Review: Mama's Child - Joan Steinau Lester

REVIEW

Mama's Child was an enthralling read from beginning to end. You're immediately pulled into each of the character's lives and are able to visualize and feel their day to day struggles. This was one of those stories that transcends race. It's about a bi-racial family and the hardships involved in trying to survive and raise children in an era where it's frowned upon, even dangerous. The author did a fantastic job of making these issues believable and accurate. I imagine that a lot of families are faced with similar situations regardless of color during these times. Divorce, teenage rebellion, feminism, anxiety, identity crisis, the list goes on and on. Race, in my opinion, has no bearing on these outcomes and are a part of living and learning.

Lizzie's character was just okay for me. She started off very sure of herself in the beginning, wanting to make a difference and change a broken society and then kind of backtracked and became wishy-washy. I didn't quite get the reasoning behind this. I think it was because of her relationship became more about the politics of being together than love.

Ruby just rubbed me the wrong way most of the time. I get that she didn't agree with some of the decisions her mother made, but she just came across as a petulant child in my eyes. I feel she was wrong for completely cutting her mother out of her life, and this made me want to reach in the book and slap the therapist who recommended it!! Who does that??

Overall, this was a very well written story, and I enjoyed every minute of it!! I most definitely recommend as a must read!

5 Stars

Billie Jo