Glorious Paperback – May 1, 2010

Bernice McFadden writes historical fiction. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction because I learn so much when I read it. After reading Glorious, I was in awe by Ms. McFadden and her writing style. Bernice McFadden has a way with her words. She lets them come to life on paper. When I began reading the novel, I remember emailing Ms. McFadden on Facebook letting her know how much I was enjoying Glorious. At that point I had only read the prologue. I was mesmerized by each sentence. The stage was set during the Jim Crow, Harlem Renaissance & Civil Rights era. If you know anything about these eras you know that it was hard for African-Americans during that time. Let me warn you, Ms. McFadden address the issue of homosexuality, bisexuality, racism, love, lies, betrayal & redemption. Therefore, there are various words and language use in the story that isn't suited for tween or teens.The story tells of Easter Venetta Barlett,an aspiring author and her journey from childhood to adulthood. Her journey begins in her hometown of Waycross, GA and takes her across various cities in the United States; all to bring her back to Waycross, GA as an adult. Easter has to deal with the love that she has for another woman but the love wasn't returned the same way. That is just one of the stumbling blocks she had to face. As Easter migrated to various cities, she met and became friends with many different people, actual and aesthetic. When Easter left Waycross, she left with every intention of never returning. She never stayed in one place long until she moved to Harlem. You will have to read the book to understand what brought her back to Waycross, GA. Throughout the pages, I cried, got angry, laughed and cried some more. When an author can do this to me, they have a craft like no other. Ms. McFadden states, "I write to breath life back into memory to remind African-Americans of our rich and textured history." In my opinion, Ms. McFadden is the "Stephen King" of African American authors.

I am a huge fan of McFadden, her writing style reminds of Toni Morrison & Alice Walker's earlier works, only she's a little more reader friendly. "Glorious" is good writing, but what I was missing was the strong emotional pull from Easter. For much of Book I, I felt like I was reading billboards along the highway, interesting stuff but I was largely unaffected. I didn't really get into this book until Book II, when Easter arrives in New York, images popped off the page & I could feel & see everything. However, I still didn't feel like I knew Easter; I showed more interest in Rain & Colin than I did Easter & this really bothers me. Overall, I will say again, the writing was solid & there were really great character sketches, but the emotional depth I am so used to finding with this author, was sadly not there for me this time.

Finally, Bernice McFadden, who first picked up her pen and satiated our need to read stories about us with "Sugar" and "This Bitter Earth" weaves her magic pen again! This author knows that Our Stories are best told by us--why we've allowed others to twist and warp the stories of our people,our past and our present---I will never understand, when we have many who can and do tell our tales so well. McFadden says, "I write to breathe life back into memory to remind African Americans of our rich and textured history." "Glorious" does this and more! After a few years of McFadden leaving her fans wondering if she had just run out of our stories, she has returned with a passionate tale of love, violence, hate, innocence, betrayal and determination in. Similar to the characters in "Sugar," McFadden creates an undeniably memorable cast in "Glorious," from the protagonist Easter who writes "to keep a grip on life--to leave something of herself behind;" to a child who executes a woman who nursed him; to Rain, a woman who loves however she can, to Colin, a West Indian whose loyalty to Garveyism destroys him; to a slew of Harlemites without whom the Harlem Renaissance would not have happened.I can only imagine how gifted people of color must have felt when their work and livelihood were at the mercy of selfish egotistical "white benefactors"--a different kind of slavery, but no less demeaning. And flash forward to 2010 and publishers are still deciding what stories are worth telling about US, telling African Americans that rich stories that remind all of our GLORIOUS history, people, honor, bravery and culture are not worthy BUT that chick lit, flash and fab, and ghetto beat are!I finished "Glorious" in two sittings, reread it and cried tears of pride in this magnificent story by McFadden who is proving that Nella Larsen and Zora Neale Hurston chose well and must be smiling down and bursting with pride watching as McFadden weave her tales of literary excellence.

I am not going to say that the book was not entertaining because it was But I found the book to be edited To the point where the story seem to break off and pick back up into a whole Different story, I would've loved to have known Rain, I would have loved to know what happened Meredith The book states not much about what happened past painting the walls black We know she died but from What? What happened at the house to make Easter leave? In the story picks back up when she's old I noticed one thing about these new books When it gets close to the end it seems like the story is not as tight That the author seems to get exhausted or just wants to wrap it up But anyway what I could figure out from the beginning Of the book it was good But to pick it back up when she's old and that gap Of what happen at the house that made Easter Leave That nothing states how Madeline Died Or what happened to rain Very important characters as far as I'm concerned The book it's a three

Just discovered this writer, can’t get enough of her!!