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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sibling rivlary taken too far., May 20, 2002
Twilight, in summary is "... the light between sunset and full night or between full night and sunrise..." Gwynne Forster's When Twilight Comes embraces both
ideas. The 'sunset and full night' comes for family matriarch
Marge Hariston, the owner of the Woodmore Times, NC's most
influential African American newspaper. When Marge learns she will have to quit working permanently
she meets with her three children Cassandra, Drogan and
Sharon to discuss the fate of her newspaper. Either one of
her children will take over the newspaper or she will sell it
outright. Cassie the oldest is vain and haughty and has no desire to do
something as pseudo feminine as publish a weekly newspaper.
She has issues and is afraid if she sits still too long someone
will see behind her facade. Drogan is a nice guy, but has relied
too long on his good looks and charm to win his battles. He does
not want the responsibility of running a newspaper. Plus Drogan
is already struggling with his troubled marriage. Sharon is
level headed, dependable and "all work and no play" when it
comes to pursuing her goals. Just when her dreams of becoming an
Assistant Dean at Woodmore State and other challeneges in her
personal life are finally coming together, she realizes that
she's the one who will have to keep the newspaper in the family.
Marge decides that whoever steps to the plate will own the
Woodmore Times, so she draws up legal documents and sells the
company to Sharon for $100.00. And that is when the relationship
between the three siblings spiral downward. Sharon is the 'full
night and sunrise' part of the definition, because when she
reluctlantly steps into her mother's shoes, it changes how she
sees her life and how others see her. Twilight... is the fall and rise of a family unit, and as they
struggle with their individual issues, the reader is given a
candid look at each of the siblings in all of their glory. Ms.
Forster did and excellent job developing both primary and
secondary characters. Though she has won awards for her Romance
writings, this is her freshman attempt at writing mainstream.
If you enjoy smooth, crisp, captivating writing, I urge you to
pick up a copy of When Twilight Comes and share the Hairston
family's drama. A wonderful read.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More, More, More...., April 9, 2002
Set in tranquil Woodmore, North Carolina, When Twighlight Comes is about the affluent Hairston family who owns The Woodmore Times newspaper. Refreshing and resplendent this full story about familial crisis and family bonds is unique, powerful, and colorful. Issues of insecurity, jealousy, inferiority, and competition skate through the pages. The Matriarch of the family, Marge Harriston, lives and breaths the newspaper, "one of her genuine sources of pleasure". You can imagine her heartbreak when her doctor informs her that she is ill. Marge toils, but decides that one of her children must take on the responsibility of running the family owned newspaper; otherwise, she will sell it. Marge's ultimatum and final decision sparks ruffles of instability in a couple of her children. Cassie, the uppity oldest daughter oscillates between aplomb and self-anathema. Grappling with problems in her marriage, and aspirations in her career, Cassie is unprepared and thrown by her mother's proclamation. Drogan, the middle child, and only son is dapper, charming, and loquacious. His marriage to his tepid wife Iomogene is fragile. He was depending on an inheritance via the newspaper for retirement. Marge's decision thwarts his plans, affecting his and Iomogene's carefree and flambouyant lifestyle. Sharon, the youngest daughter, is at the prime of her career. Years of research and an extra teaching load leave her eagerly waiting to hear if she made Dean of the School of Social Work at the local University. Her mother's news frightens and worries her, leaving Sharon dealing with the deterioration of one of the most important relationships in her life. With all that she definitely doesn't need a new man in her life...or does she? The characters are vibrant and defined, telling you the story. Their multi-dimensional presence gives the story depth and animation. Gwynne's cadence is quip and to the point. She doesn't waste paper giving us rambling details and tiresome descriptions; instead, she paints pictures using her words as a camera. The witty dialogue and engaging story keeps you turning pages, while melodic words provide a vivid setting. Grab the book and see if one decision can tear a family apart or bring them closer together.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Touching & Engaging, May 22, 2002
When Twilight Comes is Gwynne Forster's debut into the contemporary/mainstream fiction arena. Forster takes us into the world of Marge Hairston, newspaper owner extraordinaire and the mother of three adult children. Marge Hairston has always had to be the strong and independent matriarch of the Hairston family. For years her life has revolved around her position as the owner of the Woodmore Times (North Carolina's most influential African American newspaper) and the three children she raised alone after her husband's death. So when Marge finds herself feeling a little more tired than usual she finally succumbs to her better judgment and goes to visit her family doctor. She is shocked to learn that she is terminally ill and only has a brief time to get her affairs in order. The first order of business is which one of her three adult children will take over the family business. Meet Drogan, Marge's oldest child and only son, who's handsome but oftentimes manipulative while he constantly thinks only about his well-being. The second child is Cassie, Marge's oldest daughter, who appears to suffer from 'me-ism.' Sharon, Marge's youngest child, seems to be the most levelheaded and rational sibling. Sharon is the peacemaker of the family. She sees the best in everything and everybody almost to a fault. It is Sharon, who gives up her professional career in order to take over the day-to-day running of the Woodmore Times and to lead the newspaper into the next millennium. True to expectations, eyes roll, fingers snap, necks turn, 'tudes mal-adjust and sparks fly as the baby of the family steps forward to handle HER business. Not only are the siblings at odds with each other, but they're also at odds with their mother, their spouses and their world. Will their cherished close relationships survive? Will time heal all wounds? Will they be able to forgive, forget and reconcile? When Twilight Comes by Gwynne Forster is a commendable departure into the mainstream fiction arena. Forster writes an engaging and touching story although at times I felt that the story got ahead of itself. Additionally, in the first few chapters I kept wondering what the big rush was. Why did decisions need to be made in a split second? I kept thinking will a day or two or even a week be too much to ask for when you have to make a major decision that will impact the rest of your life? These points aside, When Twilight Comes is still a book that I would recommend to others. Fans of Forster will especially enjoy her mainstream debut novel. Forster has piqued my interest with When Twilight Comes and I plan to test the waters again by reading her next romance novel titled "Once In a Lifetime" which is due out in July 2002. Yasmin
APOOO BookClub
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