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I'M
TELLING Karen E. Q. Miller Simon & Schuster Alicia Thomas |
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OTHER REVIEWS |
PLOT SYNOPSIS: Quinones Miller is back with her gripping and emotional follow-up to her bestselling debut novel "Satin Doll." Her eagerly awaited second novel tells the tale of a young literary agent and bride-to-be who has lived for many years with the secret sexual knowledge about her twin sister and their stepfather.
REVIEW: Faith Freeman has it all. She manages her own literary agency, and is engaged to Henry, a sexy, strong, intelligent, and loving investment banker. They share a beautiful apartment in Harlem. Yet, her world is far from perfect. Irene, her mother, is extremely critical, with a touch of the drama queen. She refuses to keep her brownstone clean and rarely leaves her bed. Hope, Faith’s twin sister, when sober, is effervescent, smart and warm-hearted, but she refuses to keep a job or stay out of trouble. Faith has two brothers who refuse to come home.
I’M TELLING takes a poignant, but realistic look at the aftershocks of sexual abuse on the members of the Freeman family. The main premise of the book is that “truth told does not equate to truth accepted”. Faith, Irene, and Hope try to live their lives without dwelling on the past. The truth, however, hovers like an extra person in the room whenever at least two of them are together.
From the first page, the reader is pulled into this sensitive tale and taken on an intense emotional ride. The characters jump off the page because of rich dialogue and pertinent flashbacks which help you understand each character. Perfectly paced, there are no lulls in this book. So, get comfortable as you’re sure to complete it in one sitting.
Ms. Miller takes a distinctive and bold look at a serious topic using the viewpoint of a witness instead of the abused or the abuser. She creates a unique and compelling story that speaks about facing the truth and forgiving oneself. It is also a story that is filled with hope despite the seriousness of sexual abuse. I’M TELLING is a brilliant follow-up to her first novel, SATIN DOLL. Ms. Miller is certainly an author to watch.
JUNE 2002