This Side of the Sky by Elyse Singleton
By Yasmin Coleman • Feb 7th, 2010 • Category: Book Review 2002 •
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FROM THE 2002 Archives
Sometimes a first novel is a homerun; this is the case with This Side of the Sky by Elyse Singleton. Beautifully written and creatively crafted by a fresh new voice in fiction, Singleton’s debut novel is vividly detailed and movingly awesome. This Side of the Sky is a unique story as Singleton shares with us a time in history that is seldom written about and often overlooked.
Singleton introduces us to lifelong friends and two great African American heroines, Lillian Mayfield and Myraleen Chadham. Mayfield and Chadham’s friendship is one that would begin in the early 1900s and span into the new millennium as they charter life through unknown territory. They would survive the harsh realities of segregation, racism, broken romances and economic hardships as they search for their rightful places in rural Mississippi, Philadelphia, PA, an army base in England, and postwar Paris.
This Side of the Sky portrays life for African American women during a time where we are mostly forgotten and rarely (if ever) mentioned. It was engrossing and compelling to read about two African American women who were WACs during WWII and the problems they faced as a result of gender as well as race. Singleton writes with vivid imagery and fluid dialogue and makes the reader feel as though they are there in history experiencing events along with our heroines Lillian and Myraleen.
Historical fiction fans (and those who are not), folks interested in reading about women of color during WWII and those who enjoy a good romance will enjoy This Side of the Sky. Elyse Singleton is an excellent storyteller and I highly recommend her novel to those who like literary reads with a universal appeal, timeless subject matter and stories that entertain as well as enlighten. I look forward to reading future works from this gifted and talented author.
Yasmin
APOOO BookClub
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Yasmin Coleman is a literary publicist and promoter, book reviewer and founder of APOOO Books and BookClub. In 2000, she founded APOOO, www.apooobooks.com, an online author and reader community dedicated to advancing African-American literature.
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