The Darkest Child
By Delores Phillips & Tayari Jones
- Release Date: 2004-01-01
- Genre: Black Literature
Description
A new edition of this award-winning modern classic, with an introduction by Tayari Jones (An American Marriage), an excerpt from the never before seen follow-up, and discussion guide.
Pakersfield, Georgia, 1958: Thirteen-year-old Tangy Mae Quinn is the sixth of ten fatherless siblings. She is the darkest-skinned among them and therefore the ugliest in her mother, Rozelle’s, estimation, but she’s also the brightest. Rozelle—beautiful, charismatic, and light-skinned—exercises a violent hold over her children. Fearing abandonment, she pulls them from school at the age of twelve and sends them to earn their keep for the household, whether in domestic service, in the fields, or at “the farmhouse” on the edge of town, where Rozelle beds local men for money.
But Tangy Mae has been selected to be part of the first integrated class at a nearby white high school. She has a chance to change her life, but can she break from Rozelle’s grasp without ruinous—even fatal—consequences?
Reviews
Great read
5By Quennaboo22Some books are hard to read but I enjoyed this book.Sometime Reader
4By Lady on the moveThis story was a page turner for me. The ending was unexpected for me. It left me wanting more. I will definitely try more books from this author.Long and sad
3By apauldolong and sad. I’m mad I read the whole thing now.Excellent writing!
5By APIECEOFMINTThis was wonderfully written, and with such intensity, unable to put it down. AMAZING!Betrayal
5By dani4403This book is a gripping tale of a troubled family, of loss, betrayal and endurance.Great book
5By sheema2233What a great book! We need a part two!Amazing
5By AlalalalsoslsajbsThis book was one of the best books I’ve ever read.A ten star book!
5By hisheartbeat85This was a really great book. Bahni Turpin did a good job narrating this story.Grammar 101
1By Audit queenThe grammar and punctuation in this book was terrible. The editor should be ashamed. The suffering the children experienced at the hands of their mother was too much for me. I could not finish the book and would not recommend it.Must read!
5By DDJ026This story is so encapsulating, it sticks with you for years. Tho it’s fiction it feels truthful bc you know these types of things happen.