Mother of Pearl

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Summary: Story refutes Darwn - and doesn't help Creationists, either
Review: Nothing I like better than a complicated story with complex characters that demonstrate some kind of evolution. This was decidedly not one of those stories. Mother of Pearl began with a certain promise. Then suddenly, all of the characters started sounding alike, behaving alike, thinking alike and the story melted into a forced and painfully strained ending. In short, the entire novel DEVOLVED. There was no epiphany, no great moral lesson, not a jot of wisdom. Most of the characters ended up thinking with their genitals rather than their brains. Even Joody Two Sun, who seemed to have the most promise, fades to mediocrity. A very bad soap opera of a novel.

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Summary: Caught up in Val's search for family and Canaans's Reality
Review: I found myself caught up with two different storylines in this book. The story is set in Petal, Mississippi in the 1950's, with Valuable Korner searching for love and family. Her mother is the town prostitute, she does not know who her father is, and she has to deal with this baggage of her family. This storyline does take many turns and Valuable finds family in a normally unlikely place. Canaan is an older black gentleman who has written a thesis "The Reality of the Negro." One does not find out about this reality until towards the end of the book when he goes to the library where he works during daytime hours. Canaan, a night janitor at the library, is a self-educated man. He goes to the library to read and quickly finds that he is unwelcome. This chapter of the book brings "The Reality of the Negro" to life for the reader. I was very much caught up in this storyline.

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Summary: Truthful, Difficult, Funny, A mirror of life
Review: Although I found this book to be extremely complicated at times, I got so much out of it. I was so amazed at the insight that Haynes could have into cultures that are outside of her own. As a reader, I felt so tied in with her characters. I understood where their thoughts came from because of the tediousness of the description. I laughed more than once out loud. This book dealt with issues of racism, homosexuality, coming of age, and the loss of innocence. Although, I don't walk away with THE POINT of the book, many lessons were learned in the details. Careful reading of this book is a must, and read it with others if possible.

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Summary: This book was very moving and awe inspiring.
Review: Milinda Haynes was able to capture the feelings of a lot of people in a short length of time. She has been able in just 448 pages to prove that there are white folk in Mississippi and Alabama who understand how others feel and react be they black or white. For Milinda to go inside herself and pull out those feeling and allow Valubale to die and Jackson not be able to see her one more time or ever to know that a part of her stills lives had to come from a great sorrow in her own life. For her to understand that it is a tragedy for the body not to be able to go where the heart lives is great insight. Also that black or white we all feel the same on the inside proven by the love between Even,Val,Joody and that baby. I began reading as soon as the mailman came one morning, read until 3A.M. slept for 3 hours and then finished it. I have just read it for the second time and enjoyed it as much as the first time. As for the pig she told us to start with that dreaming of a pig ment a storm was coming or a change was on the way. Boy! did it storm not only weather but, lives. Dream books also tell us rocks or stones stand for great emotional times ahead.Thank you for this book Milinda

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Summary: TRULY LOVED THIS BOOK
Review: The ebb and flow, the music, the rhythm, the taste, the smell, and author Melinda Haynes cast of characters captivated me from page one and didn't let up. Not since reading Ellen Foster, The Bingo Queens of Paradise, and Bastard Out of Carolina, have I enjoyed a book so much. Keep these stories coming Melinda Haynes.

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Summary: Human diversity woven into a mesmerizing story
Review: I found this book to be wonderful and captivating. Although it is not a particularly easy or short read because of the author's attention to detail and the many different characters created, it captured my mind and made me THINK about the story and characters long after I set the book aside! Each chapter brings something new to provoke thoughts and emotions. Many different issues (racial, social,family, gender, sexual, religious) are raised and woven into a story full of beauty and dignity. I found this to be a wonderful tool in gaining perspective into human diversity. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to learn about human destiny and struggle.

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Summary: A Great Book, Somewhat Flawed
Review: I think what makes this book so interesting is the author's acute attention to the inner feelings these characters experience. Sometimes preachy, always commanding, the novel starts off as a confusing enigma and tries its best to unravel itself for the reader. Unfortunately, that only happens sometimes, and in the middleof the book, leaving the beginning and the end on oppositesides of the crossroads. This is a good book, a VERY good book and worthy of all the attention it is recieving. Mrs. Haynes has madea grand effort to glue such complex and various storylines together, but in the end her language gets in the way. This book is far too clunky and leaden to thoroughly entertain; in the end the meaning is there, but difficult to grab from all the pretentious monologue. Perhaps I'll feeldifferent after a second reading. Somewhat highly reccomended.

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Summary: Some of the most poignant and funniest lines ever written
Review: This is the type of book I usually avoid at any cost... the South...uncomfortable times of the 1950's... good people and hard times. However, I am so glad I read this book. It was quite a surprise. I often had to look at the picture of the author to make sure it was really a youngish white woman who had written this masterpiece. The book had great characters, a well thought out and tied together story and a certain authentic "feel" to it. The book was very respectful of the reader. The author patiently painted a vision in my mind that when fully realized made me laugh out loud. I would recommend to everyone to read!!

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Summary: Basically boring and hard to follow.
Review: I have read most of the "Oprah" books and I must say, "What was she thinking?" when she added this one. This book has no continuity, is difficult to follow, has little-to-no character development and is, essentially, boring and uninspiring. What an incredible waste of time!

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Summary: Don't waste your time...
Review: Don't waste your time. The story is slow in starting and riddled with trite character names and a wandering story line. It starts to go interesting places then turns around and heads in another direction. The author should thank Oprah. It's the only way anyone would ever bother to read it.