Customer Reviews

Who Does She Think She Is?: A Novel

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Aisha Branch McCovney is the offshoot, snooty, designer wearing daughter of Camille and the granddaughter of Geneva. Unlike her mother, the afro-centric social worker and her deeply racist grandmother, Aisha has forged a lifestyle her behind cannot cash. In Benilde Little's latest installment, Who Does She Think She Is, we meet these three generations of women and learn about their take on life and the opposite sex.

Aisha is involved in an interracial relationship and is in the midst of planning her wedding to Will. Will is from old money, both on his maternal and paternal sides. Their relationship seems on the up and up until Aisha meets Miles, a friend and business associate of Will's father, and all bets are off. As Aisha grapples with her insecurities about life, love and not knowing her biological father, everyone else has an opinion. What is different is no one verbalizes his or her thoughts with the exception of Aisha's girlfriend.

Set in New York City and Newark, New Jersey, in alternating chapters we listen to the history and current situation of each woman. Camille was an unmarried teenage mother much to her mother's dismay but somehow redeemed herself by marrying a successful lawyer. Geneva tells the story of attending Hampton Institute and primed to marry the right man, that is until she meets, falls in love and marries a jazz musician.

The secondary characters are ripe with their own stories and they each connect to Aisha, Camille and Geneva. Some scenes may appear difficult to comprehend or unrealistic, but redeem themselves as the story picks up the pace for a satisfying conclusion. The story opens with thoughts of Miss Mabel, Geneva's housekeeper, and what her take may be on Aisha's impeding marriage. As the book closes, we once again get a taste of Ms. Mabel; delicate words but so true to form for all of the women of the Branch family.

Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves
APOOO BookClub

I've read "Good Hair" by Benilde Little and enjoyed it so I had high hopes for this one. I didn't enjoy it as much as the other reviewers did so I'll keep my comments short. Ayesha was a spoiled brat who seemed to get whatever she wanted. Things worked out a little too perfectly for her and it seem that she had everyone at her beck and call. And how she treated poor Will! She came off as being self - serving and cold. And the fact that Miles would risk throwing away a life long partnership just to get with Ayesha was silly. Hope the next book is better!

Three generations of women are the centerpiece of Who Does She Think She Is - a novel that examines the quest for fulfillment. Twenty-six year old Aisha Branch is engaged to a wealthy white man. Camille, her mother, has fairly strong feelings regarding the engagement. And Geneva, the matriarch of the family, is good for some old-fashioned wisdom which she carefully imparts to her granddaughter.

For the mercurial Camille, questions arise about a father she's never known, and a love that she wishes she could have, and she isn't referring to her current husband-to-be. So when she's introduced to another captivating man, the life that she's known comes to a gridlock. And through many conversations with her mother, her grandmother, and good but flaky girlfriend Cedra, Aisha braves much self-exploration to show herself who she is, and who she is not.

Written with a sophisticated style that tenderly and honestly explores women's issues, Benilde Little has penned another moving and insightful novel about how to trust your instincts even when your life is filled with uncertainty.

I didn't care for this book. I honestly thought that this book was going to be an interracial book. When I have looked up BWWM books on Amazon, this book was listed too. I like reading interracial books that deals with black women and white men, but it seems like there are a lot out there that aren't good.

I didn't care for Aisha or how she treated Will. She sees Miles for the first time and she just had to have him. She said that she was in love with him. Aisha was in heat. She was in lust for Will. She was a dog and so was Miles. Some people thinks that cheating is good, as long as they get what they want. Aisha didn't deserve a good man, she deserved a dog like herself.


I couldn't read the whole book. After reading that Aisha had the hots for Miles. I've skipped to see if they hooked up and then from there, I've skipped to see if Will found out. I've finally skipped to the ending. I honestly don't see why Aisha was ever with a white man. This book should have been about black people period.

I don't think that I will read another one of Benilde's books.

I must admit, Benilde let me down just a little with this book. I absolutely loved her first two books, and enjoyed her last book, but - and I can't quite put my finger on it - something just wasn't connecting for me with this one. Maybe it was the shock of my beloved Miles actually falling for, and committing to someone, or maybe it was Aisha, who I didn't really care for through much of the book (she was a little TOO much for me). The book did its job, which was to keep me distracted during my son's first weekend away at college, but it didn't draw me in the way her books usually do.

If you haven't read anything else by Benilde Little, don't make this your first selection (try Good Hair instead). She is one of my faves, but this just wasn't one of my favorite books.

Aisha Branch McCovney is on the verge of having everything she ever wanted. She's a young assistant media buyer who is marrying a successful art director. This upcoming marriage sends Aisha's mother Camile and grandmother Geneva in a tailspin because not only is her fiancé rich but also white. Added to the confusion, Aisha suddenly falls in love with a much older man named Miles. She must make some heart-wrenching decisions that could affect not only herself but everyone around her as well.

Who Does She Think She Is? not only delves into the lives of Aisha but also explores the relationships of her mother and grandmother as well. The novel was a little dry in some areas but it was still a good read. Benilde Little brings us a novel that shows that fairytales can come true, you just have to alter them a bit.

No writer seems to capture the ways and mores of the so-called "talented tenth" like Benilde Little. In her latest offering, she tells of three generations of African American women in one family and their relationship to one another, which of course has some major drama! The family dynamics she illustrates in this book are very true-to-life. And leave it to my boy Miles to get all up in the mix again! Much props to Ms. Little for her Miles Browning character, one of the most fascinating Black male characters in all of today's African American fiction. Interesting how Miles has somehow managed to get himself romantically involved with one of the main characters in at least three of Ms. Little's books....that's my boyeeeee!!! Miles may be a dog, but he's a good dog! The brother is a very successful and charismatic Wall Street pro who has his head on straight, and likes to kick it with attractive, intelligent, and accomplished African American women. No "babymama" drama or O.J. Simpson syndrome with this dude! Although all of Ms. Little's books center around and are aimed at African American women, I congratulate her on creating a Black male character that tha' "fellaz" can relate to and enjoy!

I rated it 4 stars because it was an OK story that was interesting in parts. No silly or corny things happen, and it was narrated well (I got the audio book). I did enjoy the thoughtfulness of the very well-developed characters. There was a good moral or lesson to the story also.

On the other hand, this story was very simple and boring in parts--like most peoples' lives. It also had long streatches that were uneventful, and there was not alot of drama.

This book was OK. She started off good and then I don't know what happen. It got kinda slow, but it was good.

I love Benilde Little books, but this one was a disappointment. Kind of like she had to make some quota with the book publishers and just gave them something she was working on. If you wanna do some good Benilde Little reading, read "THE ITCH."