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66th out of 73 books
—
967 voters
Mother of Pearl
Capturing all the rueful irony and racial ambivalence of small-town Mississippi in the late 1950s, Melinda Haynes' celebrated novel is a wholly unforgettable exploration of family, identity, and redemption. Mother of Pearl revolves around twenty-eight-year-old Even Grade, a black man who grew up an orphan, and Valuable Korner, the fifteen-year-old white daughter of the to
...morePaperback, 496 pages
Published
June 1st 2000
by Washington Square Press
(first published June 2nd 1999)
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I’m feeling guilty. I’m feeling guilty about reviewing Mother of Pearl by Melinda Haynes. I’m feeling guilty, first, because I didn’t read the whole book, finishing only about the first third. I rarely don’t finish books, driven not only by an inner compulsion to complete what I’ve begun but also by the conviction that the author deserves his or her work to be read in its entirety before judgment is passed, and in this case I have failed Haynes. I feel guilty, second, for having the temerity to...more
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For some reason you want to keep reading it. Not because you're hoping for an explanation or a story or a plot. But because you want to know what in the world possessed the author to write a book that makes no sense.
It makes me sad that this is the only book in probably the last 20+ years that I just put down and never finished. I just absolutely could not get into it. Boring!
Melinda Haynes has taken on a Herculean task, crafting a multicharacter story that reaches across racial barriers to encompass an entire community. She doesn't shy away from the ugliness in life--bigotry of every stripe, mean-spiritedness, betrayal, thoughtless cruelty, and death--but what interests her is the potential of the human heart to find space within itself for the most unexpected people. With its strong, lyrical language and fully realized characters, Mother of Pearl is a fine novel an...more
This book I came upon in advisory, randomly. I picked it up, saw it was in the Oprah Book Club and also saw that it took place in the South while segregation was still occurring, which interested me. After reading this book, I do not regret picking it up because it has such an interesting story of these people who are basically trying to find themselves. Haynes uses a lot of Character Nyms, imagery, and characterizations to develop the novel in a way that is classic. The story is mainly about a...more
Mother of Pearl, by Melina Hayes
I read this book many years ago, after seeing a review on it. I’ll admit I read this book because the majority of reviews said it was hard to get into. I saw that it was on Oprah’s Book Club and honestly I jumped for it. It had been a year since I had actually read a book, and I missed it. I probably shouldn’t have picked suck a polarizing book but what can I say, I enjoy a challenge.
That being said, at first I struggled with the first few chapters. I enjoy readi...more
I read this book many years ago, after seeing a review on it. I’ll admit I read this book because the majority of reviews said it was hard to get into. I saw that it was on Oprah’s Book Club and honestly I jumped for it. It had been a year since I had actually read a book, and I missed it. I probably shouldn’t have picked suck a polarizing book but what can I say, I enjoy a challenge.
That being said, at first I struggled with the first few chapters. I enjoy readi...more
Aug 25, 2011
Nikki
is currently reading it
Although I’m not done with this book yet, I must admit it is sort of magical in how at first you think you’re going to be bored senseless with it and then it sort of takes hold of you. I admit the descriptive language is sometimes lost on me, especially when Hayne’s describes animals and plants I’ve never seen before. While there are a lot of characters and a lot of things going on, I think the story is told in an episodic manner that makes it easier to digest. My favorite character, by far, is...more
I just can't read this book, I probably shouldn't even write a view because I am only 25 pages in. I am an avid reader! I have read so many books, and I read fast...I bought Mother of Pearl at a local bookstore in their used section. It caught my attention because it is on Oprah's Book Club. I have been trying to read this book for 7 months! I can't do it. In the meantime I have read many other books...every time I finish a book I, of course, need a new one to start. So every single time I pick...more
I bought this book used so I didn't know it was an Oprah selection until I read some of the reviews on Amazon. I was a little confused by some of the bad reviews here until I read a few of them. I have to say that I was on the fence with this one for the first 100 pages (seems to be a common complaint) but after that I was hooked. Give this one a good try if you have trouble with it because it WILL come together.
I've lived in the South all of my life and I thought many of the characters reminded...more
I've lived in the South all of my life and I thought many of the characters reminded...more
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I finally finished this after having started it over a year ago. It seems that the last several books have taken me at least that long to read (?!?) but I am really glad I stayed with this one.
The many complicated relationships were all compelling and hard to watch develop at times.
The losses were painful and felt so like life. Most of the characters became so dear and well-defined. For instance, I NEVER thought I would warm to Louise or Neva, but did in the end, due to understanding them bette...more
The many complicated relationships were all compelling and hard to watch develop at times.
The losses were painful and felt so like life. Most of the characters became so dear and well-defined. For instance, I NEVER thought I would warm to Louise or Neva, but did in the end, due to understanding them bette...more
Love Melinda's use of archaic language from a time long ago.
I must agree with many of the previous reviews. Haynes pulls no punches and launches her first book with a broad menagerie of characters from all walks of life during the 1950s. Unique characters with an "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" feel to it.
The tragedy and triumph of the novel's characters may be too expected, but the effort and excellence of Haynes' skills as an author are obvious.
I must agree with many of the previous reviews. Haynes pulls no punches and launches her first book with a broad menagerie of characters from all walks of life during the 1950s. Unique characters with an "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" feel to it.
The tragedy and triumph of the novel's characters may be too expected, but the effort and excellence of Haynes' skills as an author are obvious.
Melinda Haynes' Mother of Pearl, moving like a sailing vessel, tacking to catch somewhat random winds, frequently grinding to a halt in the calms, nevertheless followed a true course to its climax. Stories guided by a tragic plot are not all that common, but this one for all its excesses and failings did arrive at its destination, following the wake of such works as Romeo and Juliet. The classic battle between Montagues and Capulets became the South's racial conflict of the 1950's; star-crossed...more
The book nearly lost me at the beginning - I think it was because I found the language quite difficult to grasp at first. Once I got used to it I reveled in the colloquialisms, sayings and conversations, especially between Even and Canaan. Such gems as "dead as a nob" and "cold as a witches tit" had me chuckling out loud.
The cast of characters is large, and at first seem rather random, but are connected nicely as the story goes on.
The book is really slow at first as well.....but it intrigued me...more
The cast of characters is large, and at first seem rather random, but are connected nicely as the story goes on.
The book is really slow at first as well.....but it intrigued me...more
Wow, I almost kept a journal while I was reading this book just to keep track of my thoughts about it. I generally do not like to read "Oprah" books but I really found this book full of great characters that you wanted to know more about. It took me about 50-60 pages to really get into it and once I was I didn't want to put it down.
I felt so awful for the majority of the characters and the issues they were dealing with (don't want to give anything away till Katie reads it!) I loved Valuable and...more
I felt so awful for the majority of the characters and the issues they were dealing with (don't want to give anything away till Katie reads it!) I loved Valuable and...more
Dec 11, 2009
Marsia
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
readers who like stories set in the 1950s &/or in the South; those who like first novels
Recommended to Marsia by:
Oprah Winfrey
Shelves:
from-the-south
Grrrrr! I started a new virtual bookshelf for this book and must say I truly despise the way the Goodreads program automatically changed--incorrectly and for the worse--what I typed in the blank. There is no reason whatever for our book categories to be automatically hyphenated, nor for changing all capital letters to lowercase. For example, I put a capital "S" in the word "South" in this category for good reason; the South in the United States is always capitalized to distinguish it as a region...more
After having read this book, I don't believe I would necessarily recommend it to others. I chose it as an Oprah's Book Club novel but it felt like this new author decided to try to throw everything in at once - it's about race, homosexuality, poverty, love (both teen and older types), a little of everything. It was difficult to follow or read in places due to the country way of speaking I suppose, but then it's the mid 50's south and she throws in a very well read but uneducated(Greek classics)...more
I read this book years ago when it first hit the market. I fell in love with the characters, their dialogue, and the easy-going narration. Melinda Haynes tells a sad tale of racial ambivalence, class order (or disorder), and the mistakes and sins common to mankind--regardless of the era. The story charts the lives of Even Grade, a black man, and Valuable Korner, a fifteen-year-old white girl, the daughter of the town whore. Their lives intersect at points neither could have imagined. Family secr...more
It took me a little while to get into this book, again it was in audible format, so the reader might have had something to do with that. It is verbose, and for me when listening to a book I can get lost in the poetry of the words and not get the meaning, so i had to restart a few times to figure out who was who and what was going on. I really enjoyed this book and the language though and got used to the reader after a bit. It is an interesting take on the 1950's deep south, giving us a view of t...more
Sometimes, people just aim too high.
The story and characters were well-crafted, I'll grant that much - but the book gave off the distinct vibe of an author that was trying too hard for a literary masterpiece. So much was overdone: too many characters with involved story-lines, too much sexuality and crass language, too much abstract literary and poetic allusion, too much.
And yet the really big moments - the emotional pivots and climax of the book - are understated, like the author is trying to t...more
The story and characters were well-crafted, I'll grant that much - but the book gave off the distinct vibe of an author that was trying too hard for a literary masterpiece. So much was overdone: too many characters with involved story-lines, too much sexuality and crass language, too much abstract literary and poetic allusion, too much.
And yet the really big moments - the emotional pivots and climax of the book - are understated, like the author is trying to t...more
Another Oprah's book club selection, one set in her native Mississippi, weaves a tale of a virtually motherless child, a man who is an orphan, and a voodoo woman who wears age sticks(they look like painted chopsticks) in her hair. Those weird characters, and many others who enter and exit the story touch the reader because the author is so good at characterization. I wanted to put the book down many times, but the way the author put words together, I had to finish it. When reading reviews I foun...more
I've read several reviews of this book, and funny, I agree with the few I've read. Yes, this book gets off to a slow start. Yes, at times it is even confusing trying to understand which thought is attributed to which character. I also question the language and sexual overtones for a book set in the 1950s. But, as I stuck with it, I became riveted by the secrets and history, quietly intertwined in this book. The confusion found in the storytelling, to me, mirrors how confusing life can be along w...more
I read this book for a project in Ms. Shakir's class. This book was a little bit difficult to follow at some points ,but ultimately it all came together very nicely. I admit, that yes, I indeed cried at the end, twice. Once because it was sad, and once because it was happy.
This story is about a white girl named Valuble Korner, a black man named Even Grade. This is a story about Love, morals, and tough choices. I highly recommend this book. A word of advice, this book tends to get very graphic...more
This story is about a white girl named Valuble Korner, a black man named Even Grade. This is a story about Love, morals, and tough choices. I highly recommend this book. A word of advice, this book tends to get very graphic...more
Aug 01, 2011
Jo-Ann Murphy
added it
Brilliant! Very colorful descriptive writing, engaging characters, and a beautifully crafted story. I love the way she wove the characters together and tied up all the loose ends by the time the book was finished. I hated for the story to end and could not put it down. The first pages were a bit slow and confusing but once you got into the story and began to see the interaction of the characters, she got you hooked. There was always something to hold your interest. There was always some question...more
The plot is woven around the two main characters (Even Grade and Valuable Korner) and a witch, a goat, and some wise old people who live in a quirky little southern town in the 1950's. The plot is full of twists that are shocking, humorous, and heart breaking.
I read this book with a friend and had a blast. I loved this book because it was very literary... full of symbols, motifs, allusions, and figurative language that allows the reader to explore many levels of interpretation. Definitely a book...more
I read this book with a friend and had a blast. I loved this book because it was very literary... full of symbols, motifs, allusions, and figurative language that allows the reader to explore many levels of interpretation. Definitely a book...more
If you're not interested in the book after the first hundred pages, feel free to give it up. I read some other reviews, and I can understand why this book might not suit many readers who are accustomed to more straight-forward narratives with fewer characters. Duly noted, I really enjoyed this book. The ending was surprising and uplifting and I felt very close to the entire community. True, Haynes might have eliminated some characters to keep the story tighter if this hadn't been her first novel...more
I must admit, I bought this book (used for $2) because the book jacket is simply gorgeous. Shallow, I know, but I like to let these impressions lead me where they will. A review I read of the book described Melinda Haynes' writing as "exquisite prose". Exactly! I found her descriptions delicious -- "... Who ever knew that brown could be such a rainbow..." LOVE that! A little research revealed that she was a artist (painter) first. Makes perfect sense! Some of the story lines spoke to me. Some di...more
I was over halfway through this book before I actually started to care what happened to the characters. I know, many people would have stopped reading long before that, especially with a book having as many pages as this one. But I hate to not finish a book if I can manage to get through it. And I figured I could get this through one.
The biggest challenge is the writing style. I often had to read sentences more than once in order to figure out what it was trying to say. Part of it was strange se...more
The biggest challenge is the writing style. I often had to read sentences more than once in order to figure out what it was trying to say. Part of it was strange se...more
I'm going to begin my review by quoting from some of the jacket blurbs, to give you a sense of how well received this first time novelist was with her beautiful piece of work.
From the Chicago Tribune: "Remarkable." From The Plain Dealer in Cleveland: "Haynes is the real thing, a true artist, a genuine writer, and in this book, at least, a genius....MOTHER OF PEARL transports us to the wilds of a different world." From Publishers Weekly: "In prose both rugged and beautiful, Haynes plumbs the secr...more
From the Chicago Tribune: "Remarkable." From The Plain Dealer in Cleveland: "Haynes is the real thing, a true artist, a genuine writer, and in this book, at least, a genius....MOTHER OF PEARL transports us to the wilds of a different world." From Publishers Weekly: "In prose both rugged and beautiful, Haynes plumbs the secr...more
This was an unusual book for me. I almost put it down many times after starting it. There are so many characters and storylines going on that I felt lost at times.
The writing is wonderful however, and though it took me until somewhere around page 180, I wanted to know how the story would end. What each persons, or couples, outcome would be.
The ending was one that made me feel sad, and unsettled. So many unhappy people and such an unhappy time and place.
Spoiler to follow:
Though I was content, if...more
The writing is wonderful however, and though it took me until somewhere around page 180, I wanted to know how the story would end. What each persons, or couples, outcome would be.
The ending was one that made me feel sad, and unsettled. So many unhappy people and such an unhappy time and place.
Spoiler to follow:
Though I was content, if...more
I read this book when I was on holiday last year, it was in the hotel lobby for borrowing. I had never heard of the book before, however the Oprah book club stamp attracted me to read this book. Its a story about a black family and a white family in America in the 50's, their struggles, later on in the book the families life's intertwine. The characters are very strong, and quite original, despite this the story is difficult to get in to, however I found the book very enjoyable the further I got...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question about the ending | 2 | 7 | Jan 30, 2013 06:41am | |
| Slow Starter? | 13 | 22 | Sep 25, 2012 04:20pm |
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“And I said, ‘I’m thinkin’ I’ve wasted too much time thinkin’, is what I’m thinkin'.”
—
5 people liked it
“All he thinks while he studies pearlescent pigeons is this: I wish I knew how… I wish I knew… I ain’t ever gonna, but I wish I knew how it felt – (-to be free).”
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