Customer Reviews

Tumbling

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Tumbling was a little hard to get into I will admit. But by the end of the third chapter I couldn't put it down. There was a down to earthness about the characters and a realness to the prose that I haven't seen in a while. I am tired of African-American contemporary writers who write about frivolous relationships and broken families. Tumbling is literature, I was not only introduced to memorable characters but a united community where the spiritual was almost more powerful than the natural. If you're tired of reading about ghettos and dysfunction in the black community pick up Tumbling. You'll be glad you did.

This novel is set in Philly in the 40's and 50's when the civil right movement was just getting underway keeping secrets were a way of life. Herbie and Noon have been married for a year and haven't "mixed pleasures" because Noon was gang raped at age 12 by devil worshippers in back woods of her Florida home, but by the insistance of her mother hasn't told her husband why she is horrified to have sex with him. Herbie in turn seeks his pleasure mixing with a jazz singing vixen named Ethel who is harboring her own secrets stemming from her childhood. Herbie and Noon come to raise two daughters, one, Fannie, found on their steps one morning as Herbie was coming from the club, and Ethel's five year old niece, Liz, whom she left on the steps one afternoon. Fannie, Liz, Herbie, Ethel, and Noon are entangle forever tumbling through life trying to overcome all the secrets that binds them but will keep you on the edge of your seat waiting to see who finds out what first.

Tumbling will tumble you through the lives of black folk and their community. This book is filled with a sense of purpose, love, commitment, loyalty, pain, family, acceptance, lies, betrayal, loneliness, and LAUGHTER!

THIS ONE IS A MUST. The characters were truly VIVID! - and the story was EXCELLENT. Ms. Whetstone has a manficient talent not to mention excellent storytelling abilities.

Although the book wasn't contemporary like most books are these days...the CHANGE WAS WONDERFUL! I agree with another reviewer that Tumbling is literature at it's best. You will truly be caught up in the tumblings of Lombard Street.

Noon, Herbie, Fannie, Liz and oooooohhhh Ms. "Thang" Ethel will keep your entertained and wondering what's going to happen next!

Once you finish you'll be wishing you lived with all of these characters. Noon is a fine example of black women of the past. We could all learn some lessons.

GET THIS ONE! Ms. Whetstone...gurl you are soooo bad! LOL

Almost everyone has deep, dark secrets that they feel should never see the light of day. For some it may be childhood feelings of insecurity, rejection from a should-be lover, the scars of abuse gone unchecked, or shame beyond measure. But, how often do we take the time to peel those layers of hurt and pain away from our psyches as we attempt to go on about our daily lives?

Not often, and such is the case for the characters of "Tumbling", Diane McKinney Whetstone's brilliant debut novel. "Tumbling" centers around one of our most basic desires as human beings--the desire to love and to be loved in return.

Set in a blue collar community in Philadelphia, ""Tumbling" explores the lives of several ordinary citizens--ordinary meaning that they all have their crosses to bear.

Noon, abused as a child has lost the right to her "womanliness." Herbie, her husband, is the hapless victim caught up in a no-win situation--loving his "good" wife, while seeking fulfillment in the arms of a sexy, nightclub singer named Ethel.

When Herbie comes home late from a jaunt at Club Royale and finds a deserted infant on his steps, he and Noon's lives are given new meaning. They are blessed several years later with a playmate for their only child in the form of another abandoned castaway.

With plenty of love to divert their attention away from themselves, Herbie and Noon are content to raise their children with the very best that they have to offer.

However, their refusal to deal with and resolve past issues comes back to haunt them, and what was once maintained in nice, neat, organized bundles becomes the crumbling plaster that makes the walls come tumbling down.

-Rosalind Stormer, author of "Healing the Breach"
Flavah Reviewer

Wow!!!!!! First I'll speak on the book then I'll speak about the author. The book is absolutel OFF THE HOOK! Talking about inquiring minds. This book made me think so much and imagine so much until it was unbeleivable. At first I had to keep going back reading certain passages over and over again trying to be sure of what I previously read. I felt like I was right there with them. I was wound up in each and every character I could barely put the book down.. My favorite character would have to be Fannie. Her commitment to family. Her dedication to Herbie and Noon. How she got so attached to Herbie the first time they laid eyes on each other made me figure right from the beginning she was his. It was something about those eyes. I just couldn't figure who from seeming as though the only two women in his life (that he slept with) were Ethel and Noon. Yea, yea, yea, I know he didn't intimately sleep with noon, but physically he did. For warmth. I couldn't figure that part out. How she got so damaged. Then when I read it I still didn't understand why it took her so long to get healed. I know she was hurt, but my goodness. And to think she was always in church so you would have thought it didn't take all that for restoration. I liked her spirit though, the way she always thought about everybody else. She kept busy in the church. THAT WAS NOON'S CHURCH. She cooked for others weddings, funerals, she served, she sewed. She took care of everybody else but Herbie. Though Herbie wasn't perfect and he had his shortcoming, he was a hard working man who truly loved his wife. I guess I can understand his situation. I don't condone it. I don't want to sound like a heathen, but I guess I understand why he decided to handle it and stick it the way he did. And then the baby didn't make matters any better. To me it just brought more of a commitment to be in a family way. It makes me wonder how many men today would stay married in a situation like that. It most definitely wasn't common or natural for a such an unusual situation to go on in a marriage as long at it did.

This book is so awesome. Not the mention the mind of the author. My friends and I discuss the intellect of the author. I thought it was so untouchable of the imagination to put the character Liz to have such a mental disturbance of "EATING THE WALL." This is beyond me. I have a wild imagination and wonder just interesting she really is. I am truly facinated. This is one book I'll never forget. I love it. This is truly art. Over the past 3 month' I've probably read about 45 to 50 books and out of all the books I read this one probably stands in mind in the top 3. It's is most exciting, easy to read. I highly recommend it. I'm telling I can't say enough about the authors intellect.

This was the first novel I've read by Diane McKinney-Whetstone, but I am now begging for more.

Tumbling is a story that will touch the hearts of those who read it.

The characters are well-developed and the dialogue is thoughtful, not just a filler like in many novels.

Noon. The good girl with a past she can't let go of.

Herbie. Noon's husband who runs to the arms of others who willingly give him what he's not getting at home.

Fannie. The hilarious little girl who is constantly spouting out at the mouth. Be prepared for some belly-laughs with her dialogue. She's Noon and Herbie's adopted child, who was found on their front steps.

Ethel. The diva jazz singer who has a good heart despite her weaknesses and who must make a very difficult decision.

Liz. Ethel's niece with an unhealthy habit, and a resentment stored within her soul.

Give this one a try. You'll be a McKinney=Whetstone fan for life!

Candace

Our Book Club (OBC) in Sacramento, California is reading this book for our meeting on October 7th. So Diane if you see this, you are certainly invited!

Diane McKinney Whetstone has done it again. I thoroughly enjoyed Blues Dancing yet I kept hesitating about getting to Tumbling. I think it was the title that through me. Now I know better. Anytime I see her name, Diane McKinney Whetstone, I'll know I better not fight it but just get the book. Tempest Rising is next.

Just like E. Lynn Harris' books - once you start, you have to finish the whole series.

I like the way the author gave each of the characters a voice. Noon and Herbie - I couldn't wait for them to finally do the do. But 20 years? That was hard to believe that he would have hung around that long - even with a chick (Ms. Ethel) on the side. Fannie's foul mouth and Liz' hatred toward her whore of an aunt was very real. I was glad the story ended when it did. Diane closed it out really well.

This book was one of the BEST I have read. I totally applaud Dianne for writing this book and I am looking forward to reading her others. I can't say that I had a favorite character because they all made the story that much more interesting. I really love to see black neighborhoods, families and friends pulling together to help one another. This is a story that helps you believe that there are really good people who believe that it takes a village to raise children. Herbie and Noon were truly saints in my eyes to raise two children that weren't even theirs and love them as if they were. Herbie and Ethel had their issues, but Herbie continued to have faith in the woman he truly loved. Ethel knew she wasn't 'Mommy' material, but she wanted what was best for her daughters. And best of all, Noon, she was the Rock! I wish there were more women just like her. This book was well written from the first page to the last. Highly recommend reading Tumbling, you won't regret it.

What a lovely novel. Ms. Whetstone has a gift for letting her characters make the story rather than just her putting pen to paper. Her books seem to write themselves. Her characters are just that; characters. The story of Herbie and Noon is a touching one, but devoid of all romance. And although that was hardly the focus of the novel, it lingers. There are many tragic heroes and sheroes in this novel and the author's ability to tie them all together with one thread to one woman who can help them all is fantastic. Excellent story. Excellent writing.

This has been one of the most captivating books that I have read in a long time. This book captured my interest from page one and maintained it until the last page. This book left me wanting more after the book was over. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that desires to curl up on the couch with a cup of hot coco and, enjoyably, become lost in another place and time. A+++