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Running from Color
Opening in the 1920s in Sugarlock, Tennessee, the scandal surrounding the birth of Wheat Grass destroys the marriage and family unit built by Paul and Mildred Grass. Wheat's fair skin and green eyes cause a rift that leads to the death of her mother. Paul steps up and takes in his wife's illegitimate child to raise with his daughter, Olive, in his hometown. But Wheat's exotic look draws unnecessary attention that Paul cannot single handily fight off in the racist South which eventually leads to his demise.
After the death of both of her parents, Olive blames her baby sister for ruining her life and she eventually finds herself running from color and settling in Chicago; leaving their grandmother, Deary, to raise Wheat alone. But when Wheat's existence once more causes tension in the small community of Sugarlock, Wheat must run from color herself and the only place of safety she can find is in Chicago with her estranged sister.
Once there, Wheat faces much opposition from her sister but Olive begrudgingly takes her in. In Chicago, Wheat learns that Olive hates her for circumstances she could never control and that Olive herself has succumbed to society's color line while living in Chicago. Will these sisters put aside their physical differences to tackle the hurt caused by their past and the danger that lies ahead? Or will they run from color once more?
Running from Color tells an unapologetic story about what it means to be on opposing shades of the chocolate rainbow; a story that belongs to many but has been silenced in the African American community for years.
After the death of both of her parents, Olive blames her baby sister for ruining her life and she eventually finds herself running from color and settling in Chicago; leaving their grandmother, Deary, to raise Wheat alone. But when Wheat's existence once more causes tension in the small community of Sugarlock, Wheat must run from color herself and the only place of safety she can find is in Chicago with her estranged sister.
Once there, Wheat faces much opposition from her sister but Olive begrudgingly takes her in. In Chicago, Wheat learns that Olive hates her for circumstances she could never control and that Olive herself has succumbed to society's color line while living in Chicago. Will these sisters put aside their physical differences to tackle the hurt caused by their past and the danger that lies ahead? Or will they run from color once more?
Running from Color tells an unapologetic story about what it means to be on opposing shades of the chocolate rainbow; a story that belongs to many but has been silenced in the African American community for years.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2018
12 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Morenikè
3 books6 followersNija Morenike' Matory is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. She graduated from Jackson State University with a Bachelor's in English. Her writing specifically focuses on the African American community and experience and taboo subjects. She released her debut and sophomore novel, "Taste of Insanity" and "SHHH," respectively in 2013 using her middle name along with a third novel, "Running from Color," in 2018. Most recently, she has released her first children's book, "The Adventures of Mel & An" which is available on Amazon. She is currently working on a fourth adult novel and hopes to continue her children's book series.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 11, 2018
Book Reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com
‘Running from Color’ is the latest book by American author Nija Morenike’ Matory. We join the story in 1922, just after Wheat’s birth in Sugarlock, Tennessee. After losing her mother in tragic circumstances, we watch Wheat growing up in a small rural town where prejudice and bigotry are rife and equality non-existent.
The novel is written in the third person, mainly from the viewpoint of Wheat. The dialogue is delivered in colloquial dialect which adds to the vivid picture Morenike’ creates in the minds of her readers. There are some colourful descriptive scenes which work perfectly as a backdrop for the story to develop.
The author has built her characters well. It is testimony to her skill that I was deeply moved by Paul’s death, even though it was foreshadowed by preceding events.
I’m not a fan of head-hopping in the same scene because the intended impact can be lessened if we share the thoughts of more than one person at a time. Whilst there were a few instances of this, they didn’t detract significantly from the flow of the tale.
As the chapters unfold, we witness all manner of injustice, repression and cruelty. I was particularly shocked when Wheat suffers at the hands of a member of her own family in a barbaric custom which seemed to be accepted as part of the passage from child to adult by her cousins. As a counter-balance to this, we see the loving bond between Wheat and Deary, along with the compassionate altruism of Eli Taylor and Sheriff Evans. Sadly they are powerless to protect Wheat properly as their hands are tied by the community in which they live.
Once we’re in Chicago, the story evolves and whilst the colour issue is still an underlying theme, we see the plot expanding and diversifying to incorporate hope, ambition and empowerment. I was pleased that the story had a positive ending because I cared about the Wheat and her sister, Olive but somehow, it lost a little of the hard-hitting punchiness of the early chapters.
I appreciated the historical framework which incorporated references to the notorious KKK, Roosevelt’s New Deal and the depression, as these all help anchor the tale in time and place.
By and large, this was a jolly good read. If you are interested in American social history and enjoy an absorbing mix of optimism versus adversity, then this book is for you. I found the subject matter intriguing and I commend the author for tackling a sensitive and emotive issue. I award ‘Running from Color’ four-and-a-half stars.
‘Running from Color’ is the latest book by American author Nija Morenike’ Matory. We join the story in 1922, just after Wheat’s birth in Sugarlock, Tennessee. After losing her mother in tragic circumstances, we watch Wheat growing up in a small rural town where prejudice and bigotry are rife and equality non-existent.
The novel is written in the third person, mainly from the viewpoint of Wheat. The dialogue is delivered in colloquial dialect which adds to the vivid picture Morenike’ creates in the minds of her readers. There are some colourful descriptive scenes which work perfectly as a backdrop for the story to develop.
The author has built her characters well. It is testimony to her skill that I was deeply moved by Paul’s death, even though it was foreshadowed by preceding events.
I’m not a fan of head-hopping in the same scene because the intended impact can be lessened if we share the thoughts of more than one person at a time. Whilst there were a few instances of this, they didn’t detract significantly from the flow of the tale.
As the chapters unfold, we witness all manner of injustice, repression and cruelty. I was particularly shocked when Wheat suffers at the hands of a member of her own family in a barbaric custom which seemed to be accepted as part of the passage from child to adult by her cousins. As a counter-balance to this, we see the loving bond between Wheat and Deary, along with the compassionate altruism of Eli Taylor and Sheriff Evans. Sadly they are powerless to protect Wheat properly as their hands are tied by the community in which they live.
Once we’re in Chicago, the story evolves and whilst the colour issue is still an underlying theme, we see the plot expanding and diversifying to incorporate hope, ambition and empowerment. I was pleased that the story had a positive ending because I cared about the Wheat and her sister, Olive but somehow, it lost a little of the hard-hitting punchiness of the early chapters.
I appreciated the historical framework which incorporated references to the notorious KKK, Roosevelt’s New Deal and the depression, as these all help anchor the tale in time and place.
By and large, this was a jolly good read. If you are interested in American social history and enjoy an absorbing mix of optimism versus adversity, then this book is for you. I found the subject matter intriguing and I commend the author for tackling a sensitive and emotive issue. I award ‘Running from Color’ four-and-a-half stars.
February 1, 2018
Running from Color was my first time reading anything by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was skeptical as first because this was out of my comfort zone with the storyline being set in the 1920’s. The storyline grabbed me from the beginning and kept me interested all the way to the end. This book touched on real events that happened between the different races. I’m not sure if there will be a second book but I would love my background on Wheat’s father and her aunt’s. Look forward to reading more by this author.
August 27, 2024
Good book
I enjoyed the historical references and the storyline. I would recommend it if you're seeking a decent read. I will read more by this author.
I enjoyed the historical references and the storyline. I would recommend it if you're seeking a decent read. I will read more by this author.
February 16, 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Running from Color: a novel by Morenike' is a book about a woman who tries to live her life but the color of her skin and the era she was born was made it really difficult.
Wheat with green eyes red hair and fair skin is the daughter of Mildred Grass, a black woman that can bake excellent Pecan pies.
Wheat has a sister, Olive who is the exact opposite skins and she doesn’t really like her small sister.
The story starts when Mildred takes Wheat and Olive to the town to sell their pecan pies. She makes the mistake of going to the house of miss Glo Ann where she works as a maid.
Rumors and ignorance and the fact that Glo Ann is an alcoholic led to a fight between them as the Paternity of Wheat. Glo Ann insisted that Wheat was her husbands bastard baby with Mildred and Mildred emphasized that Wheat was Paul’s daughter, her husband.
One thing led to another and Glo Ann pushed Mildred down the stairs, the fall killed Mildred leaving Olive and Wheat alone.
Olive ran like the wind and reposted what she saw to the town’s sheriff Lynch Evans, and the story of the two sisters begins.
My favorite character in the novel was the grandmother of Wheat and Olive, Deary, who is the principal generator of all the hard aches the two sisters went through in their lives. I don’t want to say more about this because I don’t want to provide any spoilers.
The characters were well thought, and their psyche was well built. The story is addictive and keeps you on your toes and always guessing what will happen next.
My favorite part of the book was the fact that the author used different English dialects. When the plot of the story is happening on Sugarlock Tennessee, the characters converse in the local English dialect, and I had a few problems getting it at first but as you read you start to be fluent.
When the plot migrates to Chicago, then proper English is used. I really liked that because it made you feel more in tune with the area and the surroundings of the story and made me connect more.
The scene where the Girls father Paul is in trouble with the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) broke my heart because the author described it so realistically and made me feel ashamed that there was a time that people were treated like that just because they had a different color.
The sudden character change of Wheat towards the end of the book was something that alienated me maybe because her actions were not derived from her previous described character set. Perhaps the author presented it like this so she can offer new background information about Wheat's ina future book. Either way, it didn’t really harm the plot and if it’s going to be a second book where Olive and Wheat are in I will sure read it.
It is a beautiful well-constructed story that will captivate your interest, and I highly recommend it.
Five out of Five stars for sure.
Running from Color: a novel by Morenike' is a book about a woman who tries to live her life but the color of her skin and the era she was born was made it really difficult.
Wheat with green eyes red hair and fair skin is the daughter of Mildred Grass, a black woman that can bake excellent Pecan pies.
Wheat has a sister, Olive who is the exact opposite skins and she doesn’t really like her small sister.
The story starts when Mildred takes Wheat and Olive to the town to sell their pecan pies. She makes the mistake of going to the house of miss Glo Ann where she works as a maid.
Rumors and ignorance and the fact that Glo Ann is an alcoholic led to a fight between them as the Paternity of Wheat. Glo Ann insisted that Wheat was her husbands bastard baby with Mildred and Mildred emphasized that Wheat was Paul’s daughter, her husband.
One thing led to another and Glo Ann pushed Mildred down the stairs, the fall killed Mildred leaving Olive and Wheat alone.
Olive ran like the wind and reposted what she saw to the town’s sheriff Lynch Evans, and the story of the two sisters begins.
My favorite character in the novel was the grandmother of Wheat and Olive, Deary, who is the principal generator of all the hard aches the two sisters went through in their lives. I don’t want to say more about this because I don’t want to provide any spoilers.
The characters were well thought, and their psyche was well built. The story is addictive and keeps you on your toes and always guessing what will happen next.
My favorite part of the book was the fact that the author used different English dialects. When the plot of the story is happening on Sugarlock Tennessee, the characters converse in the local English dialect, and I had a few problems getting it at first but as you read you start to be fluent.
When the plot migrates to Chicago, then proper English is used. I really liked that because it made you feel more in tune with the area and the surroundings of the story and made me connect more.
The scene where the Girls father Paul is in trouble with the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) broke my heart because the author described it so realistically and made me feel ashamed that there was a time that people were treated like that just because they had a different color.
The sudden character change of Wheat towards the end of the book was something that alienated me maybe because her actions were not derived from her previous described character set. Perhaps the author presented it like this so she can offer new background information about Wheat's ina future book. Either way, it didn’t really harm the plot and if it’s going to be a second book where Olive and Wheat are in I will sure read it.
It is a beautiful well-constructed story that will captivate your interest, and I highly recommend it.
Five out of Five stars for sure.
June 1, 2018
I love how all of you readers here vary in nationalities and cultures and are still in my crowd for the love of books. And this one I'm going to talk about is based upon the racism of the United States, (which is also the most popular country of this blog's audience) and is also something that all of us have heard of but shockingly we don't get to hear the account of the same in our books.
And that one thing is what this beautiful and powerful book covers so perfectly that you'll not be able to put it down before completing it.
This being the third book of the author, perfectly described and illustrated the maturity and experience of the author. You get a strong plot of feelings of opposition being slowly silenced. And though I don't usually do it, I'm attaching a book-trailer of this book which is sure to give you a little chill down the spine which won't rest until you have read the book to cover the whole story.Before you even open the book you are welcomed by a well-designed cover which gives full justice to the plot it holds.
The book follows two sisters both of whom are raised by their father and grandmother after the death of their mother. And both of them also have to live a life filled with several hardships among which none were the ones that could have been their mistakes, yet in this shared life of misery, they aren't as close as you would expect and the reason behind this is what we follow around in this plot. The younger sister, Wheat is gifted with green eyes, red hair and white skin while Olive, the oldest sister is an equally beautiful black woman. However, you'll also find out Olive isn't fond of her sister and didn't even want her around.
The plot is based in the days of the South in the 1920s. And though even if you may not know about the lifestyle of that period you'll surprising connect with the strong characters in this book. Talking in depth about the plot will give away a lot of stuff and I'm never in favour of spoilers but I can assure you that this is among the group of books that will grab your mind and won't leave it until you finish this book and for some, even after that. This feature of storytelling is something that always attracts my attention.
I am going to recommend this to everyone who's looking for a story with strong characters whose stories even if may not be relatable but will stick around.
Rating: 4.3/5 Stars
READ MORE: singhwithbooks.wordpress.com
And that one thing is what this beautiful and powerful book covers so perfectly that you'll not be able to put it down before completing it.
This being the third book of the author, perfectly described and illustrated the maturity and experience of the author. You get a strong plot of feelings of opposition being slowly silenced. And though I don't usually do it, I'm attaching a book-trailer of this book which is sure to give you a little chill down the spine which won't rest until you have read the book to cover the whole story.Before you even open the book you are welcomed by a well-designed cover which gives full justice to the plot it holds.
The book follows two sisters both of whom are raised by their father and grandmother after the death of their mother. And both of them also have to live a life filled with several hardships among which none were the ones that could have been their mistakes, yet in this shared life of misery, they aren't as close as you would expect and the reason behind this is what we follow around in this plot. The younger sister, Wheat is gifted with green eyes, red hair and white skin while Olive, the oldest sister is an equally beautiful black woman. However, you'll also find out Olive isn't fond of her sister and didn't even want her around.
The plot is based in the days of the South in the 1920s. And though even if you may not know about the lifestyle of that period you'll surprising connect with the strong characters in this book. Talking in depth about the plot will give away a lot of stuff and I'm never in favour of spoilers but I can assure you that this is among the group of books that will grab your mind and won't leave it until you finish this book and for some, even after that. This feature of storytelling is something that always attracts my attention.
I am going to recommend this to everyone who's looking for a story with strong characters whose stories even if may not be relatable but will stick around.
Rating: 4.3/5 Stars
READ MORE: singhwithbooks.wordpress.com
October 19, 2018
Running from Color
Olive never cared for her little sister Wheat, she even wished her dead sometime. Olive was so sick of Wheat bringing nothing but problems to the Grass family. Wheat was an innocent child blamed by some of her other family members too. She was basically looked down on by them for her parents doing. I guess it was just easier to take their frustration out on her.
Her innocence made her naive to her indifference and beauty. The beauty people saw in her tone and eyes, she saw the beauty in theirs.
Wheat refused to give up on having a bond with her sister Olive though. She would keep trying until the bond is formed that sisters should have.
Very good read, I have no idea what it is, but it seems like something was missing to me. IDK, like something got passed or rushed. I cant call it, but it was a good read and I did enjoy it.
3.5*
Olive never cared for her little sister Wheat, she even wished her dead sometime. Olive was so sick of Wheat bringing nothing but problems to the Grass family. Wheat was an innocent child blamed by some of her other family members too. She was basically looked down on by them for her parents doing. I guess it was just easier to take their frustration out on her.
Her innocence made her naive to her indifference and beauty. The beauty people saw in her tone and eyes, she saw the beauty in theirs.
Wheat refused to give up on having a bond with her sister Olive though. She would keep trying until the bond is formed that sisters should have.
Very good read, I have no idea what it is, but it seems like something was missing to me. IDK, like something got passed or rushed. I cant call it, but it was a good read and I did enjoy it.
3.5*
May 3, 2018
Excellent
The South. Racism. KKK...Wow, this book was s realistic portrayal of life in the south in the twenties and forward. We got blamed for being raped by the white man and lynched if we tried to defend ourselves. We knew to toe the line but so much was out of our control. Families were torn apart and many had to flee up North to escape the realities of the South. I loved this story and especially the matriarch, Deary who raised her granddaughters and steadfastly believed in God. This book came full circle, but I would love to read more. Excellent reading and highly recommended.
The South. Racism. KKK...Wow, this book was s realistic portrayal of life in the south in the twenties and forward. We got blamed for being raped by the white man and lynched if we tried to defend ourselves. We knew to toe the line but so much was out of our control. Families were torn apart and many had to flee up North to escape the realities of the South. I loved this story and especially the matriarch, Deary who raised her granddaughters and steadfastly believed in God. This book came full circle, but I would love to read more. Excellent reading and highly recommended.
May 30, 2018
Running From Color is a great, introspective novel that peers into racism in the South in the 1920's. It tells a largely untold story about discrimination within the African American community between sisters Olive and Wheat, who are largely different in appearance. However, to tackle thee problems at hand, the sisters must put their differences behind them and work together. It is an incredibly raw and realistic look at life in the 1920's, and the image Morenike paints is nothing short of shocking.
Check this one out.
Check this one out.
May 12, 2018
I reviewed this novel on behalf of Whispering Stories. To read my review, please follow the link below:
https://whisperingstories.com/running...
I awarded 'Running from Color' 4.5 stars.
https://whisperingstories.com/running...
I awarded 'Running from Color' 4.5 stars.
April 13, 2018
Perfect title
I loved it! The story line kept me glued to this book til the very last page! There's no place like home.
I loved it! The story line kept me glued to this book til the very last page! There's no place like home.
April 28, 2018
This historical fiction novel is a gem!!!
Read my full review here:
https://bibliophileonabudget.wordpres...
Read my full review here:
https://bibliophileonabudget.wordpres...
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews