Terry McMillan's Who Asked You? is her eighth novel and is set in a mixed-race Los Angeles neighborhood. The story opens with Betty Jean, the matriarch of the family, who works at a hotel, cleaning rooms. Her daughter, Trinetta, drops off her two kids with Betty Jean and then disappears, leaving Betty Jean to try and raise them the best way she knows how. Betty Jean's white neighbor, Tammy, is her best friend, and she is dealing with her own daughter who can't seem to find a job and move out of her house, as she tries to help Betty Jean with her grand sons. Added to the mix are Betty Jean's son, Dexter, currently serving a prison term, and her invalid husband who is suffering from Alzheimer's. Each character narrates the story, in alternating chapters, and the result is an interesting story told from many different points of view. Betty Jean also has two sisters, each with their own set of issues, and her relationships with them and their family members figure prominently in the book. This book addresses the burdens and blessings of family and trusting your own judgment even when others don't agree with you. The characters are signature McMillan, and will leave you thinking. If you liked McMillan's Waiting to Exhale, you will enjoy this book too.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Who Asked You?
Terry McMillan's Who Asked You? is her eighth novel and is set in a mixed-race Los Angeles neighborhood. The story opens with Betty Jean, the matriarch of the family, who works at a hotel, cleaning rooms. Her daughter, Trinetta, drops off her two kids with Betty Jean and then disappears, leaving Betty Jean to try and raise them the best way she knows how. Betty Jean's white neighbor, Tammy, is her best friend, and she is dealing with her own daughter who can't seem to find a job and move out of her house, as she tries to help Betty Jean with her grand sons. Added to the mix are Betty Jean's son, Dexter, currently serving a prison term, and her invalid husband who is suffering from Alzheimer's. Each character narrates the story, in alternating chapters, and the result is an interesting story told from many different points of view. Betty Jean also has two sisters, each with their own set of issues, and her relationships with them and their family members figure prominently in the book. This book addresses the burdens and blessings of family and trusting your own judgment even when others don't agree with you. The characters are signature McMillan, and will leave you thinking. If you liked McMillan's Waiting to Exhale, you will enjoy this book too.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment