Rating: 
Summary: An entertaining read from beginning to end.
Review: Caucasia by Danzy Senna was a gorgeous novel that was immensely enjoyable. Surprisingly funny at times, it was novel richly focused on the the difficulties of racial divides and the intricasies of growing up. The story itself begins with what appears to be your typical Nuclear family, Mother, Father and two complacent daughters until you delve a little deeper and hit a nerve. Birdie Lee, the central character and narrator is the product of a black Father and white Mother who herself appears "white" while on the other hand her older sister Cole is dark. The complexities that arise out of this situation and also the fixation the parents Deck and Sandy have on racial divides force the family to split, Deck and Cole one way, Sandy and Birdie the other. Assuming false identities the Mother and daughter team vanish incognito for years while Birdie clings to the hope of there one day being a happy family reunion. When this fails to happen, Birdie in desperation sets off in search of her beloved sister. I loved Danzy Senna's depictions of African-American Soul music, "nappy" hair, Birdie and Cole's childish "Elemeno" language and the box of "Negrobilia". A richly detailed story that is a real page turner.
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking
Review: I bought this book because I went to high school with the author and wanted to see what other members of my class were doing. Wow! If only we could all be so talented! My memories of Boston in the '70s were brought alive, and although race is one of the central issues in the book I felt a great connection with the characters reaching far beyond race. The struggles we all have with parents, children, lovers, are brought forward and examined with care and sensitivity. Thank you for such a wonderful story.
Rating: 
Summary: Um, Um, Um.
Review: One word describes Senna's writing. Whooooo!!!! The prose just draws you in and the story itself is so compeling and real. I could not believe the ending, though. It seemed as if it were rushed to resolution. Senna could have added another chapter before the end.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning & sensitive debut novel with universal appeal
Review: I decided to add my voice to the reviews for this most impressive first novel to voice the opinion that CAUCASIA has appeal universally - not just in the borders of the U.S. Though race relations are not such big issues in Australia, Senna's wider themes of the search for personal identity are handled with a writing style which is both confidant and evocative. Her unfolding story of a young girl's search for her place in both family and the wider community as she matures will appeal to all those who enjoyed James McBride's THE COLOR OF WATER - a book with similar biracial and personal identity themes. Danzy Senna is an exciting new literary talent and I can't wait to read her future offerings. CAUCASIA is, in my books, one of the best of the year.
Rating:
Summary: FASCINATING! ONE OF the BEST books I've read!!!
Review: All I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed the book!!! Danzy Senna's writing is exquisite and sensuous! She accomplishes what all great novelists should aspire to. A well-crafted plot with believable characters. I felt for every single one of her characters, especially Birdie Lee...If you buy any book this year, believe me! This is the book to purchase!!!
Rating:
Summary: Good job, Danzy!
Review: At last, an American author with the courage to tackle America's obsession with race. Her even-handed treatment of the paranoia and casual, barely concealed hostility with which we regard one another is stunning. Strong, real characters in an era of civil upheaval rang true and kept me reading, non-stop, to the end.
Rating:
Summary: Senna Astounds
Review: With "Caucasia" Danzy Senna has continued in the tradition of the best writers of the twentieth century, particularly Richard Wright and Ernest Hemingway. I found Birdy's world to be engrossing and absolutely believable. "Caucasia" was also searingly honest and refreshing (mainly because the story was told by someone who has an inkling of what it is like to live on both sides of America's racial divide) examination of race and racial constructs. However, I do feel that her examination of race was, given her subject, understandably limited and a little simplistic. Of course the idea of race itself, especially as it is defined in American society is laughable, as Birdy's father astutely notes towards the end of the book, but I would have liked to see a more nuanced examination of white and black attitudes towards race. Of course the level of intellectual sophistication I am seeking was may not have been something Ms. Senna was seeking when she was developing Birdy's character. Perhaps she will examine these issues more fully in another novel. I would have also liked to see more fleshed out male characters (I know that I may have opened up a hornet's nest by saying that, but. . .). I felt that, compared to the females in the book , they were paper thin archetypes: the bitter black intellectual, the cowardly bleeding heart liberal, etc. They needed more depth. I also think that Ms. Senna missed an opportunity with Birdy's father. His development and intellectual evolution is as fascinating as that of Birdy's mother. In all, an excellent first outing. Because of the sheer power of the novel, I found it difficult to read at times. But, I crave challenge and Ms. Senna provided me with a rewarding one. She obviously put a lot of herself into this work and I commend her for it. Bravo!!
Rating:
Summary: A clear and true voice
Review: As a newly adoptive mother of a bi-racial child (African American and White) who too could "pass for white" (fair skin and blond hair), I found that this book helped me to see and feel the issues that my daughter may face in a way that cannot be conveyed in parenting or self-help books. As a bi-racial woman myself (Asian American and African American), I know so clearly how the internal cultural tug-of-war can feel - Danzy Senna captures it well. If that weren't enough, the time period was captured with sweet and exquisite detail...from the Afro picks to memorizing episodes of "Good Times" to Sergio Valente(!) jeans.
Rating: 
Summary: Senna
Review: Senna's book shows that she still knows too little about "race." She makes assumptions that all whites are "pure" and that Latinos are a separate "race." The main character never learns that, whether she is "mistaken" for a Hispanic, a Jew or whatever, it is only one "mixed race" person being "mistaken" for another. It is also ridiculous for Senna to say that the main character only "looks white." Is her white ancestry too good for her? "White" is also multiracial.
Rating:
Summary: A STUNNING AND EYE OPENING DEBUT
Review: I picked up Caucasia after hearing a real buzz about the book. From the first page to the last I was totally immersed into the story told. With unflinching honestly the story unfolds and questions I had had about children of mixed marriages were answered one by one. More than a story of mix heritage, Caucasia is a peeling away of the layers of what defines us, pushing us beyond the color lines and into the heart in which we all dwells. It was a excellent read, a journey worth sharing and I look forward to more stories from this dynamic first time author.
|
