The tensions that arise between two peoples, especially the ones felt by Chinese Americans, form a throughline in Gish Jen's brilliant new collection.
(Image credit: Knopf)
unCovered review by Arlene Canale, ACLS Absecon Branch
I just finished The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. This a compelling novel about a community’s past sins and how they affects two women a generation apart. It has mystery, romance, and tragedy. It also touches on the civil rights movement that was going on all over the United States in the 1960’s. It definitely shows how prevalent prejudice was during the 1960’s, especially in the South.
This author is amazing at weaving two stories together of two women dealing with the dark history of the land, which each call home, and the mystery surrounding the neighborhood. This is where Ellie grew up, and Kayla, years later, built her dream home with her architect husband who died in a freak accident during the construction.
The Civil Rights movement plays an important part in Ellie’s life as she joins a student group to help register Black voters. She faces danger from the KKK and also becomes attracted to a young Black civil rights activist. Meanwhile, Kayla moves into her dream home and a series of unsettling incidents occur that link the 2 women together.
This book will make you cry, rage, and it is completely relevant during these times. This is probably one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
Bustle editor Rachel Krantz's memoir is a sincere and curious reckoning with the cultural messaging we all receive about gendered expectations and power dynamics in romantic and sexual relationships.
(Image credit: Harmony)
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