~ Review: Sugar ~

PLOT SYNOPSIS:  Set in the fictionalized town of Bigelow, Arkansas, circa 1950, SUGAR is a rich and moving story that traces the lives of two unforgettable women and the small community they change.

REVIEW:  It’s been a long time since a story has held this reviewer a virtual captive, but SUGAR by Bernice McFadden did just that. Totally engrossed in this wonderful story, I couldn’t put the book down until I had read and digested every word.

Sugar is a misunderstood young girl who looks for love everywhere she goes—not just in all the wrong places. It is an act of love that thrusts her into the situations she encounters throughout the book. However, she doesn’t learn about that until many years later. She is also a shunned young woman because she is a prostitute. For the most part, no one in the small town of Bigelow wants anything to do with her.

Thankfully, not everyone in that small, backwards town feels that way. Determined that there is some good in everyone, her neighbor, Pearl, is determined to find it in Sugar. What ensues is a series of visits in which Pearl attempts to take or make homemade pies for or with Sugar that turn into a comedy of errors each time she tries. Finally, she gets it right and they begin to bond.

The tongues wag a mile a minute about Pearl and her loss of senses to take up with the town’s whore. But Pearl holds her head up and teaches Sugar to do the same thing. They strut around their town as if they own it and dare anyone to say anything in their presence. Pearl gets beneath the surface and finds out that there are many layers to Sugar and she is determined to get to each one.

Conversely, Pearl lost a daughter to a brutal rape and murder years ago as the book opens. One of the things that drew her to Sugar is that fact that she looks just like her murdered daughter,  Jude. Pearl is looking for closure and to pick up the life she’d given up after she buried her daughter. When she befriends Sugar she doesn’t realize how badly she needs their friendship—nor does Sugar.

Their need for one another cements their bond and they become as close as family. Pearl blossoms as a result of her friendship with Sugar and Pearl’s husband, Joe, makes friends with her as well. Over time, they all become very close and something is learned which explains their bond.

A little romance is added when Sugar meets their handsome son, Seth. Sparks fly between them and they admit their love for one another—much to Pearl and Joe’s blessings. However, Fate steps in and a tragedy happens that changes their plans.

Sugar is a fast-paced story about love, redemption and forgiveness that’s riveting at best. The story couldn’t be told any better with its lush characters, rich setting and interesting plot. McFadden’s excellent use of language, description and imagery takes the readers into the story and pulls them in with every word. It’s a must-read for readers who enjoy good prose and being entertained. However, it is a prerequisite for anyone wanting to read the sequel, THIS BITTER EARTH. In order to understand it, SUGAR must be read first as many things are referenced in it that can only be understood if SUGAR was read.

13th February 2002