8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sins of the mother, April 11, 2002
Lily Paine Pines is worried her only grandchild LaShawndra has disappeared. No one has told her that LaShawndra is missing, it's just a feeling that she has. Lily is a highly respected member of the community in Mulberry, Georgia. She has been a part of the educational system in Mulberry for a great number of years, so riding around in the wee hours of the morning looking for her wayward granddaughter could be damaging to her reputation. Lily, however could care less about what people think of her, her grandchild is the most important person in her life. During Lily's search she encounters Miss Moses, a sweet smelling elderly woman who is full of knowledge and provides support for Lily when she needs it the most.
Sandra Pines, Lily's only child, is one of the leading real estate brokers in town, and while her mother could care less about her reputation Sandra guards hers as if it is gold. Sandra is embarrassed by her daughter and tries to steer clear of her. Sandra became pregnant with with LaShawndra at the age of 19, and all of her dreams of college and getting out of Mulberry went down the drain. LaShawndra is also a reminder to Sandra of LaShaun, her ex-boyfriend who has never been a part of his child's life. She harbors a lot of anger and contempt towards her daughter.
The day that LaShawndra disappears Sandra has a meeting with a woman named Nurse Bloom. Lily has recommended that Sandra meet with Ms. Bloom because she is a potential client. Being the professional that she is Sandra is cordial and friendly towards Nurse Bloom, unfortunatly Nurse Bloom does not reciprocate as she is pushy and rude towards Sandra. But in a strange twist Sandra's day with Nurse Bloom will forever change her life.
LaShawndra Pines feels smothered; she does not feel that she can live up to the high standards that her mother and grandmother have set. Her main goal in life is to become a music video dancer. She also constantly puts herself down and uses derogatory terms as a part of her everyday conversation. As LaShawndra is running away from Mulberry and yet another mistake that she has made, she encounters a beautiful older woman named Eliza Jane Dyer. LaShawndra immediately feels as she has met yet anothe person that does not understand her, but Eliza Jane is more like LaShawndra than she will ever know.
You Know Better by Tina McElroy Ansa is a spirited novel about three generations of women in the Pines family who just want to be loved and understood. Although these woman have their weaknesses, Ms McElroy Ansa allows you to also see their strengths. She also succeeds in pulling you into the story and making you feel as if you are a part of the action. I loved this book and hated for it to end.
Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ghostly Lessons, June 3, 2002
I decided to purchase this book one day after I went to a booksigning to hear Tina McElroy Ansa and to decide if
I wanted to read this book. I was so impressed with her speaking and
her description of the book and the point she was trying to make
with this book, I could not help but buy it. I am glad I did.
This is this author's fouth novel, and my first time reading any of
her works.
In the town of Mulberry, GA, Lily Paines Pines is up in the wee
hours in the morning searching for her wayward granddaugter,
LaShawndra. Along for the ride is Miss Moses. Miss Moses does not
say much, but she is there to help Lily think through her thoughts
on her ex-husband, daughter and granddaughter. Lily Pines also
ponders on how she was able to balance a teen pregancy, marriage and
career and why her daughter could not do the same and where did they
go wrong with LaShawndra.
Sandra is also riding around Mulberry, kind of looking for her
coochie daughter, as she is taking Nurse Bloom around town to look
at property. Sandra is telling Nurse Bloom about how she can not
control that coochie, about her feelings of abandonment by her
baby's daddy, her love and relationship with her father, her
accomplishments, possession and her relationship with the minister.
Sandra, of the ME generation gets several reality checks from Nurse
Bloom during their journey.
LaShawndra, is a self proclaimed "ho" and is proud of the title.
She is self-centered and knows she is a disappointment to her
grandmother and mother. She has one goal in life and that is to
dance in a music video. LaShawndra is hitching a ride out of
Mulberry as she has messed up again and is not going to stick around
to face the consequences. She is picked up by Ms Liza Jane Dyer.
During their slow moving ride out of Mulberry to the Freaknik in
Atlanta, LaShawndra tells Ms Liza Jane of her ambitions, and her
relationships with the women in the family. One things that she
does that just gets on Ms Liza Jane nerves is the constant degatory
remarks LaShawndra makes about herself. Ms Liza Jane tries to
reinforce to LaShawndra she can be all she wants to be and that she
needs to face the music back in Mulberry instead of running away all
the time. What LaShawndra did not realize was that in their own
subtle, non-confrontational way, her mother and grandmother were
saying the same things to her that Ms Liza did, except it was not
sugar-coated but direct, so LaShawndra could hear it better.
I liked how in this novel, it shows three generations of women and
how they dealt with life, children and responsibility. I also liked
how each ghost represented the consciousness of each woman and help
them to see their strengths and weaknesses.
This is a good, highly recommended novel. For me, I am going to
check out the rest of Ms Ansa's work, especially The Hand I Fan
With, as I have heard so many good things about this one.
Jeanette Wallington
APOOO bookclub
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great, April 10, 2002
I just finished reading this book, and what I like about it is that even though the first two generations kind of trashed on LaShawndra, they kind of helped to make her into the person she is as well. For instance, did they take the time to show her HOW to cook? or to tell her about sex? or the things she needed to make it in this world? Personally, Sandra was wrong from the get go, she just didn't like the child due to the fact that the child was a product and reminder of her indiscretion. So instead of helping her, they crippled her. Maybe not intentionally, because I knew they loved her, but sometimes you got to teach, then let them live and learn. Now Lilly I liked. She tried her best to be a mom for her grandchild, but there is a lot of guilt here. the first two ladies had started out pretty young, but they did very well with their lives if you ask me. However, they should have taken the time to bring up the last generation. But thank God for those dead ladies to show them the way. And thank GOd for a girlfriend named Crystal who loved her no matter what. And thank God for second chances. I enjoyed "The Hand I Fan With" and found this one to be just as good. I do recommend it highly.
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