I've read a lot of books that explore the dynamics between the haves and the have-nots, and the machinations that those in power use to attempt to stay there. But until now, I've never read a book that explores those concepts within the African-American community.
With her debut novel, The Other Americans, Navidad Thélamour paints a portrait of one powerful family and those who orbit around it, and in doing so creates a dramatic, almost soap opera-esque story I couldn't get enough of.
The Dessommes family has been one to reckon with in Atlanta society for some time. Like every family, they have their ups and downs, but they do their best to make their ups public and keep their downs private. Vince Dessommes has been groomed to take over the family business since he was born—his father taught him how to be a man, and his mother made sure that his every move was the right one. Of course, that meant essentially ignoring their younger daughter, Jillian, letting her know she was definitely less than her brother.
Vince is ready to ascend into his father's spot at the top of the company and take over, but no one's quite ready for that yet. His ambitions create serious pressure for his wife, Delaney, whose dreams of becoming a social worker were put on hold (permanently) when Vince proposed. She isn't quite sure why she chose a life for which she has little control in charting its course over the one she wanted, but the closer Vince gets to achieving his ambitions, the more he wants his wife to fulfill her expected role.
"Power was something better used than left to get rusty, she'd learned. A Dessommes family trait that never seemed to skip a generation. Nothing had changed, in that regard, and nothing ever would."
Laney's best friend, Aaliyah, doesn't understand Laney's choices either. As a Trinidadian, she is viewed by the Dessomes family as an outsider, more because she reminds them of their blackness, of a heritage they don't want to think about. Aaliyah believes that hard work should be rewarded with success, and she is determined to succeed in the marketing firm where she works, so she puts in long hours and works tirelessly. But she doesn't factor in the disadvantages she faces as a woman, nor does she realize that for others, naked ambition means pulling strings rather than working hard. And she's not going to take it.
Jillian Dessomes has long been the one on the outside. It's one thing to be treated as an afterthought by your parents (although they expect you to keep up appearances and make the family look good), but what is it about her relationship with her brother Vince that unhinges her so, that causes her fondness for drugs, razor blades, and inappropriate relationships? What will it take to find the peace she so desperately needs?
All of these storylines intersect in The Other Americans, and create a tension-filled, emotional, thought-provoking read. This is a book about family loyalty, ambition, the need for independence, craving acceptance and love, and how people continue to surprise you in ways you don't expect—both positively and negatively. This was a compelling book, as I love stories about dysfunctional family and relationship dynamics.
Thélamour does a great job in her debut novel, and her writing is very self-assured. While some of the characters are very well-developed, I found Vince's character to be a little less complex. There was also one storyline involving the return of a character from Vince and Jillian's youth that seemed extraneous to me—it's like, clearly she had a purpose but I wasn't sure what it was except to create drama in another relationship.
If you like this type of story, pick up The Other Americans. It says in Thélamour's bio that she's working on a follow-up, and I'd love to see that.
The author provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
No comments:
Post a Comment