The Situation: It is the summer of 1987, and Diamond Newberry is working with her mother in order to have her father finally declared legally dead. It has been seven years since he disappeared, but because the body was never found, he had only been labeled as 'missing,' which meant no life insurance money. Over the years, various people claim to have seen Diamond's dad at a store, in a parking lot, or with another family two towns over. Looking back at the memories of her father's life in Swift River as the only Black man in the entire town - and his disappearance means Diamond has since become the only Black person in town - Diamond is not sure what to hope for. Her and her mother could use the money, but declaring her father dead is maybe something she is not ready for.
The Problem: The paper work and legal hoops Diamond and her mom must work through is fairly daunting. But the two remain determined, even as they often have to beg for rides to places, or even hitchhike. The two of them already standout, mostly because of Diamond's darker skin color and weight, contrasted next to her mother's pale skin and thin frame, which has always earned them various comments from strangers. To complicate matters, this is the summer Diamond has decided to learn to drive, even though she knows her mother is against it, and she has begun receiving letters from a relative from her dad's side of the family. Through the letters, Diamond learns not only more or her dad's history, but the town as well, and the generations of Newberry women that came before her.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction book set in the fictional town of Swift River, with most of the action taking place in 1987, but with flashbacks to 1980, the year that Diamond's father went missing. The town of Swift River is a 'sundown town,' and at one point, all of the Black people were forced out, even though the town depended on the Black population as a labor force. Through the letters Diamond receives from her recently discovered relative, she learns more about this time in her town's history, as well as her great-aunt's contributions to the community. It is a book that goes back and forth in time, reaching even further back as Diamond reads her great-aunt's letters, and explores themes of family, friendship, guarded secrets, and the complications of grief.
My Verdict: This is an interesting read, and a book that works hard to keep the reader engaged by moving back and forth through time, and including letters from two different characters outside of Swift River. Plus, there is Diamond's complicated relationship with her town, as well as her even more complicated relationship with her mother. The story is never boring, though often heart-breaking, while also being incredibly tense in places. The ending felt slightly rushed, as it felt like everything was being brought together too quickly, but I would not say there are loose ends or that anything was left unresolved. Perhaps the history of Swift River could have been its own separate book, instead of less than half of this one.
Favorite Moment: I love that Diamond decided to learn to drive, carefully and over time putting aside money from her part-time job in order to pay for the classes.
Favorite Character: Diamond's new friend Shelly is probably not someone her father would have wanted his daughter to hang out with, but she is there for Diamond, even helping her out at her job without asking to be paid.
Recommended Reading: I will always recommend Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson.
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