Book Review: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Author: Jesmyn Ward
Title: Sing, Unburied, Sing
Narrator: Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Chris Chalk, Rutina Wesley
Publication Info: Simon & Schuster Audio, 2017
Summary/Review:
Sing, Unburied, Sing is a family drama set in contemporary Mississippi. Central to the story is a road trip in Leonie Stone and her children Jojo and Kayla travel to pick up Michael, her boyfriend and the children’s father. The story is narrated by three characters:
- Jojo, a 13-year-old who feels that he must care for 3-year-old Kayla due to their mother’s inattentiveness. He also has spiritual gifts and can see ghosts. His grandfather Pop is his is role model.
- Leonie, a woman with a troubled life who became a mother at a young age. Her relationship with Michael is one that reinforces both of their substance abuse problems. When she’s high, she sees visions of her brother Given who was murdered as a teenager.
- Richie, the ghost of a 12-year-old who knew Pop at the penitentiary many decades earlier. Jojo can see Richie, who follows the family back from the prison.
The book touches on many themes including racial prejudice (especially within the carceral state), generational trauma, and African spirituality and the supernatural.
Recommended books:
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
Rating: ****
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