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African Immortals #1
My Soul to Keep
When Jessica marries David, he is everything she wants in a family man: brilliant, attentive, ever youthful. Yet she still feels something about him is just out of reach. Soon, as people close to Jessica begin to meet violent, mysterious deaths, David makes an unimaginable confession: More than 400 years ago, he and other members of an Ethiopian sect traded their humanity so they would never die, a secret he must protect at any cost. Now, his immortal brethren have decided David must return and leave his family in Miami. Instead, David vows to invoke a forbidden ritual to keep Jessica and his daughter with him forever. Harrowing, engrossing and skillfully rendered, My Soul to Keep traps Jessica between the desperation of immortals who want to rob her of her life and a husband who wants to rob her of her soul. With deft plotting and an unforgettable climax, this tour de force reminiscent of early Anne Rice will win Due a new legion of fans.
346 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 1997
About the author
Tananarive Due
103 books4,321 followersTANANARIVE DUE (tah-nah-nah-REEVE doo) is the award-winning author of The Wishing Pool & Other Stories and the upcoming The Reformatory ("A masterpiece"--Library Journal). She and her husband, Steven Barnes, co-wrote the Black Horror graphic novel The Keeper, illustrated by Marco Finnegan. Due and Barnes co-host a podcast, "Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!"
A leading voice in Black speculative fiction for more than 20 years, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a British Fantasy Award, and her writing has been included in best-of-the-year anthologies. Her books include Ghost Summer: Stories, My Soul to Keep, and The Good House. She and her late mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, co-authored Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights. She and her husband live with their son, Jason.
A leading voice in Black speculative fiction for more than 20 years, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a British Fantasy Award, and her writing has been included in best-of-the-year anthologies. Her books include Ghost Summer: Stories, My Soul to Keep, and The Good House. She and her late mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, co-authored Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights. She and her husband live with their son, Jason.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 789 reviews
April 16, 2020
I've been hearing the name Tananarive Due for several years, but I hadn't given her stuff a shot until this book.
Man, have I been missing out.
Here's the thing about Tananarive's writing: From the very first chapter until the very end of the book, you sense this marvelous combination of total authorial control and utter narrative abandon. The former sensation stems from Ms. Due's elegant, evocative prose; the latter arises from the jaw dropping unpredictability of the plot. The writing is so strong that you settle in, sure that you're in good hands, and while Ms. Due's hands are certainly sure, they're anything but predictable.
You remember the first time Harry Potter rode the Knight Bus? That's how I felt reading this book. At times I went scooting along, smiling and enjoying the ride. At others I was careening out of control with no idea how or when events would stabilize.
And safety? Forget about it. This book is anything but safe. One twist near the end left my emotions reeling. That's what great writing can do.
So to summarize, if you're in the mood for a beautifully-written, deeply shocking, emotionally affecting novel, this is the one for you.
If you're looking for a nice, safe story, you better look elsewhere.
Man, have I been missing out.
Here's the thing about Tananarive's writing: From the very first chapter until the very end of the book, you sense this marvelous combination of total authorial control and utter narrative abandon. The former sensation stems from Ms. Due's elegant, evocative prose; the latter arises from the jaw dropping unpredictability of the plot. The writing is so strong that you settle in, sure that you're in good hands, and while Ms. Due's hands are certainly sure, they're anything but predictable.
You remember the first time Harry Potter rode the Knight Bus? That's how I felt reading this book. At times I went scooting along, smiling and enjoying the ride. At others I was careening out of control with no idea how or when events would stabilize.
And safety? Forget about it. This book is anything but safe. One twist near the end left my emotions reeling. That's what great writing can do.
So to summarize, if you're in the mood for a beautifully-written, deeply shocking, emotionally affecting novel, this is the one for you.
If you're looking for a nice, safe story, you better look elsewhere.
July 15, 2011
My name is Dah-west. I was born in what is now called Ethiopia nearly five hundred years ago. I am an immortal. There are fifty-eight others like me. Our blood lives forever, and our bodies heal. We do not age. We were not born this way, and our condition is not genetic. We underwent a Ritual. We do not have extraordinary strength, and it is not our purpose to harm others. We are merely a race of scholars. Most of us choose not to mingle among mortals, but sone of us do. We love, and we have families. I have had wives and children before. I have outlived them or been forced to abandon them. We have a Covenant that forbids us to revel our truth.
This is a highly recommended read, the story really flows well, immersing and thrilling. Stephen king was right on the cover when je said it is a similar story to interview with the vampire. These are not vampires but I feel more interesting beings of everlasting life I am anticipating with optimism how the story unfolds in the next novel. This writer is good you can really feel the emotions and intrigue in the words she uses. She's an underrated writer who could give many of today's 2011 vampire/eternal being writers a run for their money. Going to try and track down her second book as it's hard to find.
July update.
There is a third book coming out September 2011 and this time with Simon and Schuster publications so should be easy to get the third book in the stores.
August 2, 2011
The things we do for love, right?
Dawit is a five-hundred-year-old immortal who has loved and lost three wives: one in Ethiopia hundreds of years ago, one who was killed in slavery times, and one he was forced to abandon by his brethren in the 1920s. But never had he loved a wife the way Dawit loved Jessica. One could say he was obsessed with her.
Young, brash, and professional, Jessica considered Dawit almost a gift from God, and could never fathom just what this wise older professor saw in her. Jessica's family, however, was concerned by Dawit's monopolization of her time, and especially by his insistence that Jessica quit her job and just stay at home with him. There was something off about Dawit, but they couldn't put a finger on it.
In the way of his "people": the other immortals, it was unwise to become so attached to mere mortals, and absolutely forbidden to reveal the secrets of their brotherhood. But at what cost? Faced with the directive to leave Jessica and their daughter Kira, and to come "home" at once, Dawit faces the emotional dilemma of his extremely long life. Can he leave this woman he loves almost more than life itself? If not, what's the alternative? And how far will Dawit go to keep the truth about him and his immortal brethren a secret?
I rarely do this in a review, but in the interest of Truth and Fairness, I'll have to (semi) answer one of the above questions. How far will Dawit go??? Too danged far, that's for sure. Dawit committed an act so atrocious to me that I actually put this book down for almost a year. I mean I HATED this guy, I really did. And I was mad at my daughter for telling me this was a Good Book. If I hadn't committed to giving every book I sat aside another chance this one would still be sitting on my end table collecting dust. I'm very glad I did. By delving further into My Soul to Keep, Dawit's motivation became more and more clear. He, and to a lesser extent Jessica, are such richly drawn, richly layered characters that you have to read the entire book to understand them fully. Black fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal tales are as rare as a Tea Party Republican that wants to raise taxes, so to read a book in a genre I love that actually reflects Me is a Treat. At the end I let out a deep breath, and a faintly whispered Wow. And looked forward to the next installment in this series.
Dawit is a five-hundred-year-old immortal who has loved and lost three wives: one in Ethiopia hundreds of years ago, one who was killed in slavery times, and one he was forced to abandon by his brethren in the 1920s. But never had he loved a wife the way Dawit loved Jessica. One could say he was obsessed with her.
Young, brash, and professional, Jessica considered Dawit almost a gift from God, and could never fathom just what this wise older professor saw in her. Jessica's family, however, was concerned by Dawit's monopolization of her time, and especially by his insistence that Jessica quit her job and just stay at home with him. There was something off about Dawit, but they couldn't put a finger on it.
In the way of his "people": the other immortals, it was unwise to become so attached to mere mortals, and absolutely forbidden to reveal the secrets of their brotherhood. But at what cost? Faced with the directive to leave Jessica and their daughter Kira, and to come "home" at once, Dawit faces the emotional dilemma of his extremely long life. Can he leave this woman he loves almost more than life itself? If not, what's the alternative? And how far will Dawit go to keep the truth about him and his immortal brethren a secret?
I rarely do this in a review, but in the interest of Truth and Fairness, I'll have to (semi) answer one of the above questions. How far will Dawit go??? Too danged far, that's for sure. Dawit committed an act so atrocious to me that I actually put this book down for almost a year. I mean I HATED this guy, I really did. And I was mad at my daughter for telling me this was a Good Book. If I hadn't committed to giving every book I sat aside another chance this one would still be sitting on my end table collecting dust. I'm very glad I did. By delving further into My Soul to Keep, Dawit's motivation became more and more clear. He, and to a lesser extent Jessica, are such richly drawn, richly layered characters that you have to read the entire book to understand them fully. Black fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal tales are as rare as a Tea Party Republican that wants to raise taxes, so to read a book in a genre I love that actually reflects Me is a Treat. At the end I let out a deep breath, and a faintly whispered Wow. And looked forward to the next installment in this series.
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February 7, 2022"All words and deeds will find you, as a tightening noose finds the neck."
Spoilers follow, as well as discussions of domestic violence and the murder of a child.
So What's It About? (from Goodreads)
"When Jessica marries David, he is everything she wants in a family man: brilliant, attentive, ever youthful. Yet she still feels something about him is just out of reach. Soon, as people close to Jessica begin to meet violent, mysterious deaths, David makes an unimaginable confession: More than 400 years ago, he and other members of an Ethiopian sect traded their humanity so they would never die, a secret he must protect at any cost. Now, his immortal brethren have decided David must return and leave his family in Miami. Instead, David vows to invoke a forbidden ritual to keep Jessica and his daughter with him forever."
What I Thought
An African immortal, you say? He immigrates to the New World and experiences key parts of black history, you say? His long life might cause him to be worshiped by some but it belies a deep undercurrent of cruelty, ruthlessness and the devaluation of human life, you say? He fixates on a particular woman and does unspeakable things in order for them to be together in immortality, you say? Wow, this book has a really similar premise to Wild Seed by Octavia Butler, a book that I read about a year ago at the beginning of this project!
I especially loved the way that both books had so much to say about key events in the development of black history both Africa and the United States, from settlement to slavery and the Jazz Age. But while Wild Seed is mainly a rumination on society-building, colonialism and eugenics, I think My Soul To Keep is more interested in examining the dynamics of the relationship between Jessica and David as an abusive relationship. When the story begins Jessica practically worships her husband, convinced that she is incredibly lucky to have a man as perfect as David. Her loved ones are not so convinced - they believe that all the "perfect man" jazz is just a front. They can't quite put their finger on what it might be a front for at this point, other than a man who isn't the perfect partner Jessica thinks he is.
It's there in the pedestal that she places him on, a pedestal that he actively encourages her to place him on, further tipping the balance of their relationship from one of mutual equal regard into one of hero worship. It's there in the condescension and dismissal of emotions, the way that Jessica sometimes leaves interactions with David feeling guilty and belittled without knowing why. There were several scenes in the early part of the book that left me shocked at how effectively Due portrayed the kind of insidious, very subtle manipulation of emotions that characterize the early stages of abuse:
“It just pisses me off,” she said. “Look at the guilt trip that man has put on you. Like all you’re supposed to do with your life is sit and hold his hand. I don’t know where he gets that, but that’s not the way it works. Here you are about to accomplish something meaningful, and instead of toasting you with champagne, your own husband is making you feel like shit.”
These are certainly red flags, and what follows is a nightmarish descent as David's utter need for control over his wife and family becomes more and more apparent, intersecting with his completely warped lack of regard for human life. He begins to murder her friends and family members one after the other to protect the secret of his immortality from his wife, a bit of information that he has been withholding from her for the entirety of their marriage. He sees the utter devastation that these losses wreak upon his wife, but he continues to carry them out, lie to her about them and gaslight her until she finally starts to put the pieces together and realizes that he is more than he has claimed to be. Ultimately, he makes the decision to murder Jessica and his daughter so that he can keep them with him forever. It's incredibly difficult to see inside David's mind while all of this is happening - to see the way he lies to himself and justifies all of it, to see the sheer entitlement that he possesses, and to see the way that he genuinely thinks he is doing a justifiable thing by murdering everyone his wife loves and then murdering her and his young child.
"And you were so afraid you wouldn’t find a man that you put up with it."
The most devastating part of the book is Jessica's desperate attempt to escape, a flight that ends in failure and ultimately the death of her daughter. The second most devastating part of the book is watching her doubt herself and dismiss warning signs, all the while knowing as the reader that her story's ending trembles on the verge between tragedy and a near miss. It's entirely reminiscent of the exact processes that abused partners go through in real life- everything from the perpetual self-doubt to the incredibly difficulty and danger that accompanies the act of trying to leave an abuser.
Just as Anyanwu forges her own path away from the cruel breed of immortality that Doro represents in Wild Seed, so too does Jessica champion her horrific experiences at the end of My Soul to Keep, deciding that she will devote her immortality to making the world a better place. As hopeful as this is in its own way, it was largely overshadowed by the skillful horror of what I'd just witnessed occurring over the course of the book.
Spoilers follow, as well as discussions of domestic violence and the murder of a child.
So What's It About? (from Goodreads)
"When Jessica marries David, he is everything she wants in a family man: brilliant, attentive, ever youthful. Yet she still feels something about him is just out of reach. Soon, as people close to Jessica begin to meet violent, mysterious deaths, David makes an unimaginable confession: More than 400 years ago, he and other members of an Ethiopian sect traded their humanity so they would never die, a secret he must protect at any cost. Now, his immortal brethren have decided David must return and leave his family in Miami. Instead, David vows to invoke a forbidden ritual to keep Jessica and his daughter with him forever."
What I Thought
An African immortal, you say? He immigrates to the New World and experiences key parts of black history, you say? His long life might cause him to be worshiped by some but it belies a deep undercurrent of cruelty, ruthlessness and the devaluation of human life, you say? He fixates on a particular woman and does unspeakable things in order for them to be together in immortality, you say? Wow, this book has a really similar premise to Wild Seed by Octavia Butler, a book that I read about a year ago at the beginning of this project!
I especially loved the way that both books had so much to say about key events in the development of black history both Africa and the United States, from settlement to slavery and the Jazz Age. But while Wild Seed is mainly a rumination on society-building, colonialism and eugenics, I think My Soul To Keep is more interested in examining the dynamics of the relationship between Jessica and David as an abusive relationship. When the story begins Jessica practically worships her husband, convinced that she is incredibly lucky to have a man as perfect as David. Her loved ones are not so convinced - they believe that all the "perfect man" jazz is just a front. They can't quite put their finger on what it might be a front for at this point, other than a man who isn't the perfect partner Jessica thinks he is.
It's there in the pedestal that she places him on, a pedestal that he actively encourages her to place him on, further tipping the balance of their relationship from one of mutual equal regard into one of hero worship. It's there in the condescension and dismissal of emotions, the way that Jessica sometimes leaves interactions with David feeling guilty and belittled without knowing why. There were several scenes in the early part of the book that left me shocked at how effectively Due portrayed the kind of insidious, very subtle manipulation of emotions that characterize the early stages of abuse:
“It just pisses me off,” she said. “Look at the guilt trip that man has put on you. Like all you’re supposed to do with your life is sit and hold his hand. I don’t know where he gets that, but that’s not the way it works. Here you are about to accomplish something meaningful, and instead of toasting you with champagne, your own husband is making you feel like shit.”
These are certainly red flags, and what follows is a nightmarish descent as David's utter need for control over his wife and family becomes more and more apparent, intersecting with his completely warped lack of regard for human life. He begins to murder her friends and family members one after the other to protect the secret of his immortality from his wife, a bit of information that he has been withholding from her for the entirety of their marriage. He sees the utter devastation that these losses wreak upon his wife, but he continues to carry them out, lie to her about them and gaslight her until she finally starts to put the pieces together and realizes that he is more than he has claimed to be. Ultimately, he makes the decision to murder Jessica and his daughter so that he can keep them with him forever. It's incredibly difficult to see inside David's mind while all of this is happening - to see the way he lies to himself and justifies all of it, to see the sheer entitlement that he possesses, and to see the way that he genuinely thinks he is doing a justifiable thing by murdering everyone his wife loves and then murdering her and his young child.
"And you were so afraid you wouldn’t find a man that you put up with it."
The most devastating part of the book is Jessica's desperate attempt to escape, a flight that ends in failure and ultimately the death of her daughter. The second most devastating part of the book is watching her doubt herself and dismiss warning signs, all the while knowing as the reader that her story's ending trembles on the verge between tragedy and a near miss. It's entirely reminiscent of the exact processes that abused partners go through in real life- everything from the perpetual self-doubt to the incredibly difficulty and danger that accompanies the act of trying to leave an abuser.
Just as Anyanwu forges her own path away from the cruel breed of immortality that Doro represents in Wild Seed, so too does Jessica champion her horrific experiences at the end of My Soul to Keep, deciding that she will devote her immortality to making the world a better place. As hopeful as this is in its own way, it was largely overshadowed by the skillful horror of what I'd just witnessed occurring over the course of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2018
Jessica is living a dream life. Her latest investigative piece is getting Pulitzer buzz, her daughter is thriving, her family is healthy, and her husband is perfect in every way. What she doesn't know is that her husband David cannot die. After taking part in a ritual 400+ years ago, even beheading only requires a few days' healing. Since then he roamed the world thinking of mortals as fruit flies, killing or discarding them without thought. But after a horrific experience as a slave in the American South, he gradually came to realize the worth of mortals. Now he is deeply in love with Jessica and their adorable kindergartner, Kira. So deeply in love, in fact, that he will do anything to keep them together: isolate Jessica from her friends and family, kill her best friend, move them across continents. He knows their lives will be over in what seems like a blink of an eye, and he hates the idea of them spending any time at work or school when they could be together instead. Meanwhile, other immortals have been watching David's family, waiting for the chance to kill them and bring David back to their compound.
From the start I didn't like this much. The writing is clunky, and even by the end Jessica's personality didn't really cohere. I couldn't get a real feel for who she is as a person. I also think this book would've been worlds creepier and more interesting if it were framed a little differently. Alternating chapters between David, Jessica, and the immortal out for their blood meant that instead of wondering if Jessica was being paranoid, I instead immediately knew exactly what was going on. For instance, near the end of the novel she gets drowsy after a long ride in a car, and shrieks that David has drugged her. Immediately any question of whether she's overreacting is undercut by the very next page, where David's internal monologue makes it clear that yes, he totally secretly drugged her. Knowing too much of the immortals' plans at every moment made it seem like various characters were too trusting or gullible, even though really they were operating sensibly with the information they had.
Still, I was interested enough in where the story was going to keep reading, and that's where I ran into real trouble. Both of the Jessica's pets die in this book. THEN But all the tragedy done to innocents is not even the full problem. It's Jessica and her family's reaction to it.
All this to say, parts of this worked for me. David decides not to go back to the immortal compound after experiencing slavery because after that he feels more kinship with the black Americans who went through what he did. And I totally believed Jessica's feelings about choosing to have a career but then feeling shut out from the close relationship her daughter had with the stay-at-home parent. But overall this book mostly annoyed and upset me.
From the start I didn't like this much. The writing is clunky, and even by the end Jessica's personality didn't really cohere. I couldn't get a real feel for who she is as a person. I also think this book would've been worlds creepier and more interesting if it were framed a little differently. Alternating chapters between David, Jessica, and the immortal out for their blood meant that instead of wondering if Jessica was being paranoid, I instead immediately knew exactly what was going on. For instance, near the end of the novel she gets drowsy after a long ride in a car, and shrieks that David has drugged her. Immediately any question of whether she's overreacting is undercut by the very next page, where David's internal monologue makes it clear that yes, he totally secretly drugged her. Knowing too much of the immortals' plans at every moment made it seem like various characters were too trusting or gullible, even though really they were operating sensibly with the information they had.
Still, I was interested enough in where the story was going to keep reading, and that's where I ran into real trouble. Both of the Jessica's pets die in this book. THEN But all the tragedy done to innocents is not even the full problem. It's Jessica and her family's reaction to it.
All this to say, parts of this worked for me. David decides not to go back to the immortal compound after experiencing slavery because after that he feels more kinship with the black Americans who went through what he did. And I totally believed Jessica's feelings about choosing to have a career but then feeling shut out from the close relationship her daughter had with the stay-at-home parent. But overall this book mostly annoyed and upset me.
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January 21, 2013It took me a long time to get into this book. Partly because not a lot happens in the first two thirds of the story and partly because i found the female protagonist intensely annoying and worse, boring. Perhaps it is partly my fault. Jessica subscribes to the type of Christianity that sees god as a big Santa that will give her everything she asks for (including miracles) if she is "good" enough or prays hard enough and I find that a huge turn off in anyone. Plus, for an investigative reporter, she seems remarkably passive for much of the narrative.
What I did like was the whole concept of the Life Brothers, immortals from Ethiopia, one of whom was the male protagonist. I found his story much more compelling and would have loved more detail on his life. He was not all that likable but he was interesting and if the book had focused more on him and his fellow immortals, I think i would have been much more engaged. The snippets of his life that were described were my favourite parts of the book.
Once the story got going, it did so at a decent pace but this felt like a book that could have been so much better with a bit of editing and a more lively heroine.
What I did like was the whole concept of the Life Brothers, immortals from Ethiopia, one of whom was the male protagonist. I found his story much more compelling and would have loved more detail on his life. He was not all that likable but he was interesting and if the book had focused more on him and his fellow immortals, I think i would have been much more engaged. The snippets of his life that were described were my favourite parts of the book.
Once the story got going, it did so at a decent pace but this felt like a book that could have been so much better with a bit of editing and a more lively heroine.
September 25, 2016
I was going to read and finish this for Halloween Bingo 2016, but since this is a DNF, it doesn't count towards the bingo. I finally just gave up reading this after I realized that I didn't like either main characters, and the book pace was so slow, it was positively glacial.
We find a man (or is he?) visiting an old woman in a retirement home. The man is sad to see that the woman has grown old (by the way this is really stupid when the reveal shows who he is, shocker dude, people get old) and then kills her to put her out of her and his misery.
We then switch to a woman named Jessica who is awoken when she finds her husband is in a panic because their dog seems to be in distress. We find out a lot about Jessica pretty early on, she is selfish as the day is long. Instead of really seeming upset about the dog, she is upset that she was the one who put her husband off of calling the vet when he thought something was going on with their dog. She's upset because her daughter is going to get upset and she doesn't know what she will do about that. And she's upset because she's going to have to get up and go to the work in the morning on very little sleep.
Then the book switches to the man in the beginning called Dawit (you would have to not be paying attention at all to realize who Dawit is) and we get his struggle to be in the world with mere humans.
The book goes back and forth between Jessica and Dawit and you start to see a very sad pattern of both of them being selfish, neither one of them wanting to deal with other people and their problems really.
There is a random murder thrown in and it didn't make any sense to me and all it did was make me dislike the character of Dawit a lot more.
The writing seemed okay, I think the issue for me is that I didn't get a sense of these two characters at all. They were very flat. Even the secondary characters (Jessica's mother and sister) don't come alive. Though we do get Jessica judging her sister for not having a man in her life so she thinks her sister is just upset that Jessica has a husband and daughter.
The flow wasn't great. We jump back and forth between Jessica and Dawit and we find out how Dawit came to become immortal. Just take Jesus Christ, blood, and stir the plot.
I was disappointed because this series has been recommended to me for a long time and I really hope to read this and finish it off since there are three more books. Sadly, I am going to pass on finishing this and starting any of the other books.
We find a man (or is he?) visiting an old woman in a retirement home. The man is sad to see that the woman has grown old (by the way this is really stupid when the reveal shows who he is, shocker dude, people get old) and then kills her to put her out of her and his misery.
We then switch to a woman named Jessica who is awoken when she finds her husband is in a panic because their dog seems to be in distress. We find out a lot about Jessica pretty early on, she is selfish as the day is long. Instead of really seeming upset about the dog, she is upset that she was the one who put her husband off of calling the vet when he thought something was going on with their dog. She's upset because her daughter is going to get upset and she doesn't know what she will do about that. And she's upset because she's going to have to get up and go to the work in the morning on very little sleep.
Then the book switches to the man in the beginning called Dawit (you would have to not be paying attention at all to realize who Dawit is) and we get his struggle to be in the world with mere humans.
The book goes back and forth between Jessica and Dawit and you start to see a very sad pattern of both of them being selfish, neither one of them wanting to deal with other people and their problems really.
There is a random murder thrown in and it didn't make any sense to me and all it did was make me dislike the character of Dawit a lot more.
The writing seemed okay, I think the issue for me is that I didn't get a sense of these two characters at all. They were very flat. Even the secondary characters (Jessica's mother and sister) don't come alive. Though we do get Jessica judging her sister for not having a man in her life so she thinks her sister is just upset that Jessica has a husband and daughter.
The flow wasn't great. We jump back and forth between Jessica and Dawit and we find out how Dawit came to become immortal. Just take Jesus Christ, blood, and stir the plot.
I was disappointed because this series has been recommended to me for a long time and I really hope to read this and finish it off since there are three more books. Sadly, I am going to pass on finishing this and starting any of the other books.
April 30, 2022
A different take on the immortal story that also felt familiar; I guess immortals mostly have an expected set of difficulties to deal with. I liked the nineties vibe in this story of a woman who finds out she really doesn't know her husband at all.
My first book by Tananarive Due, but not my last.
My first book by Tananarive Due, but not my last.
July 15, 2024
Wow.
I this was so much better than I had imagined, but the ending had something more to be desired. I honestly wished it ended in a different way, but now I'm more curious about the next book.
Ms. Due sure know how to tell a story with such rich characters and a very intriguing plot! The beginning was kind of confusing and somewhat slow, but I feel that it all straightened itself out once you figured out who David is . But all the characters were so engaging and you couldn't help but feel invested in their wellbeing. And even the characters that were designed to be the "villains" had clear motivation and were fleshed out.
I loved the whole African background and the story of how it's roots where so fermented in Ethiopian lore. It's mystery and the knowledge about the Living Blood. Being that this in the first in a series, I know the other questions that I have should be answered in the next books. It wasn't a vampire story which I was happy to see, but a great SFF story that should be read.
But wow.
I this was so much better than I had imagined, but the ending had something more to be desired. I honestly wished it ended in a different way, but now I'm more curious about the next book.
Ms. Due sure know how to tell a story with such rich characters and a very intriguing plot! The beginning was kind of confusing and somewhat slow, but I feel that it all straightened itself out once you figured out who David is . But all the characters were so engaging and you couldn't help but feel invested in their wellbeing. And even the characters that were designed to be the "villains" had clear motivation and were fleshed out.
I loved the whole African background and the story of how it's roots where so fermented in Ethiopian lore. It's mystery and the knowledge about the Living Blood. Being that this in the first in a series, I know the other questions that I have should be answered in the next books. It wasn't a vampire story which I was happy to see, but a great SFF story that should be read.
But wow.
July 20, 2020
My Soul to Keep was not what I expected. I was under the impression it was a vampire story, and it isn't really, but that's not to say it wasn't good. This is a quiet sort of horror story that is deeply character driven, refusing us the comfort of heroes and villains in favor of the messy grayness of humanity. Two of the central questions driving the story are:
1) What might happen if a small group of humans achieved immortality? How would that affect their psyche? Their morality? Their value for human life? Their ability to love or sense of loneliness as history passes them by?
AND
2) What if you don't know your spouse as well as you think you do? How do you cope with loving a person who is capable of horrible things, as well as great kindness? How can you protect your child from the possibility of their violence?
And all of this centers Black characters who are also carrying the weight of historical trauma, racism, and the need to work harder for success.
In service to those questions, this book goes to some extremely dark places, so do use caution. Yet the author expertly grapples with them and leaves us without easy answers.
Jessica believes David is everything she wants when she marries him. Now she is working hard to achieve success as a journalist, and they are raising their 5 year old daughter. But she has always felt like David is holding something of himself back.
Dawit was born hundreds of years ago in Ethopia, transformed by the stolen blood of Christ, and inducted into a secretive immortal brotherhood. The only rule is no one must know, and falling in love with mortal humans is frowned upon.
The author expertly explores the identity and history of our two main characters, as well as their relationships with each other, with friends, and with family. She slowly builds a sense of dread and violence, but it took awhile for me to realize this was a horror novel of sorts. I've never read anything quite like this before and the culminating acts of violence are deeply disturbing, and yet the author never fully vilifies anybody. It's provocative, unsettling, and though-provoking. If you need content/trigger warnings please check them out below, though you should be aware that they do contain spoilers.
Content Warnings include: several instances of graphic murder (Including a parent killing their child through drugging and asphyxiation. They intend to then make them immortal, but it's still horrifing) graphic depictions of blood, self mutilation to the point of (temporary) death by immortal beings, drugging, stalking behavior, violence toward a spouse, loss of a loved one, depictions of slavery, racial slurs, misogyny, gaslighting and emotional abuse
1) What might happen if a small group of humans achieved immortality? How would that affect their psyche? Their morality? Their value for human life? Their ability to love or sense of loneliness as history passes them by?
AND
2) What if you don't know your spouse as well as you think you do? How do you cope with loving a person who is capable of horrible things, as well as great kindness? How can you protect your child from the possibility of their violence?
And all of this centers Black characters who are also carrying the weight of historical trauma, racism, and the need to work harder for success.
In service to those questions, this book goes to some extremely dark places, so do use caution. Yet the author expertly grapples with them and leaves us without easy answers.
Jessica believes David is everything she wants when she marries him. Now she is working hard to achieve success as a journalist, and they are raising their 5 year old daughter. But she has always felt like David is holding something of himself back.
Dawit was born hundreds of years ago in Ethopia, transformed by the stolen blood of Christ, and inducted into a secretive immortal brotherhood. The only rule is no one must know, and falling in love with mortal humans is frowned upon.
The author expertly explores the identity and history of our two main characters, as well as their relationships with each other, with friends, and with family. She slowly builds a sense of dread and violence, but it took awhile for me to realize this was a horror novel of sorts. I've never read anything quite like this before and the culminating acts of violence are deeply disturbing, and yet the author never fully vilifies anybody. It's provocative, unsettling, and though-provoking. If you need content/trigger warnings please check them out below, though you should be aware that they do contain spoilers.
Content Warnings include: several instances of graphic murder (Including a parent killing their child through drugging and asphyxiation. They intend to then make them immortal, but it's still horrifing) graphic depictions of blood, self mutilation to the point of (temporary) death by immortal beings, drugging, stalking behavior, violence toward a spouse, loss of a loved one, depictions of slavery, racial slurs, misogyny, gaslighting and emotional abuse
April 11, 2021
This right here is what vampire stories are supposed to be. Dark and sinister with the evil lurking around every corner. I honestly can’t believe I haven’t read this before now, I’ve heard it highly praised countless times, and I’m kind of kicking myself because it’s bloody brilliant and I couldn’t have possibly loved it more! It’s so damn good that I still can’t quite believe how good it is. It is by far one of the best vampire novels I have ever read, really only rivalled by Dracula itself. It is so spectacularly written, you can feel the mounting dread and horror just seep into your bones and it is such a delicious feeling. Tananarive Due has immense talent and I am positively itching to read more of her work after devouring this book. This book has totally spoiled all other vampire stories for me because none will ever be as fantastic as this one!
May 3, 2017
Ms. Due is a often- recommended author on the WOC lists, which kind of sucks because she should be on the often- recommended because her writing kicks ass list.
June 14, 2017
Wow! Gotta read the rest of this series now.
Want to read
July 10, 2019***10 JULY 2019***99¢ — yes, NINETY-NINE CENTS — for a book that should be in any serious reader of horror/supernatural/speculative fiction's head.
February 3, 2024
This book is recommended on the front by Stephen King, on the back by my fave Octavia Butler and I am definitely recommending it from cover to cover. I loved it.
She looked directly at Jessica. “A mean monster,” she said. “Or, maybe a good monster too.”
“There are no good monsters, Kira,” Jessica said suddenly, her voice barely a breath.
It starts out slow, but it takes the time to build the characters and their dynamics and I was soooo invested by the end that I had massive stress for what was going to happen to these characters I truly cared about. Not just Jessica, Kira and David / Dawit, but also Alex, Jessica's sister, and Bea, Jessica's mother, whom I completely adored. And of course my lovely furball cat Teacake!
So this is not a vampire novel, per se, but I would say it's vampire adjacent, cause it explores similar themes like immortality and ephemerality, done through some sort of blood exchange. We see Dawit, a 500 year old person, in different phases of his life (including being sold into slavery, which was one of the more difficult parts of the book). His relationship with his wife, Jessica, an up-and-coming Miami journalist (on track to win a Pulitzer!) is incredibly fraught and very satisfyingly so, and becomes even more emotionally and ethically complicated when he starts to reveal some truths. It's incredible how Due manages to still make Dawit sympathetic (I really wrestled with this, because he was a walking red flag central in so many ways) while doing some extremely nuanced commentary on gender dynamics and power imbalances.
The pacing felt perfect to me: 5 parts - the last one being more of an epilogue and the first four are almost exactly book quarters. By the halfway point, the tension from various strands was steadily accumulating and creating more and more complication wrinkles. It was amazing, but also stressful. Still, it's clear to me how masterful the plotting/ pacing is done here.
And then that ending! I can see that it's mildly controversial in some of the reviews here, but I had known what was going to happen (it was very well foreshadowed, and yet it felt subtle) and still my heart was very much wrenched!
I think I need a huge break before I continue on in the series, but I'm very happy to have read this (my friend at a second hand bookstore with a sort of lending library system put this in my hands and I am grateful to her now!)
I don't know if I did a good job explaining why this book was awesome, but Tananarive Due (insert 'getting her due' pun here) is becoming one of my favorites.
She looked directly at Jessica. “A mean monster,” she said. “Or, maybe a good monster too.”
“There are no good monsters, Kira,” Jessica said suddenly, her voice barely a breath.
It starts out slow, but it takes the time to build the characters and their dynamics and I was soooo invested by the end that I had massive stress for what was going to happen to these characters I truly cared about. Not just Jessica, Kira and David / Dawit, but also Alex, Jessica's sister, and Bea, Jessica's mother, whom I completely adored. And of course my lovely furball cat Teacake!
So this is not a vampire novel, per se, but I would say it's vampire adjacent, cause it explores similar themes like immortality and ephemerality, done through some sort of blood exchange. We see Dawit, a 500 year old person, in different phases of his life (including being sold into slavery, which was one of the more difficult parts of the book). His relationship with his wife, Jessica, an up-and-coming Miami journalist (on track to win a Pulitzer!) is incredibly fraught and very satisfyingly so, and becomes even more emotionally and ethically complicated when he starts to reveal some truths. It's incredible how Due manages to still make Dawit sympathetic (I really wrestled with this, because he was a walking red flag central in so many ways) while doing some extremely nuanced commentary on gender dynamics and power imbalances.
The pacing felt perfect to me: 5 parts - the last one being more of an epilogue and the first four are almost exactly book quarters. By the halfway point, the tension from various strands was steadily accumulating and creating more and more complication wrinkles. It was amazing, but also stressful. Still, it's clear to me how masterful the plotting/ pacing is done here.
And then that ending! I can see that it's mildly controversial in some of the reviews here, but I had known what was going to happen (it was very well foreshadowed, and yet it felt subtle) and still my heart was very much wrenched!
I think I need a huge break before I continue on in the series, but I'm very happy to have read this (my friend at a second hand bookstore with a sort of lending library system put this in my hands and I am grateful to her now!)
I don't know if I did a good job explaining why this book was awesome, but Tananarive Due (insert 'getting her due' pun here) is becoming one of my favorites.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
November 26, 2023
Ooooh I liked this one, although the ending didn't quite have the build-up I wanted?
Jessica is the only Black woman on an investigative reporter team in Miami. She's about to drop an article on abusive in elderly care homes that is sure to win her a Pulitzer when her husband starts acting weird.
A string of seemingly unrelated murders surrounds Jessica, and when her best friend and coworker is violently killed outside the office, Jessica is sent into a tailspin of grief and worry.
The vampiric take on this one was fascinating: a group of 58 men who follow an immortal leader in Life, and take up several mystic teachings. Some of them, like Dawit, venture into the mortal world, while others adopt an ascetic ideal. All of them are trying to adapt their mortal brains into an immortal life—and a body that won't stay dead, no matter what.
This is a classic vampire novel for a reason.
TW: animal death, animal abuse, murder, lynching, rape, child loss, kill your gays.
Jessica is the only Black woman on an investigative reporter team in Miami. She's about to drop an article on abusive in elderly care homes that is sure to win her a Pulitzer when her husband starts acting weird.
A string of seemingly unrelated murders surrounds Jessica, and when her best friend and coworker is violently killed outside the office, Jessica is sent into a tailspin of grief and worry.
The vampiric take on this one was fascinating: a group of 58 men who follow an immortal leader in Life, and take up several mystic teachings. Some of them, like Dawit, venture into the mortal world, while others adopt an ascetic ideal. All of them are trying to adapt their mortal brains into an immortal life—and a body that won't stay dead, no matter what.
This is a classic vampire novel for a reason.
TW: animal death, animal abuse, murder, lynching, rape, child loss, kill your gays.
October 28, 2020
I understand why David did what he did and why it was difficult for him. I understood his sacrifices and the things that his coven put him through and his unrelenting acts of survival. Although I understood these things; he was a character I loved to hate. I do not think he was a great partner to Jess at all. I think he had possessive, controlling, and obsessive tendencies with Jessica. Jessica was so wrapped up in the "love" and orgasms that she didn't see it. I would argue "does she see it now?"
There were so many beloved characters in this story whose lives were cut too soon. The whole time reading this book, I wanted dutchess to stop asking 1o9745039853 questions. I wanted Alex to chill out. I wanted Jessica's dad's character to have more parts. I wanted David to get a life and stop living through Jessica. I wanted David's coven to allow David to make his own mistakes. I think because of all of these wants and complexities. It was a fantastic first book in a series! Onto book 2!
There were so many beloved characters in this story whose lives were cut too soon. The whole time reading this book, I wanted dutchess to stop asking 1o9745039853 questions. I wanted Alex to chill out. I wanted Jessica's dad's character to have more parts. I wanted David to get a life and stop living through Jessica. I wanted David's coven to allow David to make his own mistakes. I think because of all of these wants and complexities. It was a fantastic first book in a series! Onto book 2!
June 20, 2024
Really loved this one
October 14, 2016
What do you do when you discover the truth of your husband? Depends on what that truth is, doesn’t it?
Due’s book is an examination of a relationship that is tested because the man, the husband, is an immortal. That is the main conflict of the story – what happens when the truth is revealed.
Jessica is a woman with problems. She is too dependent on her husband, too worried about what he thinks. She fears and worried that she wouldn’t get married, so perhaps she settled. At least, this is some of what her sister and mother think. In some ways, Jessica ties into the question of what makes a complete life, should a women feel that she needs a man to complete her. This is one current that runs thought the relationship. This is made more complicated by the fact that David, her husband is hiding more than the fact that David is not is real name.
He’s older than what he owns to, by far.
He’s like Wolverine in some ways without the claws.
Due’s book is an examination of a relationship that is tested because the man, the husband, is an immortal. That is the main conflict of the story – what happens when the truth is revealed.
Jessica is a woman with problems. She is too dependent on her husband, too worried about what he thinks. She fears and worried that she wouldn’t get married, so perhaps she settled. At least, this is some of what her sister and mother think. In some ways, Jessica ties into the question of what makes a complete life, should a women feel that she needs a man to complete her. This is one current that runs thought the relationship. This is made more complicated by the fact that David, her husband is hiding more than the fact that David is not is real name.
He’s older than what he owns to, by far.
He’s like Wolverine in some ways without the claws.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2020
Based on 1st read
I came into this novel thinking that it would be horror and hearing it compared to Interview with the Vampire. There are supernatural elements. It isn't Stephen King type horror. I think the premise and pacing was very similar to Interview with the Vampire (which I also struggled to read); It was a well-done book, but it wasn't really for me. While reading, I got bored with it and took frequent breaks. I think the pacing felt slow because I had an idea for where the story was going. I was intrigued by the order of immortals and their schools and origins. My interest was really piqued by the ending though, and I think I would continue with this series.
Based on 2nd read
Before I was of the opinion that you could just read a Wiki summary of the 1st book and skip to the 2nd, and I don't know what shifted between my 1st read and this read because my opinion drastically changed. Don't skip this book if you're going to read the series. The main horror elements of the book are the emotionally abusive relationship Jessica is in, the psyche of her abuser, and the amount of danger she endures to maintain a facade of normalcy.
I came into this novel thinking that it would be horror and hearing it compared to Interview with the Vampire. There are supernatural elements. It isn't Stephen King type horror. I think the premise and pacing was very similar to Interview with the Vampire (which I also struggled to read); It was a well-done book, but it wasn't really for me. While reading, I got bored with it and took frequent breaks. I think the pacing felt slow because I had an idea for where the story was going. I was intrigued by the order of immortals and their schools and origins. My interest was really piqued by the ending though, and I think I would continue with this series.
Based on 2nd read
Before I was of the opinion that you could just read a Wiki summary of the 1st book and skip to the 2nd, and I don't know what shifted between my 1st read and this read because my opinion drastically changed. Don't skip this book if you're going to read the series. The main horror elements of the book are the emotionally abusive relationship Jessica is in, the psyche of her abuser, and the amount of danger she endures to maintain a facade of normalcy.
June 27, 2020
Very slow moving in my opinion, but also very layered and with a depth I rarely find in urban fantasy novels. This is the 1st in a series and I look forward to continuing.
My favorite quote:
“How ironic it was that mortals, who had the least time of all, were willing to waste so much of it away from the people they love.”
My favorite quote:
“How ironic it was that mortals, who had the least time of all, were willing to waste so much of it away from the people they love.”
June 10, 2020
At first, I was thinking maybe this was another vampire-ish book (technically not vampires, no blood drinking, but so many of those stories involve being forever young that there are still good comparisons) like the many that have gone before and I wondered if it would work for me. But I kept with it because I know how good Due is and I know it's a series and I figured she was taking me somewhere. I was happy to find I was right.
Yes, in a lot of ways, this book covers familiar ground. But even the familiar is steeped in newness. The detail of the immortal beings, the clear thought that Due put in to build their world, and the contrast with Jessica and the normal but full life she has. Spending time with Jessica and her family was interesting enough on its own, she invests the book with so much accessible reality and emotion, which is crucial in a story about immortal beings who have lost touch with those elements. Yes, much of the plot is laid out for you from the beginning, this is not where Due is trying to surprise you. But I still found myself taken for a real ride in the last third of the book, hoping that things would go one way even if I was pretty sure they wouldn't, so I was clearly invested.
But most of all, as you reach the end you realize that all of this is preface. This is the first book that is laying our groundwork, introducing us to what is to come, and investing us in these characters. It doesn't end on any kind of cliffhanger and yet I really want to dive immediately into the second book where I really don't know what lies ahead of me.
I hear vampire books are coming back into fashion and I hope that trend makes this series more available. I have been trying to get my hands on this book from a library for years and there appears to have been some issue with access. And now there is only the 1st and 4th books, not the middle two. But now that I'm finally invested, the timing is at least better. It appears to be available in print everywhere again, and on audio on Audible and Libro. I did audio and enjoyed the narrator, though I looked ahead and saw the series has 3 narrators over 4 books, which... is not my favorite but we'll see if it works.
Glad I finally got a chance to start this series.
Yes, in a lot of ways, this book covers familiar ground. But even the familiar is steeped in newness. The detail of the immortal beings, the clear thought that Due put in to build their world, and the contrast with Jessica and the normal but full life she has. Spending time with Jessica and her family was interesting enough on its own, she invests the book with so much accessible reality and emotion, which is crucial in a story about immortal beings who have lost touch with those elements. Yes, much of the plot is laid out for you from the beginning, this is not where Due is trying to surprise you. But I still found myself taken for a real ride in the last third of the book, hoping that things would go one way even if I was pretty sure they wouldn't, so I was clearly invested.
But most of all, as you reach the end you realize that all of this is preface. This is the first book that is laying our groundwork, introducing us to what is to come, and investing us in these characters. It doesn't end on any kind of cliffhanger and yet I really want to dive immediately into the second book where I really don't know what lies ahead of me.
I hear vampire books are coming back into fashion and I hope that trend makes this series more available. I have been trying to get my hands on this book from a library for years and there appears to have been some issue with access. And now there is only the 1st and 4th books, not the middle two. But now that I'm finally invested, the timing is at least better. It appears to be available in print everywhere again, and on audio on Audible and Libro. I did audio and enjoyed the narrator, though I looked ahead and saw the series has 3 narrators over 4 books, which... is not my favorite but we'll see if it works.
Glad I finally got a chance to start this series.
October 8, 2016
A Goodreads friend reviewed this book - said it wasn't really her thing, actually, but I was intrigued by the book's blurb. For several reasons:
As for immortality - I've often devised little fantasies in which the key character (usually me, if I'm being honest) is immortal. And I've frequently pondered the problems inherent. I wondered how this book was going to work with that.
Then I was reminded of Faust, and excited at the idea of reading a book that questions the soul and the possibility of losing it.
I wasn't disappointed in this book. It followed my musings, gave answers to my wonderings on how the author would deal with those subject areas, and it was full of tension. I enjoyed Jessica's journalism work life, with the personalities there and the stresses and moral questions. I thought Jessica's inability to see through David was very well written. I enjoyed the places and the descriptions of them.
I haven't read this author before, but I certainly will again, and most definitely will follow this series.
Its supernatural base is members of an Ethiopian sect.I find these things fascinating. In the first place my husband is Ethiopian, and worships at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. He, of course, would be horrified at the idea of the sect's immortality and how they came about it, so I won't describe the book to him. The book also has a few scenes in Lalibela - check out this website and look at the rock-hewn churches there.
It has immortality as a theme/problem.
It suggests you can be robbed of your soul.
As for immortality - I've often devised little fantasies in which the key character (usually me, if I'm being honest) is immortal. And I've frequently pondered the problems inherent. I wondered how this book was going to work with that.
Then I was reminded of Faust, and excited at the idea of reading a book that questions the soul and the possibility of losing it.
I wasn't disappointed in this book. It followed my musings, gave answers to my wonderings on how the author would deal with those subject areas, and it was full of tension. I enjoyed Jessica's journalism work life, with the personalities there and the stresses and moral questions. I thought Jessica's inability to see through David was very well written. I enjoyed the places and the descriptions of them.
I haven't read this author before, but I certainly will again, and most definitely will follow this series.
November 11, 2014
No matter what I think of a book, the basic question I pose to myself when I’m trying to figure out what rating to give it is: how much did I want to read it. This book started out slow, but by the end, I couldn’t put it down. I don’t have a particularly strong interest in paranormal or urban fantasy, but I think that this book was terrific for the genre. If Goodreads had 1/2 stars, I'd give this 3 1/2. I’m not sure if I’ll read the other two books in the series or not. I, definitely, would, if I could get them from the library.
This book met my October Harrowing Haints group challenge to read a book about the paranormalin the African-American Historical Fiction Group.
This book met my October Harrowing Haints group challenge to read a book about the paranormalin the African-American Historical Fiction Group.
August 28, 2011
Wow! This was the first book I stopped in the middle because I couldn’t bear to go on. I peeked. I had to see for myself where the author was going to take it in the end. Yes, I cheated! The characters were amazing, the villain, David, surprisingly lovable with all his faults, a truly amazing story that will reach out and touch you no matter who you are, and where you are in life. I’m so glad I read this book!
January 7, 2016
Not bad at all, just... not really my thing, I guess. Maybe I just expected more, different, better. It reminded me, somehow, of Midnight Crossroad which I wasn't hugely enamoured with either. 3 stars because it deserves them, but for personal taste possibly less.
June 11, 2023
2.5 Stars
I have loved other books by this author so I hoped I would love this one too. Unfortunately this kinda of urban fantasy/horror is not my subgenre and so I really struggled to suspend my disbelief and enjoy it.
I have loved other books by this author so I hoped I would love this one too. Unfortunately this kinda of urban fantasy/horror is not my subgenre and so I really struggled to suspend my disbelief and enjoy it.
April 21, 2021
Review to follow soon...
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 13, 2023Time of death 13%
I've listened to 2.5 hours of this and I'm so bored and disgusted with everyone in it.
CONTENT WARNING:
I've listened to 2.5 hours of this and I'm so bored and disgusted with everyone in it.
CONTENT WARNING:
November 14, 2017
Dawit is an immortal. 500 years ago, he was gifted with eternal life. Initially, this meant living life to the fullest, learning, loving, and leaving, as long as he didn't break the rules of sharing the secrets of his brotherhood. This is obviously where our drama come in, because Dawit's love for music draws him to the ever-evolving mortal world where, every once in a while, he falls in love with a soul that speaks to his own. Even though he knows it cannot be forever.
Jessica believes David to be everything she could possibly want in a man, a husband, a friend, and a father. But what she does not know about his past begins to catch up when her investigative journalism leads her on a path that brings his previous life into focus.
Due tells the story from mainly Jessica and Dawit's points of view. From the beginning, we know what he is and learn more about his past and present, including the very powerful reason why he chooses to say in the United States, despite living through the horrors of slavery as a black man. Due skillfully blends actual history with the fantasy of the story. We know what Dawit does to keep his secret, so it is the question of how Jessica will find out that drives the plot.
Jessica's denial or lack of realization is sometimes frustrating, but only because it is realistic when we consider how easily strong emotions can have us convince ourselves to accept lies even when the truth hangs right before our faces. Due takes the time to show how easily people can be blinded, even and especially by the ones we love the most. This isn't Stockholm Syndrome. It's the reality of relationships where you can write off those "little things" until you suddenly find that your world has fallen apart. At that point, it seems like the person you loved is suddenly a stranger, but in reality, those "little things" have always been there, trying to warn you of the truth. Though things drag in places, Due does a stellar job of taking us through Dawit and Jessica's relationship such that, when things eventually fall apart, there's still uncertainty as to which direction it will all go.
One of the things I admire in Due's writing is the way she deals with the human body. I love how she is unafraid to let her characters express themselves through their emotional and mental state, and how their bodies reflect this. Not just the pretty or sexy parts. From sweaty armpits to morning breath, attention to such detail might seem squicky to some, but to me, it lends authenticity and relatability to the characters.
The various ways in which Due ingrains her characters into the reader's mind makes me admire her writing style and want to read more. Where this particular book ends up makes me want to read on in the series to find out more.
www.bibliosanctum.com
Jessica believes David to be everything she could possibly want in a man, a husband, a friend, and a father. But what she does not know about his past begins to catch up when her investigative journalism leads her on a path that brings his previous life into focus.
Due tells the story from mainly Jessica and Dawit's points of view. From the beginning, we know what he is and learn more about his past and present, including the very powerful reason why he chooses to say in the United States, despite living through the horrors of slavery as a black man. Due skillfully blends actual history with the fantasy of the story. We know what Dawit does to keep his secret, so it is the question of how Jessica will find out that drives the plot.
Jessica's denial or lack of realization is sometimes frustrating, but only because it is realistic when we consider how easily strong emotions can have us convince ourselves to accept lies even when the truth hangs right before our faces. Due takes the time to show how easily people can be blinded, even and especially by the ones we love the most. This isn't Stockholm Syndrome. It's the reality of relationships where you can write off those "little things" until you suddenly find that your world has fallen apart. At that point, it seems like the person you loved is suddenly a stranger, but in reality, those "little things" have always been there, trying to warn you of the truth. Though things drag in places, Due does a stellar job of taking us through Dawit and Jessica's relationship such that, when things eventually fall apart, there's still uncertainty as to which direction it will all go.
One of the things I admire in Due's writing is the way she deals with the human body. I love how she is unafraid to let her characters express themselves through their emotional and mental state, and how their bodies reflect this. Not just the pretty or sexy parts. From sweaty armpits to morning breath, attention to such detail might seem squicky to some, but to me, it lends authenticity and relatability to the characters.
The various ways in which Due ingrains her characters into the reader's mind makes me admire her writing style and want to read more. Where this particular book ends up makes me want to read on in the series to find out more.
www.bibliosanctum.com
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