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BRASS ANKLE BLUES - Rachel Harper Simon & Schuster/Touchstone January 2007 |
SYNOPSIS: A young woman of mixed race navigates the twists and turns of first love and shifting family loyalties. Moving towards a definition of self that encompasses all the aspects of American, diversity, she wonders if her newfound identity requires her to distance herself from those she loves.
MAINSTREAM FICTION |4+| Wayne Jordan
REVIEW: When fifteen year old Nellie Kincade travels with her
father and cousin from her home in Virginia to the family summer cabin
in Minnesota little does she know that by the fall, the events of the
summer would have changed her life.
Rachel Harper makes a stunning debut with this fantastic novel that
follows a young girl on her journey of self discovery and self
acceptance. Nellie must not only deal with familial discord, first love,
and the impending divorce of her parents, but the pressure that comes
with being the offspring of parents of different races. Nellie’s sense
of rootlessness and alienation is summed up in the following: "The only
time I feel black is in a room full of white people, and the only time I
feel white is in a room full of black people." However, the Nellie that
the reader sees at the end of the story is no longer a naïve vulnerable
teenager, but a young woman who is ready to face life with the growing
knowledge of who she is.
BRASS ANKLE BLUES is not only Nellie’s story, but the story of several
of the secondary characters she interact with. Jess, Nellie’s cousin,
who must deal with the estrangement for her parents, is reckless and
vocal. Jess is a scared young girl who hides her insecurities under a
brass bravado, but who aches for acceptance and love. Nellie’s introvert
professor dad, and Dallas, the young Indian boy she meets on her trip
are both memorable characters. Dallas, in particular, provides a similar
voice to Nellie’s as he has had to face some of the complex issues she
also faces. Dallas fascinates Nellie, awakening feelings strange and
confusing. Before they part, he has helped her to accept aspects of her
complicated life.
Ms. Harper also creates a wonderful sense of place and time with her
rich vivid descriptions. Virginia and Minnesota comes alive with every
stroke of her talented pen. Each of these settings and the changing of
the seasons serve to reflect the changes taking place in Nellie’s life
as she comes to terms with the chaos around her.
With its lyrical prose and intense emotion, BLASS ANKLE BLUES is a truly
heart-warming and at time heartbreaking story.
reviewer@romanceincolor.com |1st March 2007