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A review by dalmavatai
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
Ahh this short story collection was so impactful and gripping, I loved every single second of it!
All of the stories in here deal with desire, pain, grief, love, family, and Christianity, and all of them do it brilliantly and beautifully. All of the characters are vivid and relatable - they are not without their flaws, in fact these flaws are often prominent in the stories, but they are portrayed with such compassion and humanity that you can't help but feel for them. Every story is unique but what unites them all is their exploration of how Black women navigate desire and pain, love and grief, often simultaneously.
Such a beautiful collection full of humanity, exploring the universally human desire to be loved.
All of the stories in here deal with desire, pain, grief, love, family, and Christianity, and all of them do it brilliantly and beautifully. All of the characters are vivid and relatable - they are not without their flaws, in fact these flaws are often prominent in the stories, but they are portrayed with such compassion and humanity that you can't help but feel for them. Every story is unique but what unites them all is their exploration of how Black women navigate desire and pain, love and grief, often simultaneously.
Such a beautiful collection full of humanity, exploring the universally human desire to be loved.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Racism, and Abortion