Rating: 
Summary: Lyrical and Poignant Tale by a Gifted Writer
Review: ahsa bandele, staff writer and editor for Essence Magazine, continues her poetic, lyrical and sometimes convoluted language featured in her bestselling memoir, The Prisoner's Wife, in her fiction debut, daughter. This book explores the social issues of racism, the ravages of war veterans, and police brutality as well as the dynamics in relationships of men and women and most especially mother and daughters.Mothers often raise their daughters with a set of "rules" to follow, expecting them to accept and embrace those rules without ever fully explaining the whys of such. Each generation of women hope and pray that by giving these rules their girl child will have an easier time with navigating the high seas of love, life and economic stability. The book opens with Miriam Rivers sitting at the bedside of her daughter, Aya, in a dank hospital room in New York. Aya, a nineteen year old college student has been shot by a policeman while jogging, apparently the victim of mistaken identity. Miriam has always tried to do right by her daughter. She saw that Aya was well cared but withheld the affection and attention her daughter craved. She never talked to Aya about the father she never knew or why they were all alone in the world. Miriam was raised by parents who raised her to stand apart from her community and schoolmates, reminding her of the privileges she had and the legacy she was to carry. Smothered by her mother's rules by which to live, Miriam rushes into the arms of Bird at age sixteen. At the young age of nineteen Bird is a Vietnamese veteran. But it is the 1960s and he is besieged by racism in finding suitable employment and the constant harassment of policemen. Bird finds solace in Miriam's love but his anger is so overwhelming in the face of the trials and tribulations he encounters daily, he slowly pushes her away. Tragedy leaves Miriam alone with baby Aya to raise by herself. Written with conviction and candor, this novel is a testament to those men who have strived to love and protect their families while fighting racial and economic oppression, to those women who have loved men to the point of not loving themselves enough, to the mothers who have raised children to only have them taken away in a moment of violence, to the mothers who have dispensed "rules" to their daughters because it was the right thing to do and for those daughters who have felt smothered and tempted to dispute those rules. bandele deftly weaves in and out of time spans with ease, her use of metaphors and similes paint vivid pictures. I had the pleasure of hearing bandele read the last chapter of this book at her signing here in Oakland. It was poetry in motion, alive, vibrant, and stirring. It will cause women everywhere to become lovers of themselves, in the words of Sonia Sanchez, "I shall be a collector of me." daughter is highly recommended though it is not for the faint of heart. Dera Williams
APOOO BookClub
Rating: 
Summary: Pages Readers Group Reveiws "Daughter"
Review: Daughter by Ashe Bandale proved to be a thought provoking book that had Pages Readers group in much discussion. While some readers found the book engaging and well written, others felt that that the poetic writing style of Ms.Bandale slowed down the flow of the book and left too much to the imagination. However the Pages members did agree that the portrayal of mother-daughter relationships and police brutality in the African-American community evoked much feeling and emotions from the reader. In the end, the Pages group decided that while the author could have better developed the main character's own daughter, the book was worthy of rating of "4."
Rating:
Summary: Glorious. Literary poetry
Review: I have been waiting on this book from asha bandele. I loved Prisoner's Wife and she didn't let me down with "Daughter" This book is like literary poetry. The story of a mother and a daughter, grieving and LOVE...will leave it at that so as not to give it all away. But, I will say that "Daughter" is for people who appreciate not only a gripping and moving story, but also long for stories told with beauty, vivid imagery, poetic language and resonance. Like in Ms. bandele's other book, "The Prisoner's Wife", she has the ability to not only tell the story but fill you up with the emotion of characters. Feel what they feel and really take the reader into the world of the characters. So many books today by other contemporary writers are shallow and empty but after I finished reading I thought, "Ok, this is a real writer with things on her mind worth reading" The kind of writer that only comes around every once in a great while. bandele is truly gifted with the the use of language and storytelling. Glorious.
Rating:
Summary: Glorious. Literary poetry
Review: I have been waiting on this book from asha bandele. I loved Prisoner's Wife and she didn't let me down with "Daughter" This book is like literary poetry. The story of a mother and a daughter, grieving and LOVE...will leave it at that so as not to give it all away. But, I will say that "Daughter" is for people who appreciate not only a gripping and moving story, but also long for stories told with beauty, vivid imagery, poetic language and resonance. Like in Ms. bandele's other book, "The Prisoner's Wife", she has the ability to not only tell the story but fill you up with the emotion of characters. Feel what they feel and really take the reader into the world of the characters. So many books today by other contemporary writers are shallow and empty but after I finished reading I thought, "Ok, this is a real writer with things on her mind worth reading" The kind of writer that only comes around every once in a great while. bandele is truly gifted with the the use of language and storytelling. Glorious.
Rating:
Summary: amazing
Review: I haven't read a book like this in a LONG time. I cried like haven't cried before. Here is an author who has the gift. This book captured my relationship with myself and my mother. I have found my favorite author, who I dare say is better than Toni morrison. You will NOt be disappointed in reading this book. Hopefully in the future this book will be required reading in college.
Rating:
Summary: Letting go...
Review: I picked up her first Novel, "Prisoner's Wife," because I noticed an African-American woman wrote the book. I read the book and simply fell in love with Ms. Bandele's writing style: her willingness to "bare her soul" and share her true emotions. I awaited her second novel with anticipation. Again, Asha, explores emotion with candor.
In her second novel, Asha, allows the reader to peek into the dynamics of yet another type of relationship. In "Prisoner's Wife," the author shares the difficulty of loving an incarcerated man. In "Daughter" she examines the relationship between a mother and daughter. Mother and daughter, Miriam and Aya have a strained relationship. On one hand, Miriam tries to protect her daughter by refusing to discuss Aya's father to her, but on the other, by not discussing the love of her life, Miriam in effect withdrawals from Aya. Consequently, Aya feels as though she has grown up without both father and mother. Aya made some bad choices when she was younger. So, she is trying to make-up for those mistakes and is not living for self but trying to appease Miriam.
A tragedy strikes which will have far-reaching effects for both Miriam and Aya. Will either, Aya or Miriam find peace? Will they mend their relationship? Can love really overcome and heal old wounds?
There were some plot twists that bordered on unrealistic and at times, I got lost in the characters' reflections, hence my rating. Nevertheless, if you are a fan of Ms. Bandele, then "Daughter" will not be a disappointment.
Leanna
R.E.A.L. Reviewers
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent
Review: I rarely write Amazon reviews but I had to for this book. It is the most exquisite, poignant, lyrical, poetic, heart-wrenching, change-inspiring book I have read in years. It captures the essence of the heart and soul of black women today, generations past and for generations to come. It celebrates oursisterhood and our love for one another in friendship; it shares the agony we feel and may experience when trying to love our men; it depicts the struggle most black women go through with respect to trying to please our mothers and our families; and it shares the anguish that can accompany being the mother or grandmother of a black child. This book is political and romantic, angry and loving, spiritual and yet critical of the way we sometimes use institutionalized religion to cope with pain and heartache in a way that literally kill our spirits. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially to black women, as it will be a book and reading experience with which you are sure to relate and will undoubtedly treasure.
Rating:
Summary: Powerfully Emotional
Review: I read this book in two days - squeezing time in everywhere between my two jobs and night classes. My feelings while reading this book ranged from love, sadness, anger, compassion, empathy, power and strength. I learned about a struggle that I have not had any first-hand experience with and a got a new understanding on my struggle with my own mother. Please read this book and share it with the other women in your life.
Rating:
Summary: Inspired to Continue Writing
Review: It took me re-reading the opening paragraph of Asha Bandele's first book to hook me! After the first page she had me as a life long reader. I love her work. As an aspiring writer I am inspired by the lyrical, amazing and beautiful way she paints the pictures found in her books. I am finishing Daughter and I cannot put it down. These characters are so alive that I cannot stop thinking about them. That's the magic in fiction that is rare. It is something I yearn for. Congratulations Asha Bandele. This novel is a wonderful treasure that will be around for a long time to come!!!!
Rating:
Summary: TOUCHING
Review: Its been a long time since I read a book that touched me the way Daughter has. After reading The Prisoners Wife I was looking forward to reading asha bandele's next book. One Sunday while attending the 5th Ave Book Fair in NYC I had the pleasure of meeting asha and her daughter. I was fortunate to have her autograph my copy of Daughter. I couldn't wait to start reading and once I started I wasn't dissapointed.
I was swept up in the story of Miriam and Aya. As a mother with 2 daughters I understand the delicate balance of the mother/daughter relationship.
asha bandele is as very talented writer and I look forward to reading more from her.
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