My name is Butterfly: March group read

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

This book is what we will be reading for March. I recently found out that it is only available on Kindle. So please let me know below if you will be able to read along with us for this book.

[Londa]

Kisha, the entire book is viewable at this link

https://www.goodreads.com/reader/2176...

There is also a link to buy the e-book for 99 cents.

[Anastasia Kinderman]

Should be able to read along, was disappointed to see it's not available in paperback (or even hardcover) though. :(

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

I know! But she's such a great storyteller I think it'll be worth the inconvenience. She's definitely one of my to 5 authors.

[Anastasia Kinderman]

kisha wrote: "I know! But she's such a great storyteller I think it'll be worth the inconvenience. She's definitely one of my to 5 authors."

Then I'll definitely give it a shot :)

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

:-)

[Anastasia Kinderman]

I know it's not March yet but I managed to borrow it for my Kindle (so I have a time limit) and just started reading. If the first couple of pages are any indication this is gonna be good!

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

Bernice McFadden always delivers a great start and awesome finish I might add. I can't wait to start.

[Carl]

I'm going to read it, but I wish I could get it on Audible.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

I would love to listen to it. Her writing style is amazing.

[Kanita]

I'm joining this discussion. I've got my copy. I'm ALWAYS ready for a Bernice McFadden read! :)

[Kanita]

Anastasia wrote: "I know it's not March yet but I managed to borrow it for my Kindle (so I have a time limit) and just started reading. If the first couple of pages are any indication this is gonna be good!"

VERY good to hear, Annastasia! VERY good to hear! Looking forward to it! :)

[Lulu, The Book Reader who could.]

I've gotten a copy of this as well.

[Lee]

I'm jumping aboard too. lol

[Anastasia Kinderman]

Kanita wrote: "VERY good to hear, Annastasia! VERY good to hear! Looking forward to it! :) "

I meant to make some slow progress cuz I figured it'd take me awhile to get through but I could't put it down, it was amazing.

And now I can't wait for March so we can discuss it :P

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

Lol I'm glad to hear you loved it.

[Beverly]

I have the book - and it has sat on "my shelf" and have decided to read along the group.
I know that I am in the midst of "die-hard" Bernice McFadden fan, but in the spirit of honesty I will add that while I really enjoyed her earlier work, I have found her last two novels to be just okay so was hesitant to read My Name Is Butterfly.

I am looking forward to our discussion.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

I just read the first three chapters. Of course the prologue was typical McFadden style. I think I'm going to like this one. I also notice one of her signature character types (the promiscuous sister). I love her style.

[Beverly]

kisha wrote: "I just read the first three chapters. Of course the prologue was typical McFadden style. I think I'm going to like this one. I also notice one of her signature character types (the promiscuous s..."

I am on Chp 9 (p.56/241).
Yes, it was a great prologue and piqued my interest in what caused such a reaction in Abebe.
I am hoping the storyline picks up as I am finding the book a little slow and would like a little more showing instead of telling and hopefully a bit more character development.

There is a hint on a pending crisis and there is theme of traditional v modernity.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

Yes, minus the prologue it is definitely written differently than her typical books. It's very tell-not-show. I hope the style changes as well.

[Rosalie]

I'm about half way through. It is a compelling read, powerful in the events of Abebe's life. But, I agree that it is very tell-not-show. This bothered me most at first, but now the story has me so captured that I don't even notice it.

[Anastasia Kinderman]

If i remember right it picked up a third or so through.

[Lulu, The Book Reader who could.]

Is there a schedule or are we just reading?

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

Many of our speed reader are already finished so I think we will do the first half and then the second. I will post dates,

[Carl]

I bought the book at Amazon before reading these posts. Paid $6.99.

Still looking forward to reading it though.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

I am on chapt 8 now. I can't say it's my favorite but it's picking up. Though I will agree with Beverly in saying her last few books haven't been as good as her earlier ones.

[Anastasia Kinderman]

Carl, if I remember right, I believe it's possible to return Kindle books within a certain time frame. So you could return it maybe and read it on Goodreads.

[Kanita]

Opener was very much Bernice McFadden style! I'm around chapter 7 or 8 right now. I know it's early on in the book but after reading the Prologue...it really hasn't grabbed me and drawn me in immediately as her other novels have. Still pressing forward. It's an easy read so I'm anxious to see where it's heading.

[Rosalie]

I have to say I liked this book, although there were things about the writing that bothered me - telling-not-showing, the way she described each character when introduced, etc. Still, it was such a compelling story about something I didn't really know about that I'm glad I read it.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

I agree with all of you. I think all of us who has read Sugar knows McFadden's true abilities. What keeps me pushing as well is knowing it's an easy read and the subject matter is hard to ignore. Not to mention I've already reached my limit for neglecting books for the year lol.

[Beverly]

kisha wrote: "I agree with all of you. I think all of us who has read Sugar knows McFadden's true abilities. What keeps me pushing as well is knowing it's an easy read and the subject matter is hard to ignore...."

Well, Kisha - you are going to have tell us about your "limit for neglecting books for the year"????

[Beverly]

kisha wrote: "I am on chapt 8 now. I can't say it's my favorite but it's picking up. Though I will agree with Beverly in saying her last few books haven't been as good as her earlier ones."

Well, this is probably a topic that deserves its own discussion thread as I often wondered when an author whose work I really enjoyed over the years then has a number of books that do not appeal to me - I often wonder did my reading taste change, are my expectations too high, etc. While I do not expect every book of a fav/preferred author to wow me - I do not like to see a pattern where the last X of the author's books either do not like or are just ok.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

So I am extremely frustrated. I downloaded this book through GR epub and now when I try to read it, it isn't available. I'm sooooo irritated.

[Lulu, The Book Reader who could.]

I have it on Kindle if you want to borrow it Kisha. I haven't started reading it yet. I'm in a bit of funk...haven't been feeling like reading lately.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

Lulu wrote: "I have it on Kindle if you want to borrow it Kisha. I haven't started reading it yet. I'm in a bit of funk...haven't been feeling like reading lately."

I would love to borrow it Lulu. But I'm not familiar with how that work????? And I just am getting out of that same funk! So I totally understand.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

Beverly wrote: "Well, this is probably a topic that deserves its own discussion thread as I often wondered when an author whose work I really enjoyed over the years then has a number of books that do not appeal to me - I often wonder did my reading taste change, are my expectations too high, etc. While I do not expect every book of a fav/preferred author to wow me - I do not like to see a pattern where the last X of the author's books either do not like or are just ok. "

I just started a thread on this topic here

[Lulu, The Book Reader who could.]

I just need your email address Kisha. If you've purchased a book via Kindle you can loan it to another Kindle user for up to 14 days.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

We will discuss from chapter one to Chapter 20 begin 3/15.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

I'm past the halfway mark and I can't stop thinking, am I really reading a BM novel? Anyone who has ever done a buddy read with me should know that I'm a pretty hard critic. This will be no difference! It reads like a nonfiction book. The characters are extremely undeveloped. And important situation come are go swiftly with no explanation and very little detail. I also find much of this story not believable. This so far is my least favorite from BM.

We are in Ghana and I'm not really feeling like I'm in Ghana at all! BM is typically good at creating a setting that you begin to taste the dirt road! There is definitely a lack of research.

I think that Kwasi is weak to say the least. And I'm not buying into his hysterical amnesia or whatever.

Grandmother is plain evil. I wish her character was more developed with a backstory that could make me understand why she'd request such of thing from Kwasi and why she's so darn hateful.
Lemusi disappointed me.
Abebe's character is so undeveloped so far that I have no emotional attachment.

Please someone tell me that after the halfway mark it gets better?

[Anastasia Kinderman]

kisha wrote: "I'm past the halfway mark and I can't stop thinking, am I really reading a BM novel? Anyone who has ever done a buddy read with me should know that I'm a pretty hard critic. This will be no diff..."

I found Kwasi really annoying, I wanted to slap him.

I think I'm gonna have to read more of Bernice McFadden's books because overall I thought it was pretty good but I haven't read anything by her before so I have no point of reference like you do.

Do you mean the writing or Abebe's situation?

[Beverly]

kisha wrote: "I'm past the halfway mark and I can't stop thinking, am I really reading a BM novel? Anyone who has ever done a buddy read with me should know that I'm a pretty hard critic. This will be no diff..."

I thought it read like an outline and that someone needed to go back and fill in the details. It took no time to read because there wasn't the character or plot development.

Plus because I knew about trokosi before reading this book - there was not even that to keep me interested.

And yes there was emotional or physical rendering of the location to make me feel like I was in Ghana. I love to travel and am also an armchair traveler so it is important to me to feel like the place/country I am reading about.

[Beverly]

kisha wrote: "I'm past the halfway mark and I can't stop thinking, am I really reading a BM novel? Anyone who has ever done a buddy read with me should know that I'm a pretty hard critic. This will be no diff..."

And know I do not think the second half gets any better.
Honestly the only reason I finished this book is because I could read it while multi-tasking.

I am glad this was a "free" book for me.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

If you read a BM book I'd recommend Sugar that is a very good one. Its her debut novel.

By Abebe's character being undeveloped I mean that she didn't do the best job creating her character and her backstory. I also think that had she done better showing the emotion that Abebe felt while being in the shrine it would make me more sympathetic for her character. I think Abebe's pov narrative would have been more fitting in this specific story.

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

Well Beverly that's not very encouraging lol but for some reason I knew that would be the case. It's a quick read at least.

I wasn't aware of the trokosi but for some reason this story isn't making me very interested. I think she needed a bit more research on the topic. A trip to Ghana and a tour guide isn't gonna cut it.

I'm still confused about the purpose of the Trokosi. I think had she talked more about the gods and what they represented and the brainwashing from the priest I would comprehend better. This book is lacking about 200 pages or so.

[Anastasia Kinderman]

kisha wrote: "If you read a BM book I'd recommend Sugar that is a very good one. Its her debut novel.
"

Added to my list :)

[Lulu, The Book Reader who could.]

Oh my!!! Kisha has me wondering if I should even try to read this book. Lol

[kisha, The Clean Up Lady]

Lol Lulu I'm really hard on book I have to admit. But this is a disappointment. You will be getting your book back very soon because it's a very quick read thank God. And then you can judge for yourself. This is not a book I'd recommended to anyone however.

[Lulu, The Book Reader who could.]

Lol!!! Girl you've got me rolling over here! Lol

[Beverly]

kisha wrote: "Well Beverly that's not very encouraging lol but for some reason I knew that would be the case. It's a quick read at least.

I wasn't aware of the trokosi but for some reason this story isn't maki..."

I think you might enjoy reading Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey
This is where I first learned about trokosi.

Here is a couple of other books about Ghana that I enjoyed:
Powder Necklace: A Novel by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond

King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village by Peggielene Bartels. While this book is NF it was really a delightful read and learned much about the customs/cultural of Ghana. I was actually surprised how much I liked this book.

[Beverly]

kisha wrote: "Lol Lulu I'm really hard on book I have to admit. But this is a disappointment. You will be getting your book back very soon because it's a very quick read thank God. And then you can judge for ..."

I would love to see your face when you read the last page :)