Elle Pierre's Blog - Posts Tagged "roll-of-thunder"

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This is the fourth installment in a series featuring the Logan family.


“There are things you can't back down on, things you gotta take a stand on. But it's up to you to decide what them things are. You have to demand respect in this world, ain't nobody just gonna hand it to you. How you carry yourself, what you stand for--that's how you gain respect. But, little one, ain't nobody's respect worth more than your own.”

How relevant these words are today!

I’ll confess: I don’t read a lot of historical fiction. This book was recently added to our bookshelf by my mom, and I’m so glad she brought it home. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a life-changing read. I had a general knowledge of life in America for African-Americans during the late 19th and early 20th centuries (Civil War, Segregation, Civil Rights Movement, Lynching, etc.), but this book really puts it into perspective the dynamics between “blacks” and “whites” during this period in a way I’ve never experienced in any history lesson. Cassie Logan and her family are unique, each with believable personalities and quirks. There is a sense of pride and strength to each of them that I admired, from Big Ma to Little Man. The supporting characters are equally developed. I actually liked how the characters spoke in a Southern dialect. It’s a slow rise to the story’s climax, but it’s worth the ride as during such we get to know the members of the cast.

“One word can sometimes be sharper than a thousand swords.”

How true this is for little Cassie, our narrator and heroine. At age nine, she has her first public encounter with racism and her “place” in society. She definitely grows from it… though I’m not exactly sure if it’s in the right direction. I found her method of revenge on Lillian Jean, a prissy Southerner who embarrassed her in town to be the wrong message for other children. Another thing that bugged me was the… *ahem*, “disciplinary tactics” of the parents and teachers. But I suppose that was the culture back then (and maybe in some households today… yikes).

By chapter eleven the story becomes extremely tense; readers will get a front-row seat at the horrific practices that were done to neighbors by their own neighbors, just because of the color of their skin.

The book’s ending is a cliffhanger, kind of sad, but if you enjoyed reading it, it’ll make you crave the next installment of the Logan family’s adventures. Everyone needs to read this book. Now more than ever.




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