Customer Reviews

Cry Me A River

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I felt every emotion as I sat on the edge the whole time reading CRY ME A RIVER. The characters were so believable. Tyrone's quest to save his son was heart-wrenching. This is the first book I've read by Ernest Hill, but after reading this one, I am in search of other books by this very talented writer.

Cry Me A River by Ernest Hill was a powerful story of determination and redemption. Tyrone Stokes, recently released from prison and on parole, learns that his son Marcus has been convicted of murder and he will be executed in 8 days. Although Tyrone doesn't even know where to begin and although he is very limited in what he can do, he is determined to prove that his son was falsely accused and save him from death.

This story was just absolutely amazing and I cannot remember the last time I was afraid to get to the end of a book. This wasn't really a book of "suspense" but it was suspenseful since you didn't know how it was going to end.

This is my first but definitely not last book by Ernest Hill.

Mr. Hill yields an adept pen in writing Cry Me A River, a breathtaking novel. It is a maelstrom of excellent literary writing. The author has the ability to create such believable characters and the foresight to weave a story that integrates love, redemption and forgiveness. This novel is an epicenter of creative thinking and writing. Kudos, Mr. Hill.

We are all too familiar with crime, absentee fathers, inadequate representation in the justice system, etc. but this novel goes a step further. It illustrates the power of unconditional love for family and its impact on circumstances and situations,needless to say, it tests one's ability to stay steadfast in difficult situations. If you are looking for love, intrigue, suspense and prose that is written eloquently, I suggest you grab some tea and get read for an excellent read.

Ernest Hill takes a reader on an emotional ride in his newest novel Cry Me A River. In this story, a grown man cries and if you get caught up in this story you will cry with him for the injustices faced by the characters in this novel. The novel is set in a rural town in Louisiana that still has an old southern atmosphere. The black people are still not respected and white reigns supreme.

Upon his release from a ten-year stint in the state prison, Tyrone returns home only to find out his son Marcus has been charged with murder and scheduled to be put to death in a matter of days. Tyrone knows his son could not have committed the crime of which he was charged; he is too soft for that kind of violence. Tyrone seeks out the attorney who represented Marcus and has the audacity to question his handling of Marcus's case. Tyrone takes it upon himself to re-investigate the case and finds evidence that were overlooked during the initial trial and investigation. While conducting his investigation, Tyrone also has to contend with his sisters, mother, probation officer, in-laws and an emotionally fragile wife. Some of them are supportive of him and his actions; but others are waiting for him to slip up and return to old habits and eventually prison.

I am glad I gave this book a chance as it is one I probably would not have picked up on my own, but read it because it was a book club selection. The book starts off slow, like a hot lazy day in Louisiana, and as the sun goes down and cools things off, the action of the people speeds up just as the action of the book gradually gains momentum. The dialogue was crisp and as a reader I felt as if I was eavesdropping on intimate conversations between the characters. Hill does a wonderful job of building up to and maintaining the suspense to a climax ending.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub
Motown Review BookClub

Mr. Hill progresses with each novel he writes. He has transitioned from a storyteller to a writer. With Cry Me a River he allows the reader to smell the earth, hear the rustle of the trees, and see the fences surrounding the rundown shacks he describes. You feel Tyrone's angst and the heavy burden he carries for his mistakes. You suffer through the four days until his sons execution with him and you rejoice as he becomes, through this experience, the man that he's always wanted to be-the man you want him to be. I actually had to read the end of the book before I finished because I couldn't stand not knowing what was going to happen. I look forward to Mr. Hill's next novel.

Ernest Hill uses words like a Mississippi Bluesman uses a harmonica, mellifluously. Hill's latest literary offering effectively captures the quintessential relationship between blacks and whites in the post-civil rights era South. The author dramatizes Tyrone's encounters with doubt, despair, and death; racism, classism and sexism; imprisonment, ignorance, and poverty. Yet, like the Blues, Tyrone never allows disaster to have the last word. Even the final note of this sweetly sorrowful tune is a note of hope! Nicely done, Mr. Hill. You will soon take your place along side other P.I.M.P's (Public Intellectual with Moral Principles), like Baldwin, Ellison, Wright, and Morrison.

Ernest Hill has done it again! He REALLY has his finger on the pulse of the 70's and 80's south. Just as with "A Life For A Life" I found myself searching my memory for people who matched these characters. Cry Me A River is another example of art invading reality. Tyrone tried hard to clear his son. In effect, he sacrificed himself for what he believed was true about his son. How many fathers would do no less? As a father, I felt Tyrone's frustration and anger on the road to clearing his son. This book had me wanting to pick up the phone to actually call the characters. They felt so real and familiar. Excellent, excellent writing. I look forward to his next work!

Ernest Hill is known for writing timeless tales with strong themes of manhood. In his most recent novel, CRY ME A RIVER, he proves that he is indeed at the top of his game. Tyrone Stokes is home at last after serving a prison term and is full of hope that he can begin to rebuild his life and family. Unfortunately, bad news awaits his homecoming and he soon discovers that his only son, Marcus, has been sentenced to death for rape and murder in a small town in Louisiana. Tyrone is riddled with guilt because his own time in jail separated him from his son's life and he feels that he has served as a poor role model. However, Tyrone feels that he knows enough about his son to be certain that Marcus is incapable of committing the crime for which a jury has found him guilty. Tyrone walks a fine line as he tries to integrate into a life outside of prison and keep his probation officer at bay, yet he is determined to prove his son's innocence and save his life.

CRY ME A RIVER is full of timeless themes like love, redemption, and overcoming obstacles, while its characters are forced to deal with real life circumstances. It is indeed the kind of story that is sure to become a classic. The plot is full of tension, the characters have depth, the dialogue is engaging, and as a result it is hard to put this book down. Hill's special knack for drawing the reader into the setting of the story will have you feeling like you are in Louisiana right along with the characters. This remarkable literary work is one that should not be missed.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I read Cry Me A River as a book club reading, and I was very disappointed. I thought the writing was juvenile and found several inconsistencies in the plot. Every character seemed to neatly fit into a stereotype - the angry black sister, the church-going mother, the racist police chief, etc. Also, I felt no sympathy for Tyrone, the main character, as he sets out to prove his son's innocence. I expected better writing, a better plot line, and a more realistic story. Cry Me A River was like reading a made-for-TV movie.

Louisianians could perhaps best identify w/ this book partly because though the U.S. incarcerates more of its citizens than any other county in the free world, LA incarcerates more of its citizens than any other state in the nation. You'd be hard pressed to ID an African American family, regardless of economic/social status, that could not identify w/ having a family member who's doing time or having done so & the hardships associated w/ trying to redeem themselves. Without a doubt, I'd dare say, we could easily attach faces to the characters which made for very easy, interesting, & emotional reading.