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IT'S A THIN LINE Kimberla Lawson Roby Dalfina May 2001 (4+) Nathasha Brooks-Harris |
Contemporary Romance |
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PLOT SYNOPSIS: |
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REVIEW: |
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The life of a middle class
black family has never been depicted as Roby does in her latest tome, IT’S
A THIN LINE. Just as in real life, her characters are each thrown
into difficult situations, but they deal with them by making the choices, which
are best for them at the time. Told through the eyes of
Sydney, a woman with a loving husband and children, a fulfilling writing career
and everything she could ever want, IT’S A THIN LINE,
is a tale about family love and sticking together through rough times.
Sydney’s life changes dramatically when her mother’s dormant brain tumor
takes a turn for the worse and has a stroke. Her debilitating illness
takes a toll on Sydney as well as on her sister, Gina and their brother, Rick. Because of their mother’s
terrible illness at a relatively young age, their worlds as they know them
change. That’s when the real drama begins. They learn about the
high-powered executive, Gina, enduring physical abuse from her crazed husband
and Rick cannot commit to his devoted fiancée. Just when you think
you’ve read all the drama that can be written in one book, there’s
more. The normally cool-as-a-cucumber Sydney reveals a secret that has the
potential to tear her family apart. As the saying goes, it’s on from there! IT’S A THIN LINE is in a word - excellent. This novel explores black family life in a fresh and exciting way. Roby takes a major risk and deals with the often-taboo subject of domestic abuse and she does it with insight and sensitivity. She dispels many of the stereotypes associated with it and shows it happening to a sister who’s well on top of her game, who in real life, would be disbelieved if she told anyone that she was getting beaten regularly by her spouse. Roby also deals eloquently with the subject of elder care, realistically showing the pressure and strain that caring for an ill parent can place on the family. However, she balances those negative effects with some positive elements when she depicts them pulling together and asking for specific types of help as needed. Kimberla Lawson Roby’s
literary voice is magical and compelling. Every word pulls readers deeper
into the story and that’s just one thing that makes this novel a definite page-turner.
The subject matter is sad, but Roby writes about things that need to be
addressed—and she does it with dignity. Her characters are rich and
three-dimensional and very realistic. They could be anyone readers know or
the quiet neighbors next door. The story is peopled with characters that
will live in the hearts of many for years to come. Roby is a writer who’s definitely before her time. Her voice is one of what the elders would call “an old soul, like someone who’s been here before” because the story is emotion-packed, concise and the subject matter forces readers to ponder the issues presented in her novel. The themes are universal and are sure to touch the heartstrings of readers everywhere. This book will be hard to put down once readers begin reading it, they won’t be able to stop until it’s completed. So this reviewer suggests scheduling a free weekend to read it nonstop. It’s guaranteed that anyone reading this novel will enjoy learning about how making certain choices and compromises can affect this fictional family and it just might help some readers who are going through similar situations. It’s easy to see why the literary community is celebrating this author’s work. Ms. Roby is a gifted storyteller who can be considered as a griot of the new millennium because of the wonderful, insightful messages she imparts to many. Roby should be commended for a job well done! |
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2002 |
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