Kim Coleman Foote

Thanks to NetGalley & SJP Lit publisher for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I was offered the opportunity to read this novel because I had enjoyed Black Cake. Let me warn you not to make the same mistake I did – this is not anything like Black Cake. And even though it does give insight as to what Black people have endured in America (racism, sexism, violence, poverty, abuse), you would also learn these facts by reading The Violin Conspiracy, The Invention of Wings, The Help, The Vanishing Half as well as Black Cake - and I rated all of these 5 stars.

Coleman Hill is a depressing, unrelenting, violent story inspired by the author’s own family legend, historical record, and avid imagination. The book is labeled a “biomythography” – a word coined by the late writer Audre Lorde. Combining family stories, records, and memories, the story is told in the voices of two friends, going back and forth in time, beginning in 1916. There were many characters to keep track of and whether young or old, male or female, mother, father, or child, they all seemed to be stuck in the life of physical, mental and sexual abuse, violence, hunger, alcoholism, and selfish hatred.

I gave myself permission to stop at 50%, as it was just perpetually violent, miserable, wretched and without hope.… (plus d'informations)

Title: Coleman Hill
Author: Coleman Foote
Publisher: Zando Projects, SJP Lit
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Coleman Hill" by Coleman Foote

My Sentiments:

'Coleman Hill' was quite an interesting, emotionally powerful story that will keep one's attention until the end. It happens around the 1920s through the late 1980s. What will happen when these two families move north during the Great Migration, which went through over three generations that dealt with the story of Celia and Lucy [marriages, children & grandchildren]. as they settled in New Jersey? This author, Coleman Foote, a biomythography, gives the reader quite a story from complex friendships, some joys, racism, Jim Crow, alcoholism, abuse, domestic violence, lack of education, poverty, infidelities, intergenerational trauma, child neglect, sexism, love, betrayal, death, and forgiveness. And I don't want to leave out: a lot of what these people came from..."brutal slavery, Ku Klux Klan raping and lynching, misogyny, senseless assault, police brutality, redlining, and endless egregious and ingenious forms of segregation and subjugation." Now, I will say this read may not be for everyone. I will also tell you that you must have a good stomach for what happened in our country then. Yes, some of this happened! One may wonder, did these people get a better life after moving north? This is where I say, pick up "Coleman Hill" to see what happens.

We are presented with each chapter telling what happens in their family. One character, in particular, was Bertha... whom I felt sorry for in how she was treated. You must pick up this read to see how it all comes together.

The author also gives the readers bleak pictures of the various families of the family members being spoken of in the chapter that is presented at the beginning of each chapter.

Be ready for many attractive characters in the large multi-generational family, so you will have to keep up with this story that will have a lot of facts mixed with fiction.

At times, this was a difficult read in what was being presented. The story brings in historical events and figures...' the Great Migration, Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, and Martin Luther King Jr.,' which brings out the realness in how this author presented the story to the reader, as it is a mix of fiction and history.

Thank you, Net Gallery/Kim Coleman/Zando Project, SJP Lit/, for this eArc in advance for my honest review.… (plus d'informations)