Darkest Child, The - No UK Rights - Marion Boyars - Softcover

Phillips, Delores

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1569473781 ISBN 13: 9781569473788

Publisher: Soho Press Inc, 2005

Synopsis

Pakersfield, Georgia, 1958: Thirteen-year-old Tangy Mae Quinn is the sixth of ten fatherless siblings. She is the darkest-skinned among them and therefore the ugliest in her mother, Rozelle's, estimation, but she's also the brightest. Rozelle--beautiful, charismatic, and light-skinned--exercises a violent hold over her children. Fearing abandonment, she pulls them from school at the age of twelve and sends them to earn their keep for the household, whether in domestic service, in the fields, or at "the farmhouse" on the edge of town, where Rozelle beds local men for money.

But Tangy Mae has been selected to be part of the first integrated class at a nearby white high school. She has a chance to change her life, but can she break from Rozelle's grasp without ruinous--even fatal--consequences?

About this title

Review

Praise for "The Darkest Child"

"Filled with grand plot events and clearly identifiable villains and victims . . . lush with detail and captivating with its story of racial tension and family violence."
--"The Washington Post Book World"

""The Darkest Child" is an exceptional debut from a most talented writer. Epic in scope, intimate in tone, it is sure to find a special place in the deepest crevices of your heart."
--Edwidge Danticat
" "
"[An] exceptional debut novel . . . [Has] a depth and dimension not often characteristic of a first novel."
--"Library Journal", Starred Review

"Bold memorable characters and enough drama to keep you up all night wondering what can possibly happen next."
--"The Black Book Review"

"Evil's regenerative powers and one girl's fierce resistance . . . A book that deserves a wide audience."
--"The Cleveland Plain Dealer"

"Horrific and gripping."
--"Philadelphia Inquirer"

"Heart-rending."
--"Dallas Morning News"

"Extraordinary . . . Delores Phillips delivers a narrative with the kind of brutal force that renders the reader breathless . . . A commanding piece of work that will undoubtedly assume a place within a well-established literary tradition, and will place Phillips among a selective group of writers whose abilities as literary artists inspire and encourage conversation and creativity."
--"Noir! African American Book Review"

"Phillips writes with a no-nonsense elegance . . . As a vision of African-American life, "The Darkest Child" is one of the harshest novels to arrive in many years . . . [Phillips] buttresses those harsh episodes with a depth of characterization worthy of Chekhov, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a profound knowledge of the segregated South in the '50s."
--"The New Leader"
"From the Hardcover edition."

Praise for "The Darkest Child"
Filled with grand plot events and clearly identifiable villains and victims . . . lush with detail and captivating with its story of racial tension and family violence.
"The Washington Post Book World"
"The Darkest Child" is an exceptional debut from a most talented writer. Epic in scope, intimate in tone, it is sure to find a special place in the deepest crevices of your heart.
Edwidge Danticat
""
[An] exceptional debut novel . . . [Has] a depth and dimension not often characteristic of a first novel.
"Library Journal," Starred Review
Bold memorable characters and enough drama to keep you up all night wondering what can possibly happen next.
"The Black Book Review"
Evil s regenerative powers and one girl s fierce resistance . . . A book that deserves a wide audience.
"The Cleveland Plain Dealer"
Horrific and gripping.
"Philadelphia Inquirer"
Heart-rending.
"Dallas Morning News"
Extraordinary . . . Delores Phillips delivers a narrative with the kind of brutal force that renders the reader breathless . . . A commanding piece of work that will undoubtedly assume a place within a well-established literary tradition, and will place Phillips among a selective group of writers whose abilities as literary artists inspire and encourage conversation and creativity.
"Noir! African American Book Review"
Phillips writes with a no-nonsense elegance . . . As a vision of African-American life, "The Darkest Child" is one of the harshest novels to arrive in many years . . . [Phillips] buttresses those harsh episodes with a depth of characterization worthy of Chekhov, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a profound knowledge of the segregated South in the 50s.
"The New Leader"

"From the Hardcover edition.""

Praise for The Darkest Child
Filled with grand plot events and clearly identifiable villains and victims . . . lush with detail and captivating with its story of racial tension and family violence.
The Washington Post Book World
The Darkest Child is an exceptional debut from a most talented writer. Epic in scope, intimate in tone, it is sure to find a special place in the deepest crevices of your heart.
Edwidge Danticat

[An] exceptional debut novel . . . [Has] a depth and dimension not often characteristic of a first novel.
Library Journal, Starred Review

Bold memorable characters and enough drama to keep you up all night wondering what can possibly happen next.
The Black Book Review
Evil s regenerative powers and one girl s fierce resistance . . . A book that deserves a wide audience.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Horrific and gripping.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Heart-rending.
Dallas Morning News

Extraordinary . . . Delores Phillips delivers a narrative with the kind of brutal force that renders the reader breathless . . . A commanding piece of work that will undoubtedly assume a place within a well-established literary tradition, and will place Phillips among a selective group of writers whose abilities as literary artists inspire and encourage conversation and creativity.
Noir! African American Book Review

Phillips writes with a no-nonsense elegance . . . As a vision of African-American life, The Darkest Child is one of the harshest novels to arrive in many years . . . [Phillips] buttresses those harsh episodes with a depth of characterization worthy of Chekhov, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a profound knowledge of the segregated South in the 50s.
The New Leader"

Praise for The Darkest Child
Winner of the Black Caucus of the ALA Award
Nominee for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award
"Filled with grand plot events and clearly identifiable villains and victims . . . lush with detail and captivating with its story of racial tension and family violence."
--The Washington Post Book World
"The Darkest Child is an exceptional debut from a most talented writer. Epic in scope, intimate in tone, it is sure to find a special place in the deepest crevices of your heart."
--Edwidge Danticat

"[An] exceptional debut novel . . . [Has] a depth and dimension not often characteristic of a first novel."
--Library Journal, Starred Review

"Bold memorable characters and enough drama to keep you up all night wondering what can possibly happen next."
--The Black Book Review
"Evil's regenerative powers and one girl's fierce resistance . . . A book that deserves a wide audience."
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Horrific and gripping."
--Philadelphia Inquirer
"Heart-rending."
--Dallas Morning News

"Extraordinary . . . Delores Phillips delivers a narrative with the kind of brutal force that renders the reader breathless . . . A commanding piece of work that will undoubtedly assume a place within a well-established literary tradition, and will place Phillips among a selective group of writers whose abilities as literary artists inspire and encourage conversation and creativity."
--Noir! African American Book Review

"Phillips writes with a no-nonsense elegance . . . As a vision of African-American life, The Darkest Child is one of the harshest novels to arrive in many years . . . [Phillips] buttresses those harsh episodes with a depth of characterization worthy of Chekhov, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a profound knowledge of the segregated South in the '50s."
--The New Leader

Praise for The Darkest Child

Winner of the Black Caucus of the ALA Award
Nominee for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award

"Filled with grand plot events and clearly identifiable villains and victims . . . lush with detail and captivating with its story of racial tension and family violence."
--The Washington Post Book World

"The Darkest Child is an exceptional debut from a most talented writer. Epic in scope, intimate in tone, it is sure to find a special place in the deepest crevices of your heart."
--Edwidge Danticat

"Phillips writes with a no-nonsense elegance . . . As a vision of African-American life, The Darkest Child is one of the harshest novels to arrive in many years . . . [Phillips] buttresses those harsh episodes with a depth of characterization worthy of Chekhov, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a profound knowledge of the segregated South in the '50s."
--The New Leader

"[An] exceptional debut novel . . . [Has] a depth and dimension not often characteristic of a first novel."
--Library Journal, Starred Review

"Bold memorable characters and enough drama to keep you up all night wondering what can possibly happen next."
--The Black Book Review

"Evil's regenerative powers and one girl's fierce resistance . . . A book that deserves a wide audience."
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Horrific and gripping."
--Philadelphia Inquirer

"Heart-rending."
--Dallas Morning News

"A fierce and bitter story, told with striking authority. Delores Phillips has created a family and a town rich with resonant voices, all of them caught up in struggles both personal and public, and a mother so wildly commanding she earns a place beside some of the great mad women who embitter the lives of the children who love them."
--Rosellen Brown, author of Half a Heart and Civil Wars

"Extraordinary . . . Delores Phillips delivers a narrative with the kind of brutal force that renders the reader breathless . . . A commanding piece of work that will undoubtedly assume a place within a well-established literary tradition, and will place Phillips among a selective group of writers whose abilities as literary artists inspire and encourage conversation and creativity."
--Noir! African American Book Review

"[A] searing sebut . . . Using a cast of powerfully drawn characters, Phillips captures life in a town that serves as a microcosm of a world on the brink of change."
--Publishers Weekly

"A grim tale, set in the dying days of segregation, about one young woman's struggle to escape her past, her mother, and her duties . . . Phillips writes vividly."
--Kirkus Reviews

"A brilliant, unnerving, memorable debut."
--Caribbean Life

Synopsis

THE STORY OF A YOUNG GIRL WHOSE MOTHER CANNOT DISTINGUISH LOVE FROM POSSESSION Rozelle Quinn is so fair-skinned that she can pass for white. Her ten children are mostly light, too. They constitute the only world she rules and controls. Her power over them is all she has in an otherwise cruel and uncaring universe. Rozelle favours her light-skinned kids, but Tangy-Mae, thirteen, her darkest-skinned child, is the brightest. She desperately wants to continue with her education, but her mother has other plans. She wants her daughter to work cleaning houses for whites, like she does, and accompany her to the "Farmhouse", where Rozelle earns extra money by bedding men.

Edition details

• Publisher: Soho Press Inc
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1569473781
• ISBN 13: 9781569473788
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 392