Rating:  Summary: Classic Revenge Review: When you look at this book you may gawk at the length but as you read you will forget about the size and be mesmerized by the story. What You Owe Me is the story of Hosanna Clark and Gilda Rosenstein. One black, one Jewish, both determined to become successful businesswomen at the end of World War II. Hosanna has the desire while Gilda has the formulas to form a cosmetic company.Fast forward to Matriece "Triesey" Carter, she is the daughter of Hosanna. Matriece makes it her personal mission to avenge what she believes is Gilda's betrayal of her mother. This is done at the expense of her relationships with others. There are many other characters with their own stories. Campbell weaves this tale so that everything and everyone's story has closure and just maybe a little too "happily ever after". You have Vonette, Matriece's sister, and her Mexican brood who was not interested in Hosanna's dreams. Uncle Tuney, Hosanna's brother, and his decades-long litigation against a Texas magnate to regain his family's land. Blair, Matriece's friend from the old neighborhood who "made it". Mooney, Hosanna's financial "backer". The Montgomery family, a rhythm and blues star, Gilda's children and a host of other characters. There is more to say about the characters and their stories but to do that would give the story away and this is must read from a fabulous author. I enjoyed how the book opened and ended with the voice of Hosanna. She boldly claims "closure is what I'm seeking. Death ain't nothing but another opportunity." What You Owe Me should appeal to all because demonstrated are relationships across racial and economic lines and also some classism within a class. Campbell demonstrates that money can not buy happiness and love but love of family, despite material wealth, can bring so much joy. This is an excellent selection for any reading group, as it would provide a lively and lengthy discussion. This is a moving account of betrayal, love and healing.
Rating:  Summary: A gifted storyteller indeed... Review: Yes, the book had an interesting storyline, however, it could have been told in about 250-300 pages. There was NO need for the book to be as long as it was. Sometimes, when you have too many details, you lose your audience and your audience forgets what your point was in the first place. I mean, did I really need to visualize exactly how Vonette's house was decorated? Not really. That information was not relevant. There were constant examples of too many details that I actually started skimming my way through until I got to something relevant. I even read another book while trying to finish this book. The ONLY reason I finished this book is because my job is very slow during the summer months so I had a lot of free time. If you have lots of free time with nothing to do, by all means, read this book. If you're looking for a quick read that holds your interest, keep looking.
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