An unforgettable story of two courageous women brought together by one extraordinary little girl.
Betty Jewel Hughes was once the hottest black jazz singer in Memphis. But when she finds herself pregnant and alone, she gives up her dream of being a star to raise her beautiful daughter, Billie, in Shakerag, Mississippi. Now, ten years later, in 1955, Betty Jewel is dying of cancer and looking for someone to care for Billie when she's gone. With no one she can count on, Betty Jewel does the unthinkable: she takes out a want ad seeking a loving mother for her daughter.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, recently widowed Cassie Malone is an outspoken housewife insulated by her wealth and privileged white society. Working part-time at a newspaper, she is drawn to Betty Jewel through her mysterious ad. With racial tension in the South brewing, the women forge a bond as deep as it is forbidden. But neither woman could have imagined the gifts they would find in each other, and in the sweet young girl they both love with all their hearts. Deeply moving and richly evocative, The Sweetest Hallelujah is a remarkable tale about finding hope in a time of turmoil, and about the transcendent and transformative power of friendship.
The Sweetest Hallelujah is meant to be similar to The Help. Because I'm a really bad person, I haven't read the book or even watched the movie. I really want to one day though! I know the basic premise and I agree that fans of The Help would definitely enjoy this book. Unfortunately, I can't say that I liked it. It's not that I found a million things wrong with this book, it's just that one of the defining factors was lacking. I'd give this book a 3 STAR or 3.5 STAR rating. What else? This book comes out today! YAY!
Characters:
I feel really bad dissing the characters but there was nothing to relate to. I mean obviously I'm not like most girls in YA books either but I actually understand how they feel. This is not the writer's fault and it's just because it's aimed at a higher age group but I just couldn't. Overall though, I did like the characters. The book is set a long ago, most likely during the Civil Rights movement, which means that of course there's the separation between the 'black' and 'white' people. Billie is the little girl in the story and I liked seeing the story from her point of view. I also liked Cassie, Betty Jewel and Queen who were the main adults in the story.
Pros:
Without spoiling too much, the novel itself is very heartfelt. The third person writing really exemplifies the characters. I've read too many books that have shifting points of views that are in first person. Though I do enjoy those, I think the third person sounds a lot more professional. The story is quite unique but again, it has a similar premise to The Help. I did like the ending a lot though. It's predictable but still just as beautiful.
Cons:
Here comes that bad things. Okay well, I found this book extremely, uncaptivating. I know that's no a word but I don't want to use the word boring. For the first half, I had to read each page like twice because I had trouble comprehending it. Afterwards, I kind of just skim read the whole thing because it wasn't intriguing. It was interesting but not intriguing. That's the major fault for me.
Summary:
In the end, I think that one of the only reasons why I didn't like this book is because of my age. I definitely recommend this to the older readers out there because you'd like it better. Also, if you liked The Help, I can see you enjoying The Sweetest Hallelujah as well.
Favourite Quote:
"Betty Jewel wondered if miracles are not prayers answered but the answer to prayers you didn't even know you should pray."
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