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Neecey's Lullaby
The story of a girl tempered in a crucible of abuse and neglect, Neecey’s Lullaby is a superbly crafted narrative in the spirit of the bestselling novels Push and Bastard Out of Carolina.
Growing up in Chicago in the 1950s, Neecey once felt that her world was perfect. She was loved and protected by her father, Jesse, and lived in relative comfort with her mother, Ruby, her grandmother, Ma ’Dear, and her siblings. But when Ruby and Jesse’s marriage falls apart due to Jesse’s cheating ways and Ruby’s hot temper, the children are eventually abandoned by their father and end up living in poverty in a housing project.
Ruby plunges into depression and anger, yelling at and hitting her children without warning. Ruby brings shiftless suitors into her home and gives them her body and her time, leaving Neecey to learn on her own how to cook and care for her five younger siblings, some mere babies. Yet despite the trauma, Neecey’s love for her sisters and brother, and ultimately herself, helps her find the inner strength to succeed.
Cris Burks has created a poignant portrait of a child who strives to soar above a world of pain.
Growing up in Chicago in the 1950s, Neecey once felt that her world was perfect. She was loved and protected by her father, Jesse, and lived in relative comfort with her mother, Ruby, her grandmother, Ma ’Dear, and her siblings. But when Ruby and Jesse’s marriage falls apart due to Jesse’s cheating ways and Ruby’s hot temper, the children are eventually abandoned by their father and end up living in poverty in a housing project.
Ruby plunges into depression and anger, yelling at and hitting her children without warning. Ruby brings shiftless suitors into her home and gives them her body and her time, leaving Neecey to learn on her own how to cook and care for her five younger siblings, some mere babies. Yet despite the trauma, Neecey’s love for her sisters and brother, and ultimately herself, helps her find the inner strength to succeed.
Cris Burks has created a poignant portrait of a child who strives to soar above a world of pain.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
18 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 29, 2012
What happened!?!?! I have a great dislike for books that end without any sort of closure. I was very interested in the story line. I had developed feelings (positive or negative) for all of the characters. I just need to know what happened. It seems unfair to get readers so involved with the story and characters, then just leave us wondering how things ended up for Neecey.
October 14, 2019
So good and soooo heartbreaking.
December 10, 2019
Ending? Story was good but it left me hanging at the end.
December 14, 2023
Beautifully simple writing.
February 17, 2024
This book was a good read. The ending felt rushed and unfinished. I would have loved for it to give a conclusion as to what happened with the characters.
February 21, 2008
From Publishers Weekly
Burks's unflinching, precisely observed story of a girl's will to survive her hopeless surroundings—a Chicago home ravaged by poverty, abuse and neglect—follows Neecey from her childhood in the mid 1950s to her early 20s, in 1973. Burks recounts a bleak coming-of-age for Neecey, beginning with the dissolution of her parents' marriage. The sudden appearance of a man claiming to be her real father sets in motion the philandering of her de facto father, Jesse, and the jealous rages of her mother, Ruby. In a broken home ruled by Ruby's fists and extension cord lashings, self-sacrificing Neecey assumes an adult role as surrogate mother to her younger siblings, whose numbers grow from three to five as Ruby barters her body for male comfort. Giving predatory lovers free range over her home while leaving Neecey to cook and care for the children, Ruby displays a destructive self-absorption unmitigated by any sense of responsibility to her family. While Burks (SilkyDreamGirl) skillfully charts Neecey's struggles in a bleak urban landscape, she demonizes Ruby, placing a two-dimensional character at the core of an otherwise moving second novel. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Family secrets drive the action in this heartbreaking story of abuse, betrayal, forgiveness, and sibling love. Growing up in a packed tenement on Chicago's South Side in the early 1950s, Neecey, seven, is so happy to be her loving daddy's little girl. But then she discovers he is not her daddy. He disappears; her mom, Ruby, takes in a succession of lovers; and before Neecey is even a teenager, she finds herself mother/guardian of all her younger sisters and brothers, protecting them from Ruby's abuse and neglect and from the predatory men in the house. The violence, verbal and physical, is constant. But so is the loving kindness, achingly expressed ("You always did see good even when there was none," Daddy tells Neecey). Yet there is absolutely no sentimentality. Neecey tries desperately to get away and make a life for herself; the helpful relatives are overbearing; the kind teacher makes things worse; the welfare system is cruel. Best of all is the plot, with surprises that turn out to be not surprising at all. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Burks's unflinching, precisely observed story of a girl's will to survive her hopeless surroundings—a Chicago home ravaged by poverty, abuse and neglect—follows Neecey from her childhood in the mid 1950s to her early 20s, in 1973. Burks recounts a bleak coming-of-age for Neecey, beginning with the dissolution of her parents' marriage. The sudden appearance of a man claiming to be her real father sets in motion the philandering of her de facto father, Jesse, and the jealous rages of her mother, Ruby. In a broken home ruled by Ruby's fists and extension cord lashings, self-sacrificing Neecey assumes an adult role as surrogate mother to her younger siblings, whose numbers grow from three to five as Ruby barters her body for male comfort. Giving predatory lovers free range over her home while leaving Neecey to cook and care for the children, Ruby displays a destructive self-absorption unmitigated by any sense of responsibility to her family. While Burks (SilkyDreamGirl) skillfully charts Neecey's struggles in a bleak urban landscape, she demonizes Ruby, placing a two-dimensional character at the core of an otherwise moving second novel. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Family secrets drive the action in this heartbreaking story of abuse, betrayal, forgiveness, and sibling love. Growing up in a packed tenement on Chicago's South Side in the early 1950s, Neecey, seven, is so happy to be her loving daddy's little girl. But then she discovers he is not her daddy. He disappears; her mom, Ruby, takes in a succession of lovers; and before Neecey is even a teenager, she finds herself mother/guardian of all her younger sisters and brothers, protecting them from Ruby's abuse and neglect and from the predatory men in the house. The violence, verbal and physical, is constant. But so is the loving kindness, achingly expressed ("You always did see good even when there was none," Daddy tells Neecey). Yet there is absolutely no sentimentality. Neecey tries desperately to get away and make a life for herself; the helpful relatives are overbearing; the kind teacher makes things worse; the welfare system is cruel. Best of all is the plot, with surprises that turn out to be not surprising at all. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
July 18, 2011
(FROM JACKET)Growing up in Chicago in the 1950s, Neecey once felt that her world was perfect. She was loved and protected by her father, Jesse, and lived in relative comfort with her mother, Ruby, her grandmother Ma'Dear, and her siblings. But when Ruby and Jesse's marriage falls apart due to Jesse's cheating ways and Ruby's hot temper, the children are eventually abandoned by their father and end up living in poverty in a housing project.
Ruby plunges into depression and anger, yelling at and hitting her children without warning. She brings shiftless suitors into her home and gives them her body and her time, leaving Neecey to learn on her own how to cook and care for her five younger siblings, some mere babies.....
Ruby plunges into depression and anger, yelling at and hitting her children without warning. She brings shiftless suitors into her home and gives them her body and her time, leaving Neecey to learn on her own how to cook and care for her five younger siblings, some mere babies.....
May 17, 2009
A purely riveting and moving story, author Cris Burks writes a compelling novel that portrays the life and adversities of an emotionally broken African American family. 'Neecey's Lullaby' provides the reader with the effects of an abusive, depressive, and fearful environment on a family. Burks also created an astounding main character, Pamela Denise, mostly commonly known as "Neecey", who exemplifies the meaning of courage and truimph. An intriguing page turner, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a mature and well-written read.
April 6, 2011
Wow! I thought that my childhood was bad.
Neecey has to grow up fast and raise and protect her brother and sisters from an abusive hateful mother and the men that come and go. She goes through all kinds of problems with her family. She daydreams sometimes to escape all the bad things that's going on. She finds freedom when she becomes an adult and out on her own.
This books makes me wonder why some mothers do not protect their children from husbands, boyfriends, etc. Why do these mothers choose their no-good man over their own innocent kids. It boggles my mind.
Neecey has to grow up fast and raise and protect her brother and sisters from an abusive hateful mother and the men that come and go. She goes through all kinds of problems with her family. She daydreams sometimes to escape all the bad things that's going on. She finds freedom when she becomes an adult and out on her own.
This books makes me wonder why some mothers do not protect their children from husbands, boyfriends, etc. Why do these mothers choose their no-good man over their own innocent kids. It boggles my mind.
October 1, 2013
This book touched my soul. To actually feel Neecy's pain and abuse was surreal. To see her rise above this abuse for herself and her siblings was touching. The saying goes, " What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". And in Neecy's situation she became a strong woman. What an amazing story. Too many women will do anything to have a man. Neglecting the wants and needs of their children and becoming more abusive and hateful when the man decides he can't get anymore from the woman. ...sometimes looking at the young daughter to satisfy his needs. What a hateful situation.
Read
June 26, 2010This was my first time reading this author. The novel opens with a young Neecey who lives in a perfect world or so she thinks. However, this perfect world was short lived. While other children were running around playing childhood games. Neecey became mother to her younger siblings. As I read Neecey's story I felt her anger, pains, hurts, and shame. Despite all the she experienced Neecey showed great strength and courage.
October 16, 2013
I have to admit that I really enjoyed reading this book. I didnt like the attitude of Ruby when it came to her decision to place a man in front of her children. I was also glad that Neecey finally had a moment of clarity. Great book. Dont want to tell to much of the story. Glad that I finally decided to read it and I will definetly pass it on!
May 24, 2008
Such a heartwrenching story, what makes it even worse is knowing that little girls and boys are still negelected and abused, by those who should love and cherish them. i love Burks writting style and look forward to more books by her.
July 13, 2010
I couldn't put this down. It's a testament to the strength & resilience of children in the face of adversity, as well as a reminder that while people can birth children, they aren't necessarily designed to parent.
January 7, 2008
This was a simple book to read and finish. It was very sad and didn't seem to be getting any better through the whole book.
October 3, 2008
Very touching book. I cried in public.
January 13, 2009
Cris and I were in the same writer's group for years. I was so thrilled to finally see her Neecey story in print. She is a wonderful writer, and someone to watch for in the future.
July 9, 2011
This book was amazing!!! Story about love, heartbreak, abuse, and perseverance!! Neecey was absolutely amazing!! MUST READ!!
January 11, 2013
Such a good book, very sad that this little girl was forced to grow up so fast but fought to let that hold her back
March 27, 2013
Neecey was really strong at some point in this book. At other times I was almost yelling at my book about why she was or wasn't doing something!
January 29, 2016
Pretty good book and very sad. But it had my attention the whole time.
December 18, 2019
a novel about growing up in chicago in the 50's ; a story about how love can survive despite hurt, anger, depression and pain
November 12, 2012
Loved this story. Wouldn't have mind if it was longer.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews