From Publishers Weekly
Incest, drug addiction, publishing intrigue and a lesbian wedding are just a few of the outrageous plot elements juggled in Miller's second novel, a disjointed and often lurid story about the ups and downs of a young black woman whose family has a major flair for histrionics. Faith Freeman is the 30-ish protagonist who has a great life with her boyfriend, a former coke dealer turned investment banker named Henry Prince, as well as a budding career as a New York literary agent with a brainy, lesbian business partner. But the cross she bears is her troubled family, most notably her twin sister, Hope, a crack whore who was molested at 10 by their stepfather and then went on to sleep with her mother's subsequent men. Miller (Satin Doll) creates a freewheeling cast of flawed characters, setting up a jarring stylistic juxtaposition between the lighthearted romantic scenes involving Faith and Henry, some similarly easygoing work sequences that portray cantankerous clients and landmark authors (including a thinly disguised Walter Mosley character) and the ongoing eruptions among Faith, Hope and their troubled mother, Irene. While she does manage to fit all the pieces together, many of the family scenes are planted firmly in Jerry Springer territory: Hope's severe emotional problems are too often presented in a titillating manner that borders on exploitation. But overall, it's certainly not boring.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
At the age of 10, Faith was certain that her twin sister, Hope, and her stepfather "were doing bad things." When she actually
sees them in a compromising position, her disgust, fear, and anger compel Faith to tell her mother, Irene, who makes the difficult decision to choose her relationship with Papa over the safety of her daughter. Almost 20 years later, Papa abandons Irene, who eagerly replaces him with another boyfriend. The family secret has taken a heavy toll on the twins: Faith is involved with Henry, the man who rescued her as a teenager from her stepfather and her unbearable home life; Hope is battling drug addiction, promiscuity, and homelessness. It isn't until Hope jeopardizes Faith's relationship with Henry that the family finally acknowledges the depth and burden of Hope's victimization. Miller deftly shares the pain and desperation of a family shaken to the core by incest.
Lillian LewisCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
