Review of Sister B
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Karen Susara
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Review of Sister B
[Following is a volunteer review of "Sister B" by David Charles Hart.]
Sister B , by David Charles Hart follows the journey of an African American woman who is determined to escape the systemic racism of the south, in particular Mississippi where she was born and raised. The book opens with her reading a newspaper article which illustrates the harsh reality of racism and its impact on African Americans. Concerned for her son’s well-being in such an environment, she is determined to head west. First to California where she has family ties and eventually to Oregon where she settles. Her journey and experience in Oregon is a story of resilience, determination and inspiration.
On the eastern side of the hemisphere is Akio Hashimoto, a photographer in Japan who captures its beauty through a lens and dreams of having his work featured in well-known magazines. An opportunity comes along for him to head West, with an assignment from Japanese military. Excited for an opportunity to build his portfolio, he is unaware of the true nature of his assignment. The results of his actions unbeknownst to him will impact him in a way he never imagined. His journey, similar to Sister B, is also of determination, inspiration, not so much resilience.
I enjoyed the diverse use of descriptive terms by the author. It brought a vibrant description of the event. One example: “A job well done, performed with éclat”, brilliant display or effect. Another “Perhaps they can continue their tête-à-tête then”, describing a private conversation between two people.
The negative aspects of this book are the length of time it took to make connections that would have been helpful if made earlier on. The book introduces the main character as Sister B, and in a later chapter, the author uses the name Willie Mae and then explains how she got the nickname, Sister B. It would have been better served at the beginning of the book to avoid introducing the name Willie Mae randomly and suddenly. The author also seemed to introduce characters that didn’t seem to serve a purpose or reason for introduction. This occurred in the beginning of the book where the character of a tragic event was connected to a sibling much later in the book. It seemed as though the author was attempting to make all aspects of the book homogenous, which I don’t believe was necessary in order to bring a point home on racism or discrimination during that time period. Thirdly, there were instances where the author jumped from first person to third person and it wasn’t clear from whose perspective the story was being told, the author or character. This might be something that was just missed in the final review of the book. It didn’t take away from the narrative, it was just distracting.
I would rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars for the accurate historical context and connection to the journey of the main characters. It well illustrated the impact of World War II and racism in the lives of African Americans and people of Japanese heritage.
If you are someone who enjoys reading historical fiction that illustrates the impact of racism, this book is for you.
******
Sister B
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Sister B , by David Charles Hart follows the journey of an African American woman who is determined to escape the systemic racism of the south, in particular Mississippi where she was born and raised. The book opens with her reading a newspaper article which illustrates the harsh reality of racism and its impact on African Americans. Concerned for her son’s well-being in such an environment, she is determined to head west. First to California where she has family ties and eventually to Oregon where she settles. Her journey and experience in Oregon is a story of resilience, determination and inspiration.
On the eastern side of the hemisphere is Akio Hashimoto, a photographer in Japan who captures its beauty through a lens and dreams of having his work featured in well-known magazines. An opportunity comes along for him to head West, with an assignment from Japanese military. Excited for an opportunity to build his portfolio, he is unaware of the true nature of his assignment. The results of his actions unbeknownst to him will impact him in a way he never imagined. His journey, similar to Sister B, is also of determination, inspiration, not so much resilience.
I enjoyed the diverse use of descriptive terms by the author. It brought a vibrant description of the event. One example: “A job well done, performed with éclat”, brilliant display or effect. Another “Perhaps they can continue their tête-à-tête then”, describing a private conversation between two people.
The negative aspects of this book are the length of time it took to make connections that would have been helpful if made earlier on. The book introduces the main character as Sister B, and in a later chapter, the author uses the name Willie Mae and then explains how she got the nickname, Sister B. It would have been better served at the beginning of the book to avoid introducing the name Willie Mae randomly and suddenly. The author also seemed to introduce characters that didn’t seem to serve a purpose or reason for introduction. This occurred in the beginning of the book where the character of a tragic event was connected to a sibling much later in the book. It seemed as though the author was attempting to make all aspects of the book homogenous, which I don’t believe was necessary in order to bring a point home on racism or discrimination during that time period. Thirdly, there were instances where the author jumped from first person to third person and it wasn’t clear from whose perspective the story was being told, the author or character. This might be something that was just missed in the final review of the book. It didn’t take away from the narrative, it was just distracting.
I would rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars for the accurate historical context and connection to the journey of the main characters. It well illustrated the impact of World War II and racism in the lives of African Americans and people of Japanese heritage.
If you are someone who enjoys reading historical fiction that illustrates the impact of racism, this book is for you.
******
Sister B
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: A Bloody Book by Chris Bowen
