Sheer Necessity: A Novel [Hardcover]

Sharon Mitchell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999

From the author of Nothing but the Rent comes a novel of great depth and emotional force--written by a bright new star in the field of popular, African-American fiction

Twenty-nine-year-old Toni Carleton is doing it all. She's trying to make a success of Shear Necessity, her hair salon; finish her bachelor's degree; and raise her six-year-old daughter with precious little help from her ex-husband, who may have turned her against men forever. Toni is smart, resourceful, strong, and determined to let nothing stand in the way of her dreams. But then she is faced with the toughest challenge of all: a crisis involving her two younger sisters--Joy and Lynn--that threatens to tear apart her tight-knit family. How will her family solve their problems? And will Toni really give up on love?

Sheer Necessity is a lively and moving tale of hope, ambition, and redemption, and is also a powerful portrayal of the importance and strength of the African-American family. Packed with solid dramatic scenes, sparkling dialogue, and a great cast of characters, Sheer Necessity is a deeply satisfying read that solidifies Sharon Mitchell's position as an up-and-coming star in contemporary African-American women's fiction.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Predictable but entertaining, Mitchell's (Nothing but the Rent) second novel centers on 30-year-old Toni Carleton, a black woman in Newark, Del., who is just beginning to realize her dreams. But her difficult family keeps testing her coping abilities with their relentless troubles. Toni is a conscientious single mother who's devoted to her daughter, Sanji, and frustrated with her irresponsible ex-husband, Marvin, who can't keep a job. She's just opened a hair salon with her gay friend Chris, while holding down a second job and attending school. The oldest of three daughters, Toni is constantly worried about her two sisters. Party girl Joy tramps around, borrowing cash and getting high and drunk, all the while concealing a wrenching secret. Lynn, the youngest, a pregnant mother of two, is married to abusive Bruce. Meanwhile, Toni, skittish about dating, meets photographer Beale Jefferson, but their romance is constantly interrupted by additional crises. Toni's mother, Anna Mae, who has a 10th grade education, must pass the GED to keep her job; Chris is on the skids with his lover; Joy disappears, is found in a crack house and sent to rehab, while her young son, Jesse, moves in with Toni. Bruce becomes increasingly hostile, and fragile Lynn returns home with her kids to Anna Mae's house, disrupting her mother's GED studies. Marvin finds Toni's ATM card and siphons her bank account, leading to a bitter feud that puts Sanji in the middle. The domestic troubles are plausible, if overdetermined, and although the denouement is swift and unsurprising, Mitchell's competent tale will find fans in the increasingly popular field of African-American women's fiction. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Toni Carleton, eldest daughter of four children, is challenged by her personal and professional relationships to do the right thing by doing better than her parents and providing a better life for herself and her daughter. Her plan includes finishing her college education and keeping her hair salon, Sheer Necessity, thriving and profitable. As she gets closer to accomplishing her goals, her loved ones' problems begin to take center stage: her business partner experiences romantic turmoil, her mother deals with her educational shortcomings, sister Joy confronts her substance abuse problem, sister Lynn is threatened by an abusive spouse, and Toni's ex-husband is up to yet another sneaky plot. Sheer Necessity is about a lot more than hair care. It is about the need for family and friends, and the twists and turns that those relationships bring. Mitchell's book will surely delight fans of her first novel, Nothing but the Rent (1998). Lillian Lewis

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; 1st edition. edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525945237
• ISBN-13: 978-0525945239
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,036,584 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Realistic View of The AA Family, May 31, 2000

By 

Yasmin Coleman (PENNSYLVANIA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sheer Necessity: A Novel (Hardcover)

Sheer Necessity is about the ups and downs of family life and the challenges that family members face in just plain ole daily living. The story is told from Toni's viewpoint. Toni is the oldest of four children, and as the eldest she feels responsible not only for her six-year daughter, but the going ons of her siblings and parents as well. Sheer Necessity exhibited balanced relationships/situations and showed both sides of the AA family-the bad as well as the good. I especially enjoyed and welcomed a book that tackled the positive side of the AA family and what we're willing to do for the ones we love; Sheer Necessity also showed the love of a husband and wife together over 40 years and the sacrifices they made to keep their family together.

Ms. Mitchell has definitely grown as a writer and I was pleasantly surprised by the improved writing skills/style versus her first book. Sheer Necessity was well-written, (most of)the characters were well developed, the dialogue was crafty and the storyline was realistic and believable. I enjoyed the sub-plots and how they were smoothly interjected and interweaved through the fabric of the main character's story. My only disappointment was that the younger brother was not more developed; I keep wondering why was he included as I did not find him necessary to the story's plot. Overall, Sheer Necessity was a welcomed change of pace/genre, represented a Good Portrayal of A Black Family in the New Millennium and a great second novel attempt by an up & coming new author.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MUCH BETTER, Read this one!, May 18, 2000

By 

Cassandra "cassandram" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sheer Necessity: A Novel (Hardcover)

FAMILY IS FAMILY (I think we forget that sometimes). This is one of the best descriptions of what family is all about. There will be ups and downs, but as long as you stick together all things will end well.

The characters were so real, the loving mother who's always willing to sacrifice for her children and grandchildren, the strong silent father that will hurt the man that lays a hand on his daughter, but softens when he's around his grandchildren.

I especially thought the relationship between Toni and her sisters was well written. I kept hoping Lynn would stand up for herself. When she finally did there was still a message violence begats more violence.

I could imagine all the characters, I felt like I was there. I'm so glad I tried her again. I am looking forward to more from Sharon Mitchell.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much Better The Second Time Around, April 25, 2000

By 

Karen Dean - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sheer Necessity: A Novel (Hardcover)

I read Sharon Mitchell's first book Nothing But The Rent and while I enjoyed most of it the ending left me hanging big time. This time around however, was much better. Sheer Necessity was a realistic story about the ups and downs of one womans family and how she in particular copes with it. Toni being a single mom dealing with a deadbeat dad is trying to raise her young daughter while trying to put herself through school and starting her own business. She then has to deal with her family and all of there problems. While she trys not to overstep her bounds she can't help but care about what they are going through and try to help. Sharon Mitchell doesn't try to portray the character as holier than thou but lets her experience real emotions that you could imagine yourself going through with similar actions. I applaud her for this major comeback. If anyone read her previous novel and is gun-shy about reading this second attempt don't be, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Keep up the good work and I look forward to your next works.