really want) read.

Set in Brooklyn, this is a multi-generational novel that explores the lives of two African American families connected by a teenage pregnancy. The novel begins with Melody’s 16th birthday ceremony, a significant event that serves as a gateway into the past and present lives of her family members. We get to know Melody, her ambitious mother Iris, her devoted father Aubrey, and her resilient grandparents Sabe and Po’Boy.

Small chapters, shifting perspectives, jumping back and forth in time, gave it that sweet waft of nostalgia and intimacy that I was really looking for. It kind of reminded me of two other favorite books of mine - Sharks In The Time Of Saviors, and Elizabeth Acevedo’s Clap When You Land. Both with raw yet lyrical and intimate prose, yo-yoing between narrators.

Each character is vividly drawn, with their own distinct voice and perspective. Melody’s journey from childhood to adolescence, Iris’s struggle with early motherhood and independence, Aubrey’s steadfast love for his daughter, his mother’s maternal instincts to protect her son at all costs, Iris’s mother carrying the weight of Tulsa massacre, are all portrayed with nuance and sensitivity.

My copy didn’t have the very familiar bright-parrot-green W seal on it and so after finishing the book, I was surprised to know that this is Women’s Prize Longlisted book. Not surprised as in “why, or how?”, but rather “Why I don’t remember it being talked about?”

P.S. If you have watched This Is Us, the young teenage father is a very Malik-like character. And I found that beautiful.