Customer Reviews

Rooftop Diva: A Novel of Triumph after Katrina

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

 

 

Monique Devereaux was rescued from her rooftop and transported to a shelter in Dallas, Texas, three days after Hurricane Katrina struck her hometown. It is in this shelter that Monique's life is changed in more ways than she cares to remember. Trying to move forward with her life, Monique is introduced to some affluent women who show her what the "good life" is all about. Giving her a taste of a life she was unaccustomed to, these women helped Monique get back on track.

Deciding to stay in Dallas, Monique lands a wonderful job. She has a great place to stay, and is the object of desire to one of the wealthiest men in the world. One who is willing to divorce his older wife just to be with her, but is it all too good to be true? Unbeknownst to Monique, she has an enemy lurking in the shadows waiting for the perfect opportunity to wreak havoc upon her life, trying to destroy all she has rebuilt.

ROOFTOP DIVA is an emotional page-turner from the beginning to the end. It gives a realistic and emotional account of Hurricane Katrina and the effects it had on its victims. With excellent character development, one would feel as though they were a part of the story--experiencing the joys and pain. Full of unexpected twists and turns, D. T. Pollard does an excellent job of helping the reader understand some of the issues many of the survivors had to overcome following Hurricane Katrina. It shows how when we reach out to one another, it could be just what one needs to put their life back together. I commend the author for tackling such a real and emotional subject. He took a chance on revisiting a horrific event, but has turned it into a wonderful story of tragedy, faith, love, strength and determination. Kudos to Mr. Pollard on a job well done.

Author's Website: [...]

Reviewed by Peaches
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

The story line to Rooftop Diva was good. I enjoyed the story and different scenes from this book. The only issue I had with this book is that it was pretty fat fetched. Many scenes were close to unrealistic in my eyes.

I took up the audiobook version of this book. I really enjoyed the storyline of using Katrina and how Monique took her tragedy and turned it around to be blessed with all of these opportunties of fortune to come to her. Even in the midst of adversities of death, a horrific crime against her and maritial problems Monique pressed her way thru it all. I also like the full circle of Monique helping out another woman in the midst of a hurricane after she has become blessed in her own life! I see the author has another book that also looks interesting to check out. If you want a story with drama, twists and turns and truimph set in a contemporary setting with the backdrop of a current event and what happens afterwards to someone's life related to it this book is the one to hit!!

D. T. Pollard's novel, Rooftop Diva became an Essence bestseller novel in 2007. This fictionalized account put a different spin on a survivor of Hurricane Katrina. Pollard's story of the beautiful Monique Devareaux and her 18 year struggle to rebuild her life is told in this novel. I enjoyed the story and the author's way of mixing a factual event with fictionalized characters. To pull it off as well as he did took a great deal of skill.

Monique at age 28 had returned to her birth place of New Orleans to live with her 80 year-old wheelchair-bound grandmother after a failed relationship in Chicago where she was working left her bruised and broken. She was just beginning to heal when the levees broke and sent the flood waters rushing into New Orleans.

She had managed to make her way to the rooftop of the house where she was raised by the elderly woman when her own mother had passed away. For three days, Monique was trapped on that rooftop running out of both food and water and braving the heat and the sun until finally a helicopter rescued her from her rootop perch and took her to an aide station that the City had set up for the victims. She was homeless, destitute and alone in the world realizing her grandmother had not survived. She is taken to a shelter in Dallas where she is forced to re-invent herself and start anew.

This is a heart-wrenching story of how one woman's strength and faith against all odds allowed her to survive and thrive in a situation that many others would have failed at. Pollard tells a detailed story and has created a novel that is both emotional and inspirational.

Monique is befriended by an affluent woman who helps her to get back on her feet. She sees something special in Monique and introduces her to a world unlike her own where power and the almighty dollar is king.

The drama builds with a suspenseful incident when the antagonist, a lesbian by the name of Mel Hawkins approaches Monique at the shelter. An inmate from the local jail; Mel was able to escape and disguise herself as one of the evacuees. When Monique refused her advances, she makes an enemy of the woman who plots to repay her for rejecting her. The drama builds as Mel stalks Monique ending in a violent attack on her life. Still Monique recovers and moves on with her life.

This book is filled with drama that will draw the reader into the story from one chapter to another. I enjoyed Rooftop Diva and highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a good story told in a well written manner.

D.T. Pollard is no one shot wonder. I expect that this author will continue to write books that will build a legion of fans among avid readers everywhere.

Idrissa Uqdah for AALBC

By The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

Monique Devereaux was rescued from her rooftop and transported to a shelter in Dallas, Texas, three days after Hurricane Katrina struck her hometown. It is in this shelter that Monique's life is changed in more ways than she cares to remember. Trying to move forward with her life, Monique is introduced to some affluent women who show her what the "good life" is all about. Giving her a taste of a life she was unaccustomed to, these women helped Monique get back on track.

Deciding to stay in Dallas, Monique lands a wonderful job. She has a great place to stay, and is the object of desire to one of the wealthiest men in the world. One who is willing to divorce his older wife just to be with her, but is it all too good to be true? Unbeknownst to Monique, she has an enemy lurking in the shadows waiting for the perfect opportunity to wreak havoc upon her life, trying to destroy all she has rebuilt.

ROOFTOP DIVA is an emotional page-turner from the beginning to the end. It gives a realistic and emotional account of Hurricane Katrina and the effects it had on its victims. With excellent character development, one would feel as though they were a part of the story--experiencing the joys and pain. Full of unexpected twists and turns, D. T. Pollard does an excellent job of helping the reader understand some of the issues many of the survivors had to overcome following Hurricane Katrina. It shows how when we reach out to one another, it could be just what one needs to put their life back together. I commend the author for tackling such a real and emotional subject. He took a chance on revisiting a horrific event, but has turned it into a wonderful story of tragedy, faith, love, strength and determination. Kudos to Mr. Pollard on a job well done.
[...]

Reviewed by Peaches
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers