Kin

Kin ~ Tayari Jones

Annie and Niecy are ‘cradle friends’, and have known each other for as long as they can remember. Both are orphans in the Jim Crow South, Annie raised by her grandmother, Niecy by her Aunt Irene. Niecy’s mother was murdered by her father (who then committed suicide) when she was an infant, while Annie’s mother deserted her and went to Memphis. Early on, Niecy’s Aunt Irene tells her that she is the luckier of the two girls, because her mother is gone and there is no hope of finding her, while Annie lives with the idea of perhaps finding her and reclaiming the maternal love she never had, a search that will surely only cause her pain and sorrow.

After High School, their paths diverge when Niecy leaves their small town of Honeysuckle, Louisiana to attend Spelman College in Atlanta, while Annie sets off to Memphis with some friends in hopes of finding her mother. Neither trip is without trouble. Niecy has an incident on the bus ride to Atlanta, and Annie’s car breaks down on the way to Memphis. Niecy eventually makes her way to Spelman, where she meets her wealthy and beautiful roommate, Joette. Annie and her friends find their way to a brothel, where they perform chores in order to get their car repaired. (I would say they work for money, but that isn’t exactly true.)

This was a beautiful book. The language and imagery were so evocative. Jones is a gifted writer, and can write a devastating story like few others. Consider this line:

No wonder Hattie Lee escaped on the first thing smoking. She wanted to live, while Granny looked forward to climbing in the grave and pulling the dirt over her like a blanket.

I’ve read a couple of other books by Ms. Jones, An American Marriage and Silver Sparrow, both of which were amazing reads. This book is no different. The only complaint I have is that I was listening to the audiobook, and had no idea that I was so close to the end until the crushing finale, which somehow left me with some hope. Highly recommended.