Title: This Ain’t No Promised Land
Author: Tina Shelton
Major Themes: Chicago, Mississippi, Teen Pregnancy, Rape, Family
Synopsis: Charlotte’s secrets eat at her until she runs away from her children—can she ever face them again?
If I see a Christian fiction book offered for review that does not appear to have romance as a main topic, I often sign up for it without much thought. This Ain’t No Promised Land was a case like that. I had never read a book by Tina Shelton before, and had no idea what to expect. I have not read very many books with Black main characters, so that was different, too. However, the struggles faced by this family are common, no matter what group is being talked about.
Publisher’s description:
When her husband dies, Charlotte can’t face the things she’s done that could tear her family apart. So she drops a goodbye letter in the cookie jar and flees south to escape everything—her life, her three daughters, the mistakes she’s made, and the secrets eating her alive.
Now Gracey and her sisters are alone on Chicago’s South Side with nothing but their home and belongings. They’re doing everything they can to stay together, but young teens aren’t meant to parent themselves. Their close-knit Black community gathers around them to keep them fed and clothed with the utilities on, but that’s not enough to fix the damage of abandonment.
Hundreds of miles away, Charlotte is struggling to keep her own head above water. She’s made a close friend who talks to her about God in a way Charlotte’s never heard before. But when her demons catch up to her, the shaky peace she tried to build shatters. Even if she’s able to find the courage to embrace motherhood again, will it be enough to save the family she left behind?
My thoughts:
The story in This Ain’t No Promised Land switches back and forth between Gracey’s point of view, and that of her mother Charlotte. Charlotte’s story also switches between 1987-88 and 1963. Because the chapters are each labeled at the beginning with the date and the point of view, I had no problems keeping track.
I appreciated a story about a Black family that did not over-emphasize their color. It was just who they were, and the story could have happened to anyone. The conflict in this book is within each person and between the people in the family, because of the trauma they have experienced. I found the book rather heavy, as far as subject matter, but full of hope at the end, too.
This Ain’t No Promised Land is a hard book to describe. I was telling my daughter about it, and she commented that it sounded like a story with many nuances. That’s exactly right! This story deals with abandonment, teen pregnancy, rape, and secrets, as well as love, family, and Jesus. The effects of keeping sin and trauma hidden for many years are shown, and then the freedom and ability to love that results from admitting to what has happened in the past. I found myself surprised by how much I ended up appreciating and enjoying this book, and I will be watching for more books by this author.
Oh—there were a couple of little things that added to my enjoyment of the story. I found it quite interesting to hear a brief description of the foods in a grocery store in Mississippi that were different from what could be found in Chicago, and I also enjoyed the little bits here and there about how the girls took care of their hair. These were just little details stuck in that made the story even more authentic.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Chapter 1: Dang, “girls who knew bad words and all about sex.” Chapter 10: Dang, crap. Chapter 11: Dang. Chapter 12: 16-year-old got pregnant. Chapter 13: Boy groping girl, girl beaten up. Chapter 14: Dang. Chapter 17: Dang. Chapter 18: Rape. Chapter 19: Kissing. Chapter 22: Dang. Chapter 23: For Pete’s sake. Chapter 24: Girl praying about not hitting or cussing. Chapter 25: Darn. Chapter 26: Doggone broom. Chapter 27: Who the heck, girls fighting. Chapter 28: Sure as heck. Chapter 34: Darn well, doggone it.
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Library Binding
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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