Customer Reviews

Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The best part of the book are all the references in it to Atlanta places and the West End. It was fun to read about all the places in and around the West End, if you grew up in the ATL. The book overall was a bit disappointing. Not what I thought it would be as I read through chapter after chapter. The ending was okay, but left you feeling a bit "flat" and did not end as I expected. This was not what I expected for a Peal C book.

Big Cleage fan, but this one didn't "hold me hostage" like the others. I kept waiting for something to happen, but by the end of of the book, it was pretty boring. It was almost fairy-tale-ish with the visionary aunt (fairy godmother), then everything falling so neatly into place with the whole Blue Hamilton thing. I guess I can assume that he "knocked off" anyone who didn't "act right" within the bounds of his territory. Still kinda lost @ how the whole "he's been searching for you across time" thing works, but maybe it was just me.

I had a chance to listen to Cleage's novel as an audio book, so I was a bit of a captive audience. The Morehouse Man in me enjoyed experiencing a story set in West End Atlanta and listening to travelog descriptions of stores and land marks that I remembered. The setting does become a kind of character in and of itself and provides a short hand method of characterization for Cleage, in that characters that are educated and community minded reside in West End, while those characters that deal in flesh and violence and pain inhabit Stewart Ave.

I like the social consciousness of the book. R&B singer and enforcer of Black manhood Blue Hamilton creates a West End where women can walk securely after dark and pimps, pushers, and abusers are afraid to transgress. Cleage's characters are aware of their culture and communal obligations as Black people. Her West End is a kind of Duboisian Black Utopia in which the Talented Tenth actually share the fruits of success.

At the same time, it's hard to mix social consciousness, prophetic dreams, and romance. In Cleage's book the three don't exactly blend well. In truth, the book isn't all that romantic. Now, I'll confess that's fine with me, as I'm not a fan of romance stories posing as literature anyway. Black sections in bookstores are already overfilled with disposable gossip novels. Cleage promises a romance story, but the prophecies and predestination create a build up that the actual courtship of Regina and Blue doesn't live up to. Their relationship seems too easy and sudden, even taking into account past lives and reincarnation.

I think Cleage finds herself in an awkward position as a writer. As a Spelman College professor and the daughter of the founder of a Black Revolutionary Christian church, the Shrine of the Black Madonna, Pearl Cleage has serious motivations and a desire to make her readers, especially her Black readers, think. But she's limited by the confines of the romance genre, which usually seeks more heartbeats than revolutionary heroism.

Pearl Cleage's more serious aims might better fit more serious literature.

Pearl Cleage's latest novel, Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do is a tale of recovery, redemption, and a love that transcends time. Regina Burns, a talented speechwriter, is fresh out of a Washington, DC rehabilitation center and ready to begin her life anew. She has rebounded from cocaine addiction propelled during a period of depression after breaking up with her fiancé and having her habit fueled by her inheritance from her recently deceased parents. Desperate for money, she embraces responsibility and reluctantly accepts a short-term job in Atlanta with her "would-have-been" mother-in-law (who was really the cause of the break-up) to save her family's home from foreclosure. If this sounds like a challenge, it is; however add in her visionary aunt's premonition regarding Regina's destiny to save a damsel in distress, slay a dragon, and meet a handsome man with "the ocean in his eyes" and the level of complexity, suspense, and drama goes through the roof!

This novel is in sync with Cleage's other works, in that she exposes human nature to the bare bones - she skilfully wraps issues surrounding love, class, sexuality, and race into a wonderful story. Her characters are warm and likeable; her sense of humor is witty and perfectly timed; and her pacing is great. It is a delightful "feel good" novel in that in the end the prophesy is fulfilled, cosmic justice is served, and a message on doing the right thing is delivered. This is a wonderful summertime read!

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub

I have read and enjoyed several books by Ms Cleage. This book is also well written, with realistic dialogue and lots of clever observations.

I was saddened, however, by the fact that the only white people who appeared in the book are villains. For instance, Ms Cleage dubs the mortgage banker who cuts Gina a break and lets her -- after months of crack-junky irresponsibility and non-payments -- have another chance to save her home "the weasel." The only other white people mentioned in the book are the saccharine, cookie-cutter Republicans trying to corrupt Beth. I'm certainly no fan of the GOP and its treatment of Black Americans, either, but Ms Cleage's treatment of white Americans (or Asian, or European or any other kind of people) in the book was really strange. In this respect, the book reminds me of the "feminist utopian" novels written by lesbians a few years ago - books depicting an "ideal world" -- with no men.

I was also disappointed with the one-dimensional character of the former emperor Blue. Ok, we get it - he's hot and he's strong and he protects his own, but there's no depth to him. The whole emperor story is bizarre, too - it's briefly mentioned but there's no story there.

Pearl Cleage is capable of so much more. I was disappointed with this book but since her writing is still interesting, even when the plot is not well developed, I gave it four stars.

I would strongly recommend this book to other aspiring writers. The writing is excellent and although I found myself questioning Regina's troubled past, the story was written well enough for me to keep reading. I read it in a matter of days and wouldn't hesitate to read one of Mrs. Cleage's other novels.

This book is not what i thought it would be. The story of a recovering drug addict trying to start over was a good start, but her story just took a wrong turn, or didnt know where to turn. The storyline was all over the place. Ms Cleage didnt seem to know which direction she wanted take the book. And there were a couple of unanswered questions that would have made the book interesting.

1. What was the "coming from a past life" story about?

What did that have to do with the main story. She just dropped that in there for shock value and didnt develop it. And that was the most compelling part of the book. The whole concept had no place in this book, it just seemed out of place. Unless she plans to write a sequal continuing that part of the story.

2. What happened between the main character and here ex boyfriend that drove her to become a crack head? This part of the story is left to our imaginations.

There are other things that just dont add up. It took me a week to finish this, which is unusual for a Pearl Cleage book.

Maybe Babylon sisters will be better.

It's hard to write this review since I love Pearl Cleage's style of writing and her book called, "What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day." I read "Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do" cover to cover. The whole time I kept hoping something really exciting would happen, afterall, it's a novel right? Well, it never did! It never quite climaxed! The strength of this book was in how honestly she spoke of the dreams and problems between black women and men. The idea of Blue Hamilton was wonderfully imaginative. (Oh how I wish there were real Blue Hamilton's in "Our World") I love how she wrapped this hidden wish into the fictional pages of this novel. It's always priceless to me, to read a book where the authors speaks of the physical, emotional and spiritual beauty and complexity of "Black" people. Ms. Cleage is a wonderful writer but I couldn't get excited about the plot. It was like reading the diary of this one, kinda eccentric, woman's life. Overall, I have mixed feelings which explains my "4-star" rating. At one point the characters are connected on this rather odd belief which either should have been developed more or left out completely. Of course, the inside flap tells us that this is a book about sisterhood (true!), unexpected love (that part was cute!), and just a little magic (hold up, that's where it got WEIRD!). But, if you like Ms. Cleage's unique way of pulling us in with ordinary, at times, humorous, lives of "sistahs", you'll enjoy this book. It was interesting enough to finish reading, so have your go at it. Afterall, we're all entitled to our opinion!

A true Pearl Cleage fan has waited, and now another good one has
arrived. I must say that the title really grabbed me. For a minute I wondered if Ms. Cleage wasn't going into the realm of some lame contemporary African-American literature. How could I doubt her? She has pulled off another good book. First let me do a little critical observation. Ms. Cleage definitely has something to say here.

If anything I think she is telling the African-American community to wake up and do more to save ourselves. Through the community in this book, Ms. Cleage gives us hope and inspiration of what our communities could be (and possibly what they once were). In this book strong black men have a place and that place is right beside the black women and children that they love. The magical aspects of this book appeal to our African past and sensibilities.

I often wondered if Ms.Cleage wasn't suggesting that we need to look back in our history for strong shining examples of black man/woman hood to move forward. That is what the magic of main character, Regina's, past life with Blue says to me at least.
More importantly, Ms. Cleage nicely underhandely gives us some suggestions for African-American political empowerment through characters Beth and Precious.

Stylistically, as I always I loved the language. There are no over-the-top love scenes. The book is almost thoroughly "fleshed out." I did long for a little more about Regina's struggle with her cocaine addiction. The structure was pretty even. There are some really memorable characters here. And thanks Ms. Cleage for giving us real black girls a voice again and again. We can still have faith in black men, women, children, and black love.

Peace

In two words this novel moved me. I do not have the words in my vocabulary to expound on the effects this story had on me. When I finished reading it, the tears from my heart flowed freely. I was so engaged in the characters the ending was like a loss of life.

Pearl Cleage has the ability to write characters that are not perfect, but are human. Her characters have human frailties and must deal with the ups and downs of life. Regina Burns is one of those characters. We meet Regina as she is literally begging a loan officer to not sale her house she borrowed against during her addiction to cocaine. From there we see Regina taking a chance and things falling in place. Her aunt tells Regina of her vision and what she sees in her future. Whether Regina believes it or not Atlanta will be the starting point.

There are a host of characters you are drawn to and some you want to handle with a long handle stick. Once Regina arrives in Atlanta she meets the blue-eyed stranger that is part of her aunt's vision. Blue as he is called will be the past and future for Regina. We also meet Flora, Lu, Aretha and bad guys DooDoo and King James. We also meet Regina's mentor, Beth, who needs her expertise and gets more than she bargains for.

Ms. Cleage has the ability to make you believe in hope, courage and honor. She however never lets us forget that the world is not perfect and no person is perfect in it. She uplifts the African-American males by portraying the good males alongside the no so good males. She upholds the spirit of community and neighbors. All though there is romance there is also love of family, friends and neighbors and shows us an endearing side of our African-American communities.

The one thing that touched me and really expresses the title of the book is one statement that is made in the novel. That one statement is that no one is perfect, but we all have possibility of perfection. So profound and so true. No one is perfect but there is room for the possibility of perfection. That is what we should all esteem to be. Regina does as well as the other wonderful characters in this book.

This is a page-turner from the opening lines. Well written and crafted by a gifted storyteller and writer. Thank you for moving me with this wonderful story. Highly recommended.