Review of Lessons in Mercy

[Nisha DSouza]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Lessons in Mercy" by Edwina Wright Davis.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Lessons in Mercy by Edwina Wright Davis is a historical fiction inspired by the extraordinary life of Joseph "Joe" Daniel Herring. He was fondly called "Papa" by everyone who knew him. The story begins with the birth of Joe, followed by a heartbreaking tragedy that will change the course of Joe's life. He was the seventh surviving child of the Herring family. He never truly understood why his father sent him away with his cousin, Sallie Carroll. Why, after six children, Joe, was suddenly the burden? This question will not only haunt Joe for the rest of his life but will also make him carry guilt inadvertently.

This story highlights multiple issues that African Americans faced in the 1900s. Human trafficking, racial discrimination in all walks of life, sexual abuse, and unequal opportunities were just a few of those. When Joe was born, he experienced the presence of Jesus Christ, and He told Joe something that guided him throughout his life. The book beautifully showcases all the times in Joe's life when he experienced a lesson in mercy. The times when he gave in to his temper and did something horrible; or when he was away from his family, and his wife, Dot, struggled to raise their three children; or when he lost someone very dear to him. All these life experiences made him better and stronger as a human and made him the person many respected and loved.

There were many things I liked in this book. Especially one quote by Mary Hill, "If there’s a lesson in the loss you ain’t lost nothing," was very moving. Another touching moment in the story is when Joe's son, Joey, gets suspended from college because of his role in the protests against racial discrimination. Joe is furious with his son, but Joey wins my heart when he says, "All I want, Dad, is to make you proud to say that I am your son." At that moment, I could relate so much with Joey, and so will many other readers who have always looked forward to the approval of their parents.

Something I could not quite fathom in the story was why Joe committed a particularly horrible crime. I know that no reason can justify what he had done, but regardless, that part of the story felt a little incomplete. Other than that, I did not find anything wrong with the book. I encountered a few errors, but they did not impact my overall impression of the book.

I commend the author who brought together this beautiful book with the help of Joe's family and friends. I laughed, shed a few tears, rejoiced, and felt plenty of other emotions while reading this book. Considering all the positives and negatives, I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I deducted one star because that missing link bothered me throughout the book.

This journey of Joe presents his father's actions, and also the actions of Joe, as a father, from the beginning to the end. I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction based on a real-life story. As this contains a significant number of racial slurs, even though not meant as an insult to any character, it would be inappropriate for a younger audience.

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Lessons in Mercy
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[luhhsxmik]

Lessons in Mercy is a historical fiction book written by Edwina Wright Davis, inspired by the real-life story of Joseph "Joe" Daniel Herring. The novel explores Joe's life from his birth to his death and the tragic events that shaped his journey. Joe was the seventh surviving child of the Herring family and was sent away by his father to live with his cousin Sallie Carroll, which raised questions about his value in the family. This feeling of rejection and guilt stays with him throughout his life.

The novel highlights the different issues faced by African Americans in the early 1900s, including human trafficking, racial discrimination, sexual abuse, and unequal opportunities. Despite all the difficulties, Joe received guidance from Jesus Christ at a young age, and this guidance helped him through life. The book explores the lessons in mercy that Joe learns through the challenging experiences he encounters, making him a better and stronger human being.

The book has many positive aspects, including the quote "If there’s a lesson in the loss you ain’t lost nothing" by Mary Hill, which is very moving. There are also touching moments, such as when Joe's son Joey gets suspended from college due to his involvement in protests against racial discrimination. Joey's desire to make his father proud resonates with many readers who seek their parents' approval. However, there is one aspect of the story that feels incomplete: Joe's commission of a terrible crime. While there may be no justification for what he did, the book doesn't fully explore why he did it.

Despite this, the book is beautifully written, and the author has done a commendable job of bringing Joe's story to life with the help of his family and friends. The book elicits a range of emotions in the reader, from laughter to tears, and is a compelling read. While there are a few errors, they don't detract from the overall impact of the book.

Overall, Lessons in Mercy is an excellent historical fiction book that sheds light on the struggles of African Americans in the early 1900s. The book is not suitable for younger readers due to the significant number of racial slurs used. However, for anyone who loves historical fiction based on real-life stories, this book is a must-read. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars, with one star deducted for the incomplete exploration of Joe's crime.

[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

It looks like the story is complex. But I'd like to know how African American in the 1900s were treated, especially the experience of Joe and his son, Joey. Wow, an official excellently written review, Nisha!

[Md Hasan noren]

i really liked this book..
it was a amazing story....

[MsH2k]

This story sounds moving and profound. It is such a burden for a child to carry the question Joe had about his possibly being a burden to his family. I hope he finds peace by the end of his life. Thank you for your vivid and engaging review, Nisha.

[Blackstenius]

Getting the impression that you are a burden to your parents (or loved ones) is not an easy feeling; it weighs down an individual. I hope this changed for Joe along the way. The book has some great encouraging and comforting quotes. I like the aspect of the book about Joe learning lessons in mercy through various life experiences and occurrences. It would be great to learn some history lessons and find out what Joe's horrible crime was. Your review was delightful to read.

[Nisha DSouza]

It looks like the story is complex. But I'd like to know how African American in the 1900s were treated, especially the experience of Joe and his son, Joey. Wow, an official excellently written review, Nisha!

It isn't very complex and I think you will like it too. Thank you so much, Hazel.

[Nisha DSouza]

This story sounds moving and profound. It is such a burden for a child to carry the question Joe had about his possibly being a burden to his family. I hope he finds peace by the end of his life. Thank you for your vivid and engaging review, Nisha.

Thank you so much for your support and kind words, Donna.

[Nisha DSouza]

Getting the impression that you are a burden to your parents (or loved ones) is not an easy feeling; it weighs down an individual. I hope this changed for Joe along the way. The book has some great encouraging and comforting quotes. I like the aspect of the book about Joe learning lessons in mercy through various life experiences and occurrences. It would be great to learn some history lessons and find out what Joe's horrible crime was. Your review was delightful to read.

It sure was a difficult burden for Joe to carry. You will have to read the book to know more about his journey.

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and for sharing your thoughts.

[Catalina Isabel]

This seems like an intriguing story about some difficul topics. I love both quotes that you've chosen to highlight, and relate to both. I hope that what Joe did was not too horrible, and if it was, I hope he repented. Thanks so much for a detailed review!

[Nisha DSouza]

This seems like an intriguing story about some difficul topics. I love both quotes that you've chosen to highlight, and relate to both. I hope that what Joe did was not too horrible, and if it was, I hope he repented. Thanks so much for a detailed review!

You will have to read the book to know more. Thank you for sharing your kind words, Catalina.

[Omneya Shakeep]

This seems like an intriguing story. I saw a few movies that described this era and the struggle the coloured people faced through slavery and racial discrimination. I'm curious to find out what Joe did, which you described as a horrible crime, and the reason for it if he was such a loving person as the book describes. Thanks for this well-written review. I enjoyed reading it very much.

[Oluchi Samuel]

Joe seems like someone that has been dealt a hard card by life. From reading your review, I can see that he has gone through a lot. Great review.

[Nisha DSouza]

This seems like an intriguing story. I saw a few movies that described this era and the struggle the coloured people faced through slavery and racial discrimination. I'm curious to find out what Joe did, which you described as a horrible crime, and the reason for it if he was such a loving person as the book describes. Thanks for this well-written review. I enjoyed reading it very much.

Not knowing the reason is what bothered me. In spite of that, it was a beautiful book to read.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, Omneya.

[Nisha DSouza]

Joe seems like someone that has been dealt a hard card by life. From reading your review, I can see that he has gone through a lot. Great review.

Yes, he has.

Thank you for your kind comments, Oluchi.