The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove: A Novel by Susan Gregg Gilmore

Sep 07, 2011 ♥Xeni♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, coming-of-age, historical, southern, fiction

Ugh, I stayed up way too late reading again. How will I do this when actual school starts?!

But I feel like this book was worth it. I feel like I've read a lot of books in the genre of the civil rights movement, but this one touched me. At first I was just feeling like it was just another tale of growing up, finding love (forbidden or not) and family trials. Yet, I think Bezellia's story will stay with me for a while.

Near the end I was really rooting for a different outcome.. But the political...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Maia B. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: beach-reads, boring, historical, too-long, horrible-ending, mediocre-writing

Maybe I shouldn't have read this so soon after finishing both "The Help" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" for the hundredth time. Obviously I shouldn't have. I should have waited a few weeks and read something with a completely different idea, like a Jane Austen, say, instead of plunging into "Bezellia Grove" with the expectation that it would be profound, fascinating, well-written, full of characters I loved, and - bottom line - a good book.

Well, I was disappointed in every category. Profound? Defin...more Maybe I shouldn't have read this so soon after finishing both "The Help" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" for the hundredth time. Obviously I shouldn't have. I should have waited a few weeks and read something with a completely different idea, like a Jane Austen, say, instead of plunging into "Bezellia Grove" with the expectation that it would be profound, fascinating, well-written, full of characters I loved, and - bottom line - a good book.

Well, I was disappointed in every category. Profound? Definitely not. Fascinating? About as much so as a toenail. Well-written? No. Full of characters I loved? Plenty I wanted to strangle, but none I loved. Or even liked. A good book? Well, add up boring, poorly written, irritating characters, and an ending which would give even that of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" a run for its money, and what you've got is emphatically NOT a good book.

After reading the back, I really thought Bezellia was going to be an incredible woman. Brave, determined, strong, oh, you know what I mean. She wasn't. She cried whenever things went wrong; screamed at her mother and failed to fix anything; supposedly had a relationship with a black boy and not only did the "relationship" seem totally fake, but the fact that she was white and he was black didn't seem to matter much. It was given perhaps six paragraphs in the entire novel. I don't think Gilmore really understands the time period. It could be switched into a modern setting with not very much tweaking.

And the ending...good god, the ending. You know in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" when there's the beginning of a big battle scene and then everything fizzles out and policemen come charging in and one of them puts his hand over the camera lens and the credits start rolling? That's pretty much what happens in this book. (view spoiler) What IS this? Some kind of joke?

I read this book quickly not because I wanted to know what happened (or cared either way), but because it had been strongly recommended to me and I wanted to see whether it was really as good as I'd been told. It wasn't. My opinion is definitely formed, and I wish I'd read some other book than this one. It wasn't worth it.(less)

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Aug 06, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Bezellia Grove is an young and affluent Southern girl who has inherited her unusual name from a long line of affluent Bezellias. But this Bezellia is more than she appears and is living a most unusual life behind the closed doors of her plantation style home in Tennessee. Though she’s passionate and expressive, Bezellia and her younger sister Adeliade live in fear of their sometimes abusive and always neglectful mother, while the girls’ father is unusually quiet and absent most of the time. This...more Bezellia Grove is an young and affluent Southern girl who has inherited her unusual name from a long line of affluent Bezellias. But this Bezellia is more than she appears and is living a most unusual life behind the closed doors of her plantation style home in Tennessee. Though she’s passionate and expressive, Bezellia and her younger sister Adeliade live in fear of their sometimes abusive and always neglectful mother, while the girls’ father is unusually quiet and absent most of the time. This leaves Bezellia to be raised by the two African-American house servants, Maizelle and Nathaniel, who become a set of quasi-parents to the two troubled girls. As Bezellia finds her faltering way through adolescence and young adulthood, she will become affected by a horrific family accident and and engage in an illicit and innocent love that will change her and shape her future. And just when it seems that things can’t get any more complicated for Bezellia, she begins to uncover a few haunting secrets about her mother’s past that may begin to explain the woman she’s become. In this beautiful and intricate southern tale filled with heartbreak, longing and redemption, the irrepressible Bezellia Grove and her very unique life spin outward into the minds of readers who might discover that being true to yourself is sometimes the hardest job of all.

It’s not often that I read a book that so touches me and makes me fall in love so helplessly with its main character. It’s also not often that I sit up until the wee hours of the morning racing to finish a story that I can’t seem to put down. But it does happen, and it happened with The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove. Between the magic and perfect cadence of Gilmore’s writing, and the nerve twisting story of Bezellia’s life, I ended up completely surrendering to my love for this book and reading avidly to find out what would become of this very unusual girl who lived a very unconventional life.

From the first few pages, the relationship between Bezellia and her mother become painfully obvious. While Bezellia was just beginning to explore the world around her and find her place in it, her mother was dutifully trying to shove her into little prescribed boxes of her own making. And really, Bezellia was, and remained, the antithesis of her mother throughout the book’s permutations. It was tragic to see the forlorn Bezellia hungering for her mother’s love; a love that would never be granted to her. It was even more disheartening to watch Bezellia’s mother slowly spiral away from the people who loved her into greater abuses and tantrums, slowly being enveloped by alcoholism. While Bezellia’s mother was either climbing the rickety social ladder or drinking, both Bezellia and her sister grew very attached to Maizelle and Nathaniel, who took the children under their wing and cared for them as their own. Very early on Bezellia realizes that the marginalization of these two people, and the black community in general, is sickeningly unfair, and though she tries to shift the balance of power for them and with them, it proves a huge wedge to move on her own. The balance of power that exists in her home is one that is unfortunately not rare for that time period, and though Bezellia kicks and bucks it away, she’s also hindered by social custom and the narrow-mindedness of the time.

When Bezellia falls in love with a socially unsuitable match, her predicament draws all kinds of attention, and it’s attention that she desperately wants to ignore and avoid. It’s a love that she feels is destined for her, and though society tries to dictate to her about the unacceptable nature of this relationship, Bezellia refuses to listen. But this isn’t the only problem she’s having, because her family life is in ever increasing shambles. Bezellia finds herself the head of her family, the one who everyone looks to for answers. It’s a confusing and heartbreaking time for her, but she never seems to loose her pluck, and her reserves, though at an all time low, don’t ever seem to be depleted. I admired Bezellia during these sections because she carried loads that her narrow shoulders should have never been responsible for. Gilmore creates her Bezellia with vigor and aplomb, packing her heroine with an unflappable desire for individuality and freedom that takes her into unexpected places and situations, and carries her through some of the most difficult times a young woman can face. Though her life is stilted and hobbled by her troubles, Bezellia finds a way to gracefully maintain equilibrium.

For the most part, the thing that I made me feel so connected to this book was my total immersion into Bezellia’s life and my complete sympathy for her story. Bezellia wasn’t the type of character to willingly force herself into contortions of emotion that weren’t authentic to her, which made life a lot harder for someone who lived in a home where appearances were everything, both inside and outside the doors. She was also an idealist in a place where her ideals aren’t appreciated or understood, which pitted her against even those who she loved and regarded with respect. Her overwhelming desire to be loved in “the right way” often compromised her emotional stability, and is a factor of her personality that I think a lot of women will understand. Bezellia’s uncomfortable and fraught relationship with her mother is also packed with landmines for her character’s development and growth, and in some ways I could really relate to her struggles in this area. She was a very real character with some very realistic flaws and attributes that made me care for her almost instantly.

This was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time, for many reasons that I stated above. In addition, Gilmore’s writing was very smooth and fluid and made it easy for me to become thoroughly submerged. She held me captivated in her storyteller’s hands until that final haunting conclusion. If you haven’t read this wonderful story yet, I would highly recommend it. I think it would strike the perfect chord in many different readers, and would be appreciated by many.(less)

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May 07, 2011 Friends of Linebaugh Library rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Improper Life of Bezillia Grove is the story of a girl who's life is as unconventional as her name. Bezellia lives a life of prosperity, belonging to a prominent family said to have been living in Nashville since it's beginning, so, of course, there are certain expectations of her. The 1960s and 70s deem to be rather difficult, as the country around her changes, as she changes, and as her family changes right before her eyes. She must learn to accept that people are weak, love is real, and l...more The Improper Life of Bezillia Grove is the story of a girl who's life is as unconventional as her name. Bezellia lives a life of prosperity, belonging to a prominent family said to have been living in Nashville since it's beginning, so, of course, there are certain expectations of her. The 1960s and 70s deem to be rather difficult, as the country around her changes, as she changes, and as her family changes right before her eyes. She must learn to accept that people are weak, love is real, and life will never be easy.

Bezellia's story is one of the best I have read in a long time. The emotions and situations felt so real sometimes it felt like I was reading a memoir. The language and prose of the author made the book flow seamlessly. From the start to the finish, I felt as if I couldn't put the book down because all of Bezellia's and her family's experiences moved naturally from one to the next. Even though I may have been frustrated with some of the decisions that she made and the situations she got herself in, I still rooted for her the entire time, as she is real, honest and introspective enough for me to understand her well. She blooms before your eyes, but the changes are still subtle, as the book spans basically from her birth to her death. This novel is, literally, about the improper and unpredictable life of a young woman, born into privilege in the South.

This book takes you to the heart of Nashville, Tennessee in the 50's. Gilmore does a great job portraying the life of prominent white families of the South like the Groves. But, the Groves aren't as picture perfect as they may seem in the Society Pages. Gilmore takes you on a wild ride through Bezillia's life. She is forced to not only cope with her mostly absent father and alcoholic mother , but also helps raise her younger sister. Throughout the madness Bezillia calls life she learns many things the most important of which is how to love, even though this love is forbidden. This book is sure to be an instant classic and should be at the very top of your reading list!(less)

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Feb 05, 2011 MaryBookSwarm rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I felt like I should have read this book in a deep Southern drawl. The heat of the south permeated the story, from Bezellia's grandparents house on the lake to the tattered remnants of the Grove family estate.

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure where the story was going. It started out slowly, introducing the reader to Bezellia and her used-to-be-rich-but-lost-it family. Dad isn't around much, preferring to spend his time at the hospital (and other places). Mom hides herself in a bott...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Anne (Booklady) Molinarolo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bee-shelf, fall-2011

I don’t get the Title: THE IMPROPER LIFE OF BEZELLIA GROVE. Could it be that Bezellia Grove bucks the “gentile” South of the 1960’s by her relationships with the poor boy from the other side of the lake? Or that she sees Mazelle Cooper and Nathaniel Stephenson as people rather than servants to the “big” house? Or she rebels against her mother who loves Gin and social status more than her two daughters? Or that like her namesake, young Bezellia sees her great love bleeding in her arms and can’t d...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Rene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book. Set back in the South during the 1960's it follows the life of a pecuilar girl named Bezellia. Her Dad is a Doctor who is distant and rarely home and her Mom is an alcoholic who volunteers all her time to uphold her important Family name and plays bridge at the Country Club. Bezellia feels closer to her Black house servants Maizelle and Nathaniel than with her own parents. At the ripe age of 14 she meets Nathaniel's young son and develops a passion for him like no oth...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

Hurricane Sandy decided not to go crazy in my neck of the woods, even though I had prepared myself by getting all the books I could. I did, however, get to tuck into this gem and I was quite pleased with the result.
I found that, even though there wasn't a huge event going on, a war being fought, or a love scorned, I could not put the book down. It was about life and trying to figure out where you belong in it. Rather than being a book about a girl going crazy to defy her parents, it is set in th...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The so called "improper" part of Bezellia's life was why the book was such a good read. That Bezellia grows up in a household with a cold, abusive mother & an absent, weak father & still manages to be a decent person is probably all due to the two African American employees of the manor she calls home. The loving cook/housekeeper & the groundskeeper are the two adults she can always count on & trust & it was extremely sweet to read about their connection when in that time rac...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Keithmack rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book tells the story of a white girl growing up in a upper-class southern home during the 1960's. Bezellia doesn't have any super qualities to portray throughout the book. In fact, we learn the ideas that make up Bezellia as she matures into a young adult. And Bezellia has a lot to tell us, whether it's about her alcoholic mother, interracial love, or her absent father. Bezellia's problems are so mysterious yet so common. Her problems tell us our history on a personal level that has been ty...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: firstreads, contemporary

Susan Gregg Gilmore has told a wonderful story with The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove. Bezellia is an immediately appealing character, wise beyond her years and growing up in unappealing times. Gilmore ties up the story's threads in a satisfying way, giving her readers insight into family, how parents mustn't try to fix their children or their children's problems, and how most people are a bundle of good and bad.

Most white people, that is. The African-Americans in this story are nothing less...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Ginger rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is another winner from Susan Gregg Gilmore. You will love and admire Bezellia for her ability to love and in spite of her unloving mother ( who is abusive to everyone) and her rarely at home undemonstrative father. She also exhibits a maturity far beyond her years in taking care of her needy sister. The only people in her life who show her any affection are those who are not considered her "social equals". This is obviously what saves her from the bigotry that prevailed in the South in the...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Lindsey Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Improper Life of Bezillia Grove is the story of a girl who's life is as unconventional as her name. This book takes you to the heart of Nashville, Tennessee in the 50's. Gilmore does a great job portraying the life of prominent white families of the South like the Groves. But, the Groves aren't as picture perfect as they may seem in the Society Pages. Gilmore takes you on a wild ride through Bezillia's life. She is forced to not only cope with her mostly absent father and alcoholic mother ,...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a book I’ve had sitting on my bookshelf for about a year. It was also one of the first books I pulled off the shelf when I decided that in 2013 I wanted to read mainly books that I’ve had for a while but haven’t read yet.

I loved “Looking For Salvation At The Dairy Queen” by this author, so figured I’d like this book too. And I did!

To be honest, it took me a few chapters before I started getting interested in what was going on. Once I was, I was fully engrossed.

I loved the relationships i...more

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May 07, 2011 Raina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Improper Life of Bezillia Grove is the story of a girl who's life is as unconventional as her name. Bezellia lives a life of prosperity, belonging to a prominent family said to have been living in Nashville since it's beginning, so, of course, there are certain expectations of her. The 1960s and 70s deem to be rather difficult, as the country around her changes, as she changes, and as her family changes right before her eyes. She must learn to accept that people are weak, love is real, and l...more The Improper Life of Bezillia Grove is the story of a girl who's life is as unconventional as her name. Bezellia lives a life of prosperity, belonging to a prominent family said to have been living in Nashville since it's beginning, so, of course, there are certain expectations of her. The 1960s and 70s deem to be rather difficult, as the country around her changes, as she changes, and as her family changes right before her eyes. She must learn to accept that people are weak, love is real, and life will never be easy.

Bezellia's story is one of the best I have read in a long time. The emotions and situations felt so real sometimes it felt like I was reading a memoir. The language and prose of the author made the book flow seamlessly. From the start to the finish, I felt as if I couldn't put the book down because all of Bezellia's and her family's experiences moved naturally from one to the next. Even though I may have been frustrated with some of the decisions that she made and the situations she got herself in, I still rooted for her the entire time, as she is real, honest and introspective enough for me to understand her well. She blooms before your eyes, but the changes are still subtle, as the book spans basically from her birth to her death. This novel is, literally, about the improper and unpredictable life of a young woman, born into privilege in the South.

This book takes you to the heart of Nashville, Tennessee in the 50's. Gilmore does a great job portraying the life of prominent white families of the South like the Groves. But, the Groves aren't as picture perfect as they may seem in the Society Pages. Gilmore takes you on a wild ride through Bezillia's life. She is forced to not only cope with her mostly absent father and alcoholic mother , but also helps raise her younger sister. Throughout the madness Bezillia calls life she learns many things the most important of which is how to love, even though this love is forbidden. This book is sure to be an instant classic and should be at the very top of your reading list!(less)

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May 07, 2013 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was like the Help, but not as good. The main character is Bezellia Grove. She lives in Nashville, and the setting is mainly the 1960s. Her family is a mess. Her dad is having an affair. Her mother is a mean drunk, and her sister is unstable. The only solid family she has is the housekeeper and the driver. They take care of the family. The mother treats everyone poorly and eventually has a breakdown and is committed to a hospital. The father has a questionable fall and dies. The caretak...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 25, 2011 Kathy Nelson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I enjoyed this book - it's not a long read and it kept me turning the pages! In the book, Bezellia Grove is coming of age in the south during the turbulant 60s. If that weren't enough, she comes from a rather dysfunctional, well to do family. This book echos many of the themes of "The Secret Life of Bees" and "The Help". I was cheering for Bezellia throughout the book, hoping that she would succeed in finding love and acceptance in her own way, that she would escape the limitations put on her by...more

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Dec 10, 2010 Lydia Presley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, coming-of-age, fiction, southern

This is the year for me to read books revolving around the South in the 60's - and each book is good in it's own way, and has its own faults.

The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove was an interesting enough book - the main character, Bezellia, was likeable enough, her mom was horrible enough, her dad was neglectful enough and her sister crazy enough.. but still I was left with an unfulfilled sense when I finished the book. Only after thinking about it for a while did I finally pin-point the source....more

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Nov 14, 2011 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I recently read this book for a never got off the ground book club. If the book hadn't been assigned I don't know if I would have ever found it. I'm glad I did, I have waited a while to review it because I felt my rating on the book was influenced by my also recent reading of The Help.

Like The Help, The Improper Life of Bezelia Grove centers around a young girl in the south during the civil rights movement. However this book stands well on it's own with a completely different tale of a young, wh...more

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Sep 16, 2011 L added it · review of another edition

Coming of age always has it's challenges. Bezillia Grove does so under the shadow of many troubles including the racial turmoil still in the south during the 1960's and 70's, the Vietnam war, and growing up with an alcoholic mother and and a shell of a man for a father. As if that wasn't enough she carries the family name of Bezillia Grove, one of the most prominent and oldest families in Nashville. It's a story of family, forgiveness, and the pain those closest to you can inflict so easily that...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was surprised at how enjoyable this book was. It was well written with a strong young female character with the strange name of Bezillia. All the female characters are somewhat quirky. The mother isn't very loving and the father is distant. The situation is probably common to lots of households and readers will no doubt identify with portions of it throughout. It would be a great book for summertime reading in a large block, but it is also easy to read in small spurts. There's a tiny bit of ro...more

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Dec 05, 2010 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

When “they” say that the lifestyles of the rich and famous are not as glorious as we simple lay people imagine, the infamous “they” are probably referring to something along the lines of pretty little, poor little, rich girl, Bezellia Grove.

Born in a stately southern mansion on the outskirts of Nashville, baby Bezellia has, not shoes, but a legacy and a name to fill. Wearing her full name (unabridged as her predecessors chose before her, opting for Zee, Bea, and others) like a blessing a curse,...more When “they” say that the lifestyles of the rich and famous are not as glorious as we simple lay people imagine, the infamous “they” are probably referring to something along the lines of pretty little, poor little, rich girl, Bezellia Grove.

Born in a stately southern mansion on the outskirts of Nashville, baby Bezellia has, not shoes, but a legacy and a name to fill. Wearing her full name (unabridged as her predecessors chose before her, opting for Zee, Bea, and others) like a blessing a curse, the most recent descendant of the prominent family is determined to break away from her lineage, once and for all.

Weaving period-appropriate strands of rebellion (inter racial courtship, the rise of feminism and exploration of sexual freedom) through a more solid tapestry of teenage angst as old as time, Bezellia’s story is one of heartbreak and headache, impossible choices and potential silver linings.

In June of 2009, I was a reader but not yet a blogger. I was seriously considering it but hadn’t made my final steps in the direction of publication. Then, one evening, while at the wonderful Blue Elephant book store in Decatur, I almost literally bumped into a woman named Susan Gregg Gilmore. She was at the store to discuss her, then new book Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen. It was a small group but a lively one. We ended up discussing more of the ins and outs of writing and publishing than southern living. This was fine since, at that point, I hadn’t heard of, never mind picked up or read her first book.

It was after that night that I decided I would move forward with my blog. I enjoyed Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen but I need to say this: I’ve fallen out of love. Yes, it’s tragic but true. Unfortunately (for the book) or, rather, fortunately (for me) I have a new love.

She is an amazing new love and her name is Bezellia Grove.

What a sophomore offering! What power! What emotion! The book is not terribly hefty but it packs quite a punch. Bezellia’s voice is clear and strong, even when she is facing her deepest, darkest decisions. Race, class, war and peace are not so much touched on but, rather, lived. Each hurdle is put up as, not some, name dropping, Forrest Gumpesque, silliness but, instead, an organic experience of living life through a tumultuous time both locally and globally.

I came away from this novel with a sense of retroactive star-stuck awe. I am so proud of the depth put into Susan Gregg Gilmore’s second novel. I will definitely recommend the first but if you have to choose one, over the other (for some horrible reason) I have to put my bid in for the most recent story, the lovely and beautiful The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove.(less)

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Mar 14, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed reading this book. It's a coming of age story with Bezellia being the narrator. It has some common elements with "The Help" in that an affluent set of parents are not there for their children and it is Maizelle and Nathaniel, the black help, that provide the security needed by Bezellia and her sister. This book, also, has an lower class woman marrying into the upper class and trying to fit into "society" as in "The Help" and "Catfish Alley". I like the fact that more is explained about...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Jennifer Painter rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book generously as a winner in the First Reads program. Maybe I was seduced by the front cover and the description but I was expecting a really good read that might be a mix between "The Help" and a Pat Conroy novel. Instead this story seemed to follow a tired coming of age in the 60's theme. I really like Bezillia's character and just kept waiting for the story to go somewhere, but it just meandered along and then ended abrubtly without much satisfaction for the reader. I really...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Jameica Cotton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove depicts the story of a young girl who struggles with the idea of "wanting to be loved." She faces major obstacles with her family and a young man whom she knows she will never be able to have relations with. Bezellia tries to overcome every curveball that is thrown her way. As an entire book, it was a good read. The ending could have been better. I think there could have been an explanation after Bezellia drives Samuel home. Although Bezellia knew that this wa...more

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Aug 21, 2010 Tara Chevrestt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-release, kindle, historical-fiction

This was an easy, entertaining read, but I was expecting a bit more. After all, it's about what in the 60s and 70s was a very touchy topic: interracial dating. However, despite the fact that the caucasian heroine, Bezellia has a crush on an African American boy, it doesn't really get very in depth on the issue.

Rather, the book's main moral, at least to me, was that being rich, white, having a well known name, and residing in a big house doesn't make you any happier than being poor, brown or blac...more This was an easy, entertaining read, but I was expecting a bit more. After all, it's about what in the 60s and 70s was a very touchy topic: interracial dating. However, despite the fact that the caucasian heroine, Bezellia has a crush on an African American boy, it doesn't really get very in depth on the issue.

Rather, the book's main moral, at least to me, was that being rich, white, having a well known name, and residing in a big house doesn't make you any happier than being poor, brown or black, named Jones or Miller or Yabba Dabba Dooba, and living in a little hut. It doesn't mean squat. You can be the most miserable person in the town, albeit the wealthiest.

Bezellia is rich, white, and lives like a spoiled princess. Her mother is in the right club, her father is a doctor, and she has African Americans doing her laundry. As a matter of fact, I didn't like Bezzellia. Throughout the entire novel, the girl never gets a job or does her own laundry and the book goes well into adulthood. Bezellia is miserable tho. Her mother refuses to call her by her name, is always in a bottle of gin, her father is having an affair, and her little sister refuses to grow up. It seems the "black" help have better family lives and more love to give. Bezellia looks to them for love and acceptance and falls in love with Samuel, the son of their African American driver and handyman.

This family deals with a lot of drama. There is hidden secrets, alcoholism, death, bitter parents, and even an issue involving corruption in religion. Bezzellia has her romances on the side while dealing with all these family problems but it always comes back to Samuel... Problem is, Bezellia never really acts on it. You get true love maybe once in a lifetime and in this case, the girl never grows the balls to pursue it. The ending left me feeling... "What? I spent an entire day reading this and it went... nowhere??"

I was disappointed but I did find the novel entertaining despite the ending and it was well written. (less)

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Aug 31, 2011 Mir rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was excited to receive this book through First Reads.
Loved how easy it was to read, loved the way it was written, the way the story developed and enjoyed the characters in it. Having recently moved to the South, it was the perfect light read with still enough seriousness to it. My disappointment came on page 252 when the story ended a little bit too abruptly for me. Sure, there was just a little bit more to tie up loose ends (i.e. the whole rest of her life!) but that was not enough for me. I...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Stven rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a nicely written "poor little rich girl" story told from the point of view of the girl. Her mom is pretty hateful and her dad doesn't hang around the house a lot. It's the 1960s in Nashville and they have black servants who do a lot of parenting.

It sounds like these are stock characters and you could just about write the story yourself from there... but it's better than that. Bezellia tells us *her* story, and she has us understanding how this is in fact her own personal story even while...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3 1/2 stars (I really wish goodreads had the 1/2 star option). I quite enjoyed this book, but was left wanting a little more. The last page that gave a glimpse into the future wasn't enough. I think the characters neede a little more progression before the book ended (with the exception of the mother). All in all, this was a good look into 1960s southern privileged living, family dynamics, racial dynamics, etc. I could see some of myself in Bezellia, too, though not the family part (nothing even...more

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title link	preview: The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove: A Novel
avg rating	preview: The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove: A Novel Goodreads rating: 3.71 (714 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8544781-the-improper-life-of-bezellia-grove?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328773478l/8544781.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8544781-the-improper-life-of-bezellia-grove?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove: A Novel by Susan Gregg Gilmore[/url]

The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove: A Novel

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