Genre:
Drama
Publisher:
Dafina Books - Kensington Publishing Corp
Publication
Date: June 1, 2011
Reviewed
by Chrystal Dorsey
Deception,
lust, and murder are a few of the ingredients that will keep readers turning
the pages of Mama Ruby, by New York Times Bestselling
Author Mary Monroe.
The
story opens in 1934 in Shreveport, Louisiana - and is the prequel to Monroe's The
Upper Room, and takes place during Ruby's formative years - and boy how
influential those years were in shaping Ruby into the character she
became.
The
down-home Southern names are earthy to match the thickness of the characters -
Ruby Jean, Othella Mae, Beulah, Simone
are just a few of the names that are used to express the time period the
story is set in. Ruby is the seventh
daughter of a seventh daughter - it was supposed to mean she had mystical
abilities that she didn't want anything to do with - she didn't need or want the
responsibility, after all just being the daughter of a preacher was enough of a
burden as far as Ruby was concerned.
You
would think by being the daughter of overly religious parents it would have had
a positive influence on the main character, Ruby - but it did not. Instead Ruby
was the promiscuous ignorant young daughter of a preacher and the horrific and
somewhat unbelievable consequences that occurred throughout her childhood
followed her into adulthood and only seem to be compounded by her own actions.
The
human elements of this story may cause many readers to become angry and perhaps
even sympathize with the characters. I
was angered enough to put the book down, but had no sympathy for the characters;
I did not like the characters, their lifestyles or what they represented.
However, I wanted to know what happened, how the characters did or did not
prevail over their grim circumstances.
This
book contains some gritty as well as offensive language therefore; the
recommended audience should be mature readers of ages 18 and older.
Review copy provided by author.
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