What readers can expect from The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams is a multi-generational tale following a long line of women who each have their own story to tell; however, those stories follow a familiar thread, and a curse passed down though each generation.
The Situation: It is 1995 and if there is one thing Tati knows, it is that Sunday is when her grandmother, Gladys, will come into her daughter Nadia's basement to have her hair done before Sunday church service. The two will trade barbed words and back-handed comments until it is time for Gladys to leave, but Tati still will not be any closer to learning the one truth she has been chasing her entire life. Nadia refuses to tell her daughter anything about her father, and Gladys is keeping her mouth shut too. As Tati begins to dig, she will uncover secrets that go even further back than Gladys' past, and the real reason she left Lands End, Alabama all those years ago.
The Problem: Tati may be understandably desperate to know about the father she never met, but the truth may be worse than disappointing, perhaps even devastating. Every woman in the Dupree family line has had to confront their own history and pain, beginning with an unnamed woman who risked everything for a chance to be free. Evangeline did what she could to help Emma, and was pivotal in helping to bring Jubi into the world. But Jubi's own decisions, and Ruby's mere existence, would be its own tale filled with gossip and secrets whispered from porch to porch among neighbors. With Gladys as the oldest living Dupree woman, it is her decision whether to give up what she knows to her daughter and granddaughter.
Genre, Themes, History: This book is a work of historical fiction that tells the story of seven generations of women. The book opens in 1995, focusing on Gladys, Nadia, and Tati, but goes as far back as 1860 when Emma's mother is captured. Each woman's story is eventually revealed by a third-person narrator, though they are not told in chronological order, and most of the focus is placed on Tati and her desire to find out about her father. And the 'Dupree' in the title refers to Zephaniah Foster Dupree, the man who was master over Evangeline and Emma (and also Emma's father) before the Civil War changed their status as property, and who ended up leaving everything he had to them.
My Verdict: With the stories of seven women to tell (though eight really), I knew there was going to be a lot of ground to cover, and some of it incredibly painful. And yet, what is found on these pages is somehow heavy, but not burdensome. There are moments that merit more than a grimace or wince, but they are in service to the story of these resilient women. While I did find myself more interested in what Tati was dealing with, each woman's story is necessary and adds to a novel that is both compelling and fascinating.
Favorite Moment: Jubi makes a decision to not only confront the truth of her actions, but also the man who insisted on removing her from his life, despite their long history together.
Favorite Character: Tati has a tough time of it when it comes to dealing with her mother and grandmother. She has witnessed Nadia and Gladys' caustic behavior towards each other all her life, while also getting nowhere when it comes to information on her father. Her frustration is understandable, as is her stubbornness, and I could not help but cheer her on.
Recommended Reading: I recommend Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson.
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