Official Review: The Road From Money by Sylvester Boyd Jr.

[KLafser]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Road From Money" by Sylvester Boyd Jr..]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Road from Money: A Journey to Find Why? by Sylvester Boyd Jr. is a well-written introduction to a trilogy that portrays the author’s Aunt Estella and her lifelong encounters with racism. This book opens with Estella as a young girl who is part of a black family in the American South – Money, Mississippi to be exact. The first part of the book reads like a series of vignettes: simple encounters that represent the foundational experiences of a child and set the stage for understanding the perspective and responses from Estella explores later in the book. There are, of course, pervasive instances of racism and violence in the name of racism but there are also joyful descriptions of going to church, aspiring to attend school, and being part of an amazing community that supported each other. Sadly, the happier events were often a set up to discuss the atrocities that were imposed on the black sharecropper families.

I enjoyed this book very much because, while it is a work of fiction, it shares the experiences of real people and rings true to the times without holding the attitudes of the time up to the more tolerant standards of the modern world. It stays true to the historical perspective and shares the events of the day. I suspect many of the episodes in the book are expanded versions of stories passed down from various family members. I can almost hear Estella’s Uncle Leamon saying, “Let me tell you why our family came north…”.

It also wasn’t lost on me that the “why” was coming from a child. For example, Estella watched her grandfather give up his place in line at the store for several people simply because they were white. I imagine that as we move into the second and third books, these experiences and stories will likely be the root of what spurs the adult Estella, and family, to act for change.

The one thing I didn’t care for in this book was the ending. I recognize that it is a part of a trilogy and, as such, doesn’t – and shouldn’t - tell the whole story, however, the ending is akin to stopping mid-sentence with a ‘tune in tomorrow and see what happens next’. It wasn’t that it was the wrong place to end the first book, it was just too abrupt for my liking. Meanwhile, I’ll be back for the rest of the story.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because it definitely held my attention with its familiar yet well-written approach, but I did find the ending to be off-putting. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a historical perspective and don’t mind the topic of racism. Racism is a key theme through the book as it is the basis for the subtitle A Journey to Find Why? however, it is handled as something that was experienced and is representative of a different time. That said, it's never easy to read about inequality and discrimination, graphic or not, and although it’s important to learn from our mistakes, it may not be a topic for some readers.

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The Road From Money
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[ereason]

I enjoyed this review. I see that the second book ("the journey continues") is already published so hopefully the trilogy will be completed soon. Like you, I don't like endings that leave one hanging, so I will wait until I can read all three books. It is a definite addition to the "to be read" list, though. Many thanks.

[Cecilia_L]

This sounds like a very relevant story and I like the author's writing style as you described it. Excellent review--thanks for the recommendation!

[Anon_Reviewer]

Stories about racism usually leave me feeling some type of way because I can be quite sensitive at times. I'll keep my eye on the book nonetheless. I might decide to read it eventually. Thanks for the review.

[crediblereading2]

There seems to be a balance of positives and negatives happening in this book. There is racism and abuses but there is also attending church and school. Thank you for a superb review.

[Ruba Abu Ali]

This book tackles important issues, such as racism and inequality in an eloquent manner. Thanks for your enlightening review.

[kfwilson6]

I think the violence as a result of racism would be too off-putting for me. I can definitely understand the author's desire to write this book, and hope that it can provide some insights and help build compassion in readers. Great review.

[Allyseria]

Thank you for the review. This sounds like an interesting read. I've always been interested in the topic of racism so I think I would like this book. It's too bad that the ending was abrupt.

[Julius_]

I would like to have a look at the author's perspective of racism. I don't find the topic very offensive. Thanks for the review.