Publication
Algonquin Books Of Chapel Hill, c2011
Status
Available
Description
A story about a man's deception, a family's complicity, and two teenage girls caught in the middle. Set in a middle-class neighborhood in Atlanta in the 1980s, the novel revolves around James Witherspoon's two families, the public one and the secret one. When the daughters from each family meet and form a friendship, only one of them knows they are sisters. It is a relationship destined to explode when secrets are revealed and illusions shattered. As Jones explores the backstories of her rich yet flawed characters, the father, the two mothers, the grandmother, and the uncle, she also reveals the joy, as well as the destruction, they brought to one another's lives. At the heart of it all are the two lives at stake, and like the best writers--think Toni Morrison with The Bluest Eye--Jones portrays the fragility of these young girls with raw authenticity as they seek love, demand attention, and try to imagine themselves as women, just not as their mothers.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ForeignCircus
This book was not what I expected when I picked it up- but in the end the story delivered more than I anticipated. This story, told from the points of view of the two daughters of a man with two families (one open, one secret) was dark and rather heartbreaking. I was appalled by the actions of the
The writing was excellent, and I suppose if the story had a different ending I would likely have gone for five stars, but the epilogue made me sad and cast a pall over the story for me (though other readers may disagree).
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adults in this story, especially the father, who had no redeeming qualities that I could see. The life of secret daughter Dana was so sad that I found it hard to relate to Chaurisse when her turn came even though she had no idea how much impact her wants and needs had on the life of her secret sister.The writing was excellent, and I suppose if the story had a different ending I would likely have gone for five stars, but the epilogue made me sad and cast a pall over the story for me (though other readers may disagree).
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LibraryThing member writestuff
With wives, it only matters who gets there first. With daughters it’s a bit more complicated. - from Silver Sparrow, page 5 -
Dana Yarboro is a secret child, the daughter of a bigamist. Her father’s first family is the recognized one. His first daughter is the child who gets everything she wants
Dana’s voice is the first to speak:
My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist. He was already married ten years when he first clamped his eyes on my mother. – from Silver Sparrow, page 3 -
From the opening pages, the reader learns that James lives two distinct lives and it is his wish that his two daughters shall never meet. Dana is an outspoken, fearless child who is also vulnerable in her desire for her father’s love. The conflict between Dana’s wish for her father’s approval and her curiosity about the sister she has never met, drives the narrative.
The second half the book is narrated by Chaurisse who knows nothing of Dana’s roots. She is living her life with privileges which Dana can only dream about, unaware that her father is hiding a sister from her.
It is this imbalance between the characters and the eventual uncovering of truth which provides the tension in this novel about secret lives, sibling rivalry, and forbidden love. Jones beautifully develops her teenage protagonists while fleshing out the mothers of these girls into strong, female characters who the reader grows to respect. Honest, sharply written and with a sardonic humor, Jones reels the reader into the story and does not let go.
I thoroughly enjoyed Silver Sparrow that is both a coming of age story and a glimpse into contemporary marriage. Readers who enjoy meticulously crafted, character driven novels, will not want to miss this book. I know I will be looking forward to reading more of this talented author’s work.
Highly recommended.
Dana Yarboro is a secret child, the daughter of a bigamist. Her father’s first family is the recognized one. His first daughter is the child who gets everything she wants
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while Dana lives in the shadows. Chaurisse Witherspoon knows nothing of Dana, while Dana knows everything about Chaurisse. These two sisters narrate Tayari Jones’ third novel set in the 1980s in Georgia.Dana’s voice is the first to speak:
My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist. He was already married ten years when he first clamped his eyes on my mother. – from Silver Sparrow, page 3 -
From the opening pages, the reader learns that James lives two distinct lives and it is his wish that his two daughters shall never meet. Dana is an outspoken, fearless child who is also vulnerable in her desire for her father’s love. The conflict between Dana’s wish for her father’s approval and her curiosity about the sister she has never met, drives the narrative.
The second half the book is narrated by Chaurisse who knows nothing of Dana’s roots. She is living her life with privileges which Dana can only dream about, unaware that her father is hiding a sister from her.
It is this imbalance between the characters and the eventual uncovering of truth which provides the tension in this novel about secret lives, sibling rivalry, and forbidden love. Jones beautifully develops her teenage protagonists while fleshing out the mothers of these girls into strong, female characters who the reader grows to respect. Honest, sharply written and with a sardonic humor, Jones reels the reader into the story and does not let go.
I thoroughly enjoyed Silver Sparrow that is both a coming of age story and a glimpse into contemporary marriage. Readers who enjoy meticulously crafted, character driven novels, will not want to miss this book. I know I will be looking forward to reading more of this talented author’s work.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Florinda
Chaurisse Witherspoon described certain people - naturally pretty girls who took their beauty to another level - as “silver girls.” When she encountered Dana Yarboro in the cosmetic aisle in a mall drugstore during an aborted shoplifting attempt, she immediately recognized her as a silver girl.
Tayari Jones’ third novel, Silver Sparrow, is an unusual take on a not-entirely-unusual story. Plenty of people drift into (or deliberately choose to have) affairs. Sometimes those affairs result in children. It’s less common for the mother of one of those children to insist on marriage to the father while the father remains married to, and refuses to leave, his wife - who, by the way, is also expecting a baby. But marriage to James Witherspoon is what Gwen Yarboro wanted, and for years of Wednesday nights, she and her daughter Dana had James and his “brother” Raleigh with them as family; those were the nights that James’ wife Laverne and daughter Chaurisse believed the men were working. While Gwen and Dana are constantly aware, and frequently resentful, of James’ other family, Laverne and Chaurisse have no idea it exists.
Jones tells the first half of the story through Dana’s first-person narration, and then switches to Chaurisse’s voice before bringing the two girls - teens born just a few months apart - together. It’s an effective construct that allows the reader to have the same “secret” knowledge about Chaurisse that Dana has before meeting her; once we do meet her, that knowledge filters the reading of her side of the story. For me, that added both poignancy and a sense of foreboding to the second half of the book - it was pretty clear that before it was all over, everyone was going to know the whole truth.
Jones’ writing keeps Silver Sparrow from being as melodramatic as its plot suggests it might be, and telling the story through the daughters is one way she achieves that. She has also created memorable characters, each of whom can evoke the reader’s sympathy even when they’re not entirely likable, and given both of her narrators distinctive voices and perspectives without significantly changing her writing style when she shifts. Her depiction of 1980s Atlanta feels true to time and place. Silver Sparrow was an absorbing read, and I’d like to read more from Tayari Jones.
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Dana recognized Chaurisse too - as her half-sister. Chaurisse is drawn to a friendship with Dana; Dana is drawn to something a little different.Tayari Jones’ third novel, Silver Sparrow, is an unusual take on a not-entirely-unusual story. Plenty of people drift into (or deliberately choose to have) affairs. Sometimes those affairs result in children. It’s less common for the mother of one of those children to insist on marriage to the father while the father remains married to, and refuses to leave, his wife - who, by the way, is also expecting a baby. But marriage to James Witherspoon is what Gwen Yarboro wanted, and for years of Wednesday nights, she and her daughter Dana had James and his “brother” Raleigh with them as family; those were the nights that James’ wife Laverne and daughter Chaurisse believed the men were working. While Gwen and Dana are constantly aware, and frequently resentful, of James’ other family, Laverne and Chaurisse have no idea it exists.
Jones tells the first half of the story through Dana’s first-person narration, and then switches to Chaurisse’s voice before bringing the two girls - teens born just a few months apart - together. It’s an effective construct that allows the reader to have the same “secret” knowledge about Chaurisse that Dana has before meeting her; once we do meet her, that knowledge filters the reading of her side of the story. For me, that added both poignancy and a sense of foreboding to the second half of the book - it was pretty clear that before it was all over, everyone was going to know the whole truth.
Jones’ writing keeps Silver Sparrow from being as melodramatic as its plot suggests it might be, and telling the story through the daughters is one way she achieves that. She has also created memorable characters, each of whom can evoke the reader’s sympathy even when they’re not entirely likable, and given both of her narrators distinctive voices and perspectives without significantly changing her writing style when she shifts. Her depiction of 1980s Atlanta feels true to time and place. Silver Sparrow was an absorbing read, and I’d like to read more from Tayari Jones.
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LibraryThing member TigerLMS
Dana and Chaurisse are sisters, but at the start of the book they don't know each other-- although Dana knows about Chaurisse. Dana is the secret daughter, born of a secret wife. Their father, James, is a limo driver who is married to two different women at the same time, one of them illegally. The
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girls are growing up in Atlanta in the late-1970s and early- to mid-1980s. The story is told from two points of view: first is Dana's, as we see her struggle with being the 'secret' daughter who eventually tries to befriend Chaurisse. The second part of the book is Chaurisse's perspective. Tayari Jones has written a young adult novel with an original concept that will appeal to teens, especially, I think, intelligent girls. Show Less
LibraryThing member nbmars
This well-written and thought-provoking story, set in Atlanta in the 1980’s, is about a bigamist, James Witherspoon, and his two families. It is told from the perspectives of the only child from each of the two marriages. Both of them are daughters - Dana and Chaurisse - and they are only four
Dana and her mom Gwen, who came along after James was already married the first time, live in the figurative shadow of James’ “main” family, Laverne and Chaurisse. James comes to see Dana and Gwen once a week for dinner, but only has a little so he can eat again once he gets “home.” Gwen and Dana constantly contend with jealousy and the feeling of being "second." Dana says: "[Laverne] found him first and my mother has always respected the other woman’s squatter’s rights. But was my mother his wife, too?”
And what about Chaurisse? Dana says, "In my mind, Chaurisse is his real daughter. With wives, it only matters who gets there first. With daughters, the situation is a bit more complicated.”
Part One tells Dana’s story, and Part Two is narrated by Chaurisse. Dana and Gwen, the second set, know about Laverne and Chaurisse, but Laverne and Chaurisse are “under the impression that [theirs] was an ordinary life.” And it was just an ordinary cup of coffee that changed it all. Dana tells how her parents met and went for coffee together:
"And this is how it started. Just with coffee and the exchange of their long stories. Love can be incremental. Predicaments, too. Coffee can start a life just as it can start a day. This was the meeting of two people who were destined to love from before they were born, from before they made choices that would complicate their lives. This love just rolled toward my mother as though she were standing at the bottom of a steep hill. Mother had no hand in this, only heart.”
The only character of note besides the two families is Raleigh, the brother-for-all-intensive-purposes of James, who also plays a role in both families along with James for all the years of the two relationships. Both the girls know and love him as “Uncle Raleigh,” and the reader can’t help but feel the same affection for him.
James liked to say to Dana, “you are the secret,” thinking it might make her feel special, but in actuality, it makes her feel bad. As we listen to the girls’ stories, we see Dana acting out more and more, until finally the situation blows up, and all the secrets come roiling out in a poison brew.
Discussion: I struggled with my reaction to Dana (and I took this as a sign of good writing on the part of the author). I felt sorry for her, then I resented her, then I came back full circle at the end. It was hard for all of them, this shared love. And yet, within large families, love is by no means exclusive. It's a most interesting situation to ponder.
Evaluation: This is a very good story that stays with you long after you finish, as you try to grapple with all the issues it raises about love and families. Marketed as adult fiction, it can also be considered a young adult book, but be aware that for younger readers, the two girls are into premarital sex. With all the issues to think about, it's a great choice for a book club.
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months apart in age. Dana and her mom Gwen, who came along after James was already married the first time, live in the figurative shadow of James’ “main” family, Laverne and Chaurisse. James comes to see Dana and Gwen once a week for dinner, but only has a little so he can eat again once he gets “home.” Gwen and Dana constantly contend with jealousy and the feeling of being "second." Dana says: "[Laverne] found him first and my mother has always respected the other woman’s squatter’s rights. But was my mother his wife, too?”
And what about Chaurisse? Dana says, "In my mind, Chaurisse is his real daughter. With wives, it only matters who gets there first. With daughters, the situation is a bit more complicated.”
Part One tells Dana’s story, and Part Two is narrated by Chaurisse. Dana and Gwen, the second set, know about Laverne and Chaurisse, but Laverne and Chaurisse are “under the impression that [theirs] was an ordinary life.” And it was just an ordinary cup of coffee that changed it all. Dana tells how her parents met and went for coffee together:
"And this is how it started. Just with coffee and the exchange of their long stories. Love can be incremental. Predicaments, too. Coffee can start a life just as it can start a day. This was the meeting of two people who were destined to love from before they were born, from before they made choices that would complicate their lives. This love just rolled toward my mother as though she were standing at the bottom of a steep hill. Mother had no hand in this, only heart.”
The only character of note besides the two families is Raleigh, the brother-for-all-intensive-purposes of James, who also plays a role in both families along with James for all the years of the two relationships. Both the girls know and love him as “Uncle Raleigh,” and the reader can’t help but feel the same affection for him.
James liked to say to Dana, “you are the secret,” thinking it might make her feel special, but in actuality, it makes her feel bad. As we listen to the girls’ stories, we see Dana acting out more and more, until finally the situation blows up, and all the secrets come roiling out in a poison brew.
Discussion: I struggled with my reaction to Dana (and I took this as a sign of good writing on the part of the author). I felt sorry for her, then I resented her, then I came back full circle at the end. It was hard for all of them, this shared love. And yet, within large families, love is by no means exclusive. It's a most interesting situation to ponder.
Evaluation: This is a very good story that stays with you long after you finish, as you try to grapple with all the issues it raises about love and families. Marketed as adult fiction, it can also be considered a young adult book, but be aware that for younger readers, the two girls are into premarital sex. With all the issues to think about, it's a great choice for a book club.
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LibraryThing member pdplish
The story told by 2 girls who ar the daughters of a bigamist...only one doesn't know about the other. Kinda dragged and was really disappointing in the end. Thank goodness it was short.
LibraryThing member tangledthread
The story is written in the voice of two teenage girls, Dana and Chaurisse, who were born 3 months apart and share the same father but have different mothers. Dana and her mother Gwendolyn are the secret family of James Witherspoon. He carries out the charade of bigamy with the help of his best
The story is beautifully written and explores the themes of what it means to be family, the destructive nature of secrets and lies, and how people use their imaginations to define others when truth is concealed. The author tells the story in meaningful scenes and illustrations of African American life in Atlanta from the early 1960's to the late 1980's. Sprinkled through the narrative are little aphorisms such as "pretty ain't easy".
Algonquin press has hit another home run in publishing this book.
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friend (like a brother) and partner in his chauffer business, Raleigh The first half of the book is narrated by Dana, the second half by Chaurisse.The story is beautifully written and explores the themes of what it means to be family, the destructive nature of secrets and lies, and how people use their imaginations to define others when truth is concealed. The author tells the story in meaningful scenes and illustrations of African American life in Atlanta from the early 1960's to the late 1980's. Sprinkled through the narrative are little aphorisms such as "pretty ain't easy".
Algonquin press has hit another home run in publishing this book.
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LibraryThing member lilibrarian
In the 1980's, James Witherspoon has two families. Dana and her mother know about his primary family, but Laverne and Chaurisse do not know about them. But black Atlanta is a small community, and the two girls keep meeting, becoming friends. But only one of them knows they are sisters until it all
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comes apart. Show Less
LibraryThing member Beamis12
Well written book with beautiful language about a black family in the siuth whose husband and father is a bigamist. He has two families and two daughters roughly the same age. Though the first family knows about the first, his first family doesn't have the same knowledge. When as a five year old
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his second daughter is told by her father that she is the secret family it colors her whole life. when the two daughters become friends many things happen. Show Less
LibraryThing member amachiski
This book was interesting because it was told by two daughters of the same man with completely different perspectives. Their father was a bigamist. One was his public family the other his “secret” family. As the reader was told the story from each daughter’s perspective it was easy to see the
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humanity in each situation and feel sympathy for each of the daughters. In the background is James friend, Raleigh, who would do anything for the family. The downside was that it seemed almost like the author didn't know how to end the book. After the confrontation, there is not much about what happened next. The ending disappointed me. Show Less
LibraryThing member ReginaR
The “other woman”. The mere thought of an “other woman” existing is terrifying, horrifying, humiliating and for many, beyond imagination. What if the “other woman” had a child? What if she lived in the same town and neighborhood? What if the “other woman” was not a passing fancy,
The main portion of the story takes place during the 1980s in Atlanta, and is told from two points of view. The book begins with Dana, the bigamist’s secret daughter. The unfolding of the story with Dana's point of view, immediately put Dana as the sympathetic character. And as Dana told the story, I almost was able to believe that the father may have been doing somewhat right by her. Ms. Jones is such a skillful writer, in that she allowed me to buy completely into their life. The second half of the book focuses on Chaurisse, who is also a daughter of the bigamist’s, but by his first marriage – and thus his public relationship. From the beginning of Chaurisse's point of view, it becomes clear that what Chaurisse has is a true father and a much truer family experience.; poor Dana has the cast-offs. The contrast between each girl’s life becomes starker as the story unfolds. We learn that, incredibly, both Dana and her mother are invested in protecting the bigamist’s secret; they are invested in protecting their life in the shadows. I saw incredibly, because at some point shouldn’t they become frustrated with being pushed to the side? At some point will they have a need to bring it to light? And how does the “first wife” not guess about the duplicity? Does she not wonder why her husband is gone every single Wednesday? Does she not notice that money is missing? Both wives have their own careers and truly are able to support themselves and their daughters. They are not in a situation where they are dependent on their man – the bigamist – to support them financially. So where does the emotional dependence come from? Why stay? The story does not explore these points directly asked, but they are explored implicitly.
Dana and Chaurisse are the same age, however both girls do not possess the same level of knowledge about each other or about their father. Dana and her mother know all about Chaurisse and her mother; they live in their shadow. Every choice and step that Dana and her mother take is tempered by whether Chaurisse and her mother will be there or choose to do something similar. Dana is truly a “second”. Chaurisse and her mother have no idea that Dana exists. But Chaurisse “gets” her father on a daily basis, she lives with him and has the intimacy of a father-daughter relationship. Dana does not have any of this. Her father, while a weekly visitor, is a mystery and almost an intangible.
Through the telling of the story by Dana and Chaurisse, readers are also taken back in history and treated to a rich story telling of the adults’ lives as children. The characters in Silver Sparrow are richly developed, not only Dana and Chaurisse, but also the ancillary characters that assist in creating (and maintaining!) this situation – the mothers, the father, and the father’s best friend. Through the interplay of the various characters, readers are pulled into this beautifully told story. And let me tell you, it is an entertaining immersion, you will not regret it, but it is painful as well. There are some truly heartbreaking scenes where the characters hurt each other – hurt in a deep emotional way. Hurt in a way that as a reader, I did not know how they could survive such pain.
This is a wonderful story, a beautiful book and I highly recommend it!
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but existed in the husband’s life for decades – visiting her for dinner, giving her money to support herself. What if the husband’s friends and family knew about her? Is the “other woman” to blame? Is the child? How does the child of an “other woman” grow up emotionally healthy when she knows she is living in a shadow? When she knows that she is a secret? What kind of man, husband, father would live this sort of double life? And which family would he choose if his secret was exposed. Silver Sparrow explores the very complicated walls and paths drawn around the hidden life that a bigamist lives and that of his secret second wife and their child. The main portion of the story takes place during the 1980s in Atlanta, and is told from two points of view. The book begins with Dana, the bigamist’s secret daughter. The unfolding of the story with Dana's point of view, immediately put Dana as the sympathetic character. And as Dana told the story, I almost was able to believe that the father may have been doing somewhat right by her. Ms. Jones is such a skillful writer, in that she allowed me to buy completely into their life. The second half of the book focuses on Chaurisse, who is also a daughter of the bigamist’s, but by his first marriage – and thus his public relationship. From the beginning of Chaurisse's point of view, it becomes clear that what Chaurisse has is a true father and a much truer family experience.; poor Dana has the cast-offs. The contrast between each girl’s life becomes starker as the story unfolds. We learn that, incredibly, both Dana and her mother are invested in protecting the bigamist’s secret; they are invested in protecting their life in the shadows. I saw incredibly, because at some point shouldn’t they become frustrated with being pushed to the side? At some point will they have a need to bring it to light? And how does the “first wife” not guess about the duplicity? Does she not wonder why her husband is gone every single Wednesday? Does she not notice that money is missing? Both wives have their own careers and truly are able to support themselves and their daughters. They are not in a situation where they are dependent on their man – the bigamist – to support them financially. So where does the emotional dependence come from? Why stay? The story does not explore these points directly asked, but they are explored implicitly.
Dana and Chaurisse are the same age, however both girls do not possess the same level of knowledge about each other or about their father. Dana and her mother know all about Chaurisse and her mother; they live in their shadow. Every choice and step that Dana and her mother take is tempered by whether Chaurisse and her mother will be there or choose to do something similar. Dana is truly a “second”. Chaurisse and her mother have no idea that Dana exists. But Chaurisse “gets” her father on a daily basis, she lives with him and has the intimacy of a father-daughter relationship. Dana does not have any of this. Her father, while a weekly visitor, is a mystery and almost an intangible.
Through the telling of the story by Dana and Chaurisse, readers are also taken back in history and treated to a rich story telling of the adults’ lives as children. The characters in Silver Sparrow are richly developed, not only Dana and Chaurisse, but also the ancillary characters that assist in creating (and maintaining!) this situation – the mothers, the father, and the father’s best friend. Through the interplay of the various characters, readers are pulled into this beautifully told story. And let me tell you, it is an entertaining immersion, you will not regret it, but it is painful as well. There are some truly heartbreaking scenes where the characters hurt each other – hurt in a deep emotional way. Hurt in a way that as a reader, I did not know how they could survive such pain.
This is a wonderful story, a beautiful book and I highly recommend it!
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LibraryThing member herbcat
The writing in this book is okay and sometimes quite evocative, but I was so turned off by the content that I cannot give it a good rating. This situation and plot contributes all too easily to black stereotypes in the minds of many non-blacks, and the role models the girls present is a bad one and
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not actually authentic, as I know black teens. Sexual intercourse is not automatic and casual as this book would imply is the case, nor is it for black adults as the book also implies. I'm not sure what the point of the book is except to tell a frustrating story of what happens when actions and values stray from the honorable, the chaste. I suppose I am narrow minded, but this book seemed a sordid and contemptible account of lives gone wrong. It gives good reason for following mores against adultery and bigamy, but the examples are so obvious that one cannot admire or be taken by their subtlety. Furthermore, no real regret or change of behavior is indicated in any of the players involved. Show Less
LibraryThing member smileydq
This book was not exactly what I was expecting when I first picked it up. The writing is excellent, though the story is heartbreaking. Jones divided the novel into two halfs: the first is Dana's story, in her own words, of life as a secret daughter in a secret family; the second is Chaurisse's much
Jones tells an engaging story, one that made me want to keep reading. I was truly disappointed by the Epilogue however, which left me with a bad taste in my mouth and less respect for the characters than I had previously held. I give 'Silver Sparrow' 3.5 stars - I'd recommend it, but be prepared for a little disappointment in your fellow man.
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more mundane tale of life in what she sees as a normal family. Dana's experiences are awful, as are (in my opinion) the adults in her life who enable and create her negative environment. Though Chaurisse is not directly to blame for the way that Dana is treated, her very existence as the public daughter nearly destroys her hidden sister's dreams. Jones tells an engaging story, one that made me want to keep reading. I was truly disappointed by the Epilogue however, which left me with a bad taste in my mouth and less respect for the characters than I had previously held. I give 'Silver Sparrow' 3.5 stars - I'd recommend it, but be prepared for a little disappointment in your fellow man.
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LibraryThing member bookchickdi
When a novel starts with the sentence, "My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist", you know it's going to be an intriguing book. Tayari Jones' luminous novel has two narrators, Dana Lynn Yarboro, who knows that she has a sister and that her father has two wives, and Chaurisse Witherspoon, who
Dana tells us how her daddy was buying his first wife Laverne an anniversary gift, and he fell in love with the woman at the gift wrap counter of the department store, her mama Gwen. Gwen knew right away that James was married, yet she still dated him, fell in love and had his baby. She also insisted that they get married in the next state over, and James agreed.
When Dana was five, she drew a picture of her family in school, including her daddy's two wives and two girls. Her daddy told her then that she couldn't tell anyone about him or his other wife or daughter. When Dana asked if they were a secret, he told her "no, you've got it the wrong way around. Dana, you are the one who is secret."
That moment changed her life. Dana and her mother would go 'surveilling', following Laverne and Chaurisse around, spying on them. Every Wednesday, James would come to Dana's house for dinner, sometimes accompanied by his best friend Raleigh, who also knew the secret.
Gwen fought for her daughter, shaming James into paying for science classes, any extra she could get to make up for the fact that Dana did not have a daddy she could acknowledge publicly. Gwen worked long, hard hours as a nurse, resenting that Laverne, the other wife, got to work out of her own home in a beauty parlor she owned.
Dana resented Laverne and Chaurisse, especially when Chaurisse got things Dana wanted. She got a job at the local amusement park, but couldn't take it because Chaurisse got a job there too. When her daddy presented her with a beautiful rabbit fur jacket, she felt special, until she saw Chaurisse wearing the same jacket.
The second half of the book is narrated by Chaurisse, and I thought it was the stronger half of the book. Chaurisse is a sympathetic character. She is lonely, not pretty or smart like Dana. She didn't have any friends, and neither did her mother.
I found this intriguing; none of the women in this book had friends, they were all lonely. You might say that because Dana and Gwen were a secret, they probably wouldn't have many friends, but why didn't Laverne or Chaurisse have friends? Laverne was exposed to many women at her home beauty salon, but she seemed to have no friends. I wonder if this is a commentary on these women or on all women?
I didn't really have a handle on James as a character, he seemed to be an OK guy, but he always appeared a bit out of focus for me. Raleigh, on the other hand, was a fascinating character. James' mother took him in as a child, and he grew up like James' brother.
Raleigh had so many good qualities, but somehow he got swept into James' deceptive life. He always seemed to be the one who tried to make things right, to smooth things over for everyone. But he was lonely too, never having a family or love of his own because he had to keep the peace for James and his two families.
The author said that all stories are about secrets, and that what happens when the secret is revealed is the interesting part. Eventually, James' secret comes out, and the sadness and heartbreak that follows makes for gripping reading.
The writing in Silver Sparrow is just beautiful, and this story has a lot to say about the relationship between mothers and daughters and between sisters. One line really resonated with me. Chaurisse was a bit envious of the easy conversation between her mother and Dana, saying "it was like my mother was a newspaper that everyone could read except for me." I think it's true that we don't see our mothers in the same way others do.
This luminous story grabbed me right at the beginning, and I found myself caring so deeply about these characters, it was like they were people I actually knew. I rooted for them all to be OK, even though the situation dictated that it may not end that way. Tayari Jones has written a lovely novel, one that begs to read again and again.
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does not know about her sister or her father's other wife.Dana tells us how her daddy was buying his first wife Laverne an anniversary gift, and he fell in love with the woman at the gift wrap counter of the department store, her mama Gwen. Gwen knew right away that James was married, yet she still dated him, fell in love and had his baby. She also insisted that they get married in the next state over, and James agreed.
When Dana was five, she drew a picture of her family in school, including her daddy's two wives and two girls. Her daddy told her then that she couldn't tell anyone about him or his other wife or daughter. When Dana asked if they were a secret, he told her "no, you've got it the wrong way around. Dana, you are the one who is secret."
That moment changed her life. Dana and her mother would go 'surveilling', following Laverne and Chaurisse around, spying on them. Every Wednesday, James would come to Dana's house for dinner, sometimes accompanied by his best friend Raleigh, who also knew the secret.
Gwen fought for her daughter, shaming James into paying for science classes, any extra she could get to make up for the fact that Dana did not have a daddy she could acknowledge publicly. Gwen worked long, hard hours as a nurse, resenting that Laverne, the other wife, got to work out of her own home in a beauty parlor she owned.
Dana resented Laverne and Chaurisse, especially when Chaurisse got things Dana wanted. She got a job at the local amusement park, but couldn't take it because Chaurisse got a job there too. When her daddy presented her with a beautiful rabbit fur jacket, she felt special, until she saw Chaurisse wearing the same jacket.
The second half of the book is narrated by Chaurisse, and I thought it was the stronger half of the book. Chaurisse is a sympathetic character. She is lonely, not pretty or smart like Dana. She didn't have any friends, and neither did her mother.
I found this intriguing; none of the women in this book had friends, they were all lonely. You might say that because Dana and Gwen were a secret, they probably wouldn't have many friends, but why didn't Laverne or Chaurisse have friends? Laverne was exposed to many women at her home beauty salon, but she seemed to have no friends. I wonder if this is a commentary on these women or on all women?
I didn't really have a handle on James as a character, he seemed to be an OK guy, but he always appeared a bit out of focus for me. Raleigh, on the other hand, was a fascinating character. James' mother took him in as a child, and he grew up like James' brother.
Raleigh had so many good qualities, but somehow he got swept into James' deceptive life. He always seemed to be the one who tried to make things right, to smooth things over for everyone. But he was lonely too, never having a family or love of his own because he had to keep the peace for James and his two families.
The author said that all stories are about secrets, and that what happens when the secret is revealed is the interesting part. Eventually, James' secret comes out, and the sadness and heartbreak that follows makes for gripping reading.
The writing in Silver Sparrow is just beautiful, and this story has a lot to say about the relationship between mothers and daughters and between sisters. One line really resonated with me. Chaurisse was a bit envious of the easy conversation between her mother and Dana, saying "it was like my mother was a newspaper that everyone could read except for me." I think it's true that we don't see our mothers in the same way others do.
This luminous story grabbed me right at the beginning, and I found myself caring so deeply about these characters, it was like they were people I actually knew. I rooted for them all to be OK, even though the situation dictated that it may not end that way. Tayari Jones has written a lovely novel, one that begs to read again and again.
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LibraryThing member LaTosha
I absolutely love this book. It is a very simple and classic read. I actually think that the brilliance of Tayari's writing is demonstrated in the simplicity of the story. I so appreciate reading the different perspectives of the two main characters. This story creativity makes readers reflect on
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the complexities of love and relationships. I also think the story makes readers examine our perspectives, judgement and of love and relationships. This was a very powerful read for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member arielfl
Dana and Yarboro and Bunny Chaurisse Witherspoon are sisters but only Dana knows it. Dana and her mother are part of her bigamist father Jame's secret second family. A family that always has to stay in the shadows while living off the crumbs of the first legal family. How Dana's mother got them
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into this predicament makes for a fascinating story. The first half of the book is told from Dana's perspective and the second half from that of Chaurisse. You really feel for both girls and the situation that they find themselves in which is the fault of the adults, especially James, yet both girls end up paying the price for their parents decisions. The characters made some frustrating decisions at times but you couldn't help but root for the two girls. Tayari Jones shows how two girls who could have been best friends are instead ripped apart by the secret and lies in their families. Show Less
LibraryThing member pidgeon92
Excellent novel.... Very realistic portrait of a family
LibraryThing member BluesGal79
This is one of those times I wish Goodreads would allow us the option of giving a half star, since saying I "liked" Silver Sparrow is an understatement.
I truly appreciate spending time in an understated novel. Tayari Jones writes with such a light hand about such weighty issues that I believe it
As always, I will spare you a recap of the storyline, since that's already provided just fine without any more help from me.
I will not hesitate to recommend this to my customers, especially those coming off a run of white-knuckle thrillers who want something with more heart.
I truly appreciate spending time in an understated novel. Tayari Jones writes with such a light hand about such weighty issues that I believe it
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accurate to compare her -- favorably -- to Anne Tyler and the early novels of Barbara Kingsolver. As always, I will spare you a recap of the storyline, since that's already provided just fine without any more help from me.
I will not hesitate to recommend this to my customers, especially those coming off a run of white-knuckle thrillers who want something with more heart.
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LibraryThing member melissarochelle
Read from December 02 to 10, 2011
I wanted this book to keep going! Don't get me wrong, it has a perfectly satisfying conclusion, but I wanted more Dana and Chaurisse.
It's so difficult for me to dislike anyone in this book even though so many of them did the wrong thing, but that also makes them
I wanted this book to keep going! Don't get me wrong, it has a perfectly satisfying conclusion, but I wanted more Dana and Chaurisse.
It's so difficult for me to dislike anyone in this book even though so many of them did the wrong thing, but that also makes them
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believable characters. No one truly sets out to be evil and everyone makes a bad choice sometimes. It's how you react to that bad decision that matters. Show Less
LibraryThing member mearias
This is a SAD, SAD, SAD, SAD, SAD book... I couldn't put it down. I went to bed with such sadness for these characters and am still thinking of them.
The father is a selfish, cruel man; no matter that he is described as different in the book. I REALLY didn't like him. The uncle is tool.
The mother is
A very gifted author and a very good book.
The father is a selfish, cruel man; no matter that he is described as different in the book. I REALLY didn't like him. The uncle is tool.
The mother is
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a sad fool. The wife and daughters broke my heart. I was so hoping for a happy ending for Dana. I wanted her to have a good ending... this book just left me a little broken for them.A very gifted author and a very good book.
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LibraryThing member Brainannex
This book had such hype and so many book club selections that I don't know that it could have lived up to it all. I enjoyed the book, certainly, a solid read, but it wasn't overwhelmingly fantastic like I was led to believe.
LibraryThing member nfmgirl2
NOTE: While I don't think this review has any major spoilers, it does have more revelations than I normally include.
This story begins through the eyes of Dana Lynn, a young girl of color being raised in relatively poor circumstances. She and her mother don't live in poverty, but they are surviving
The book reveals Dana's life with her mother Gwen, and what she knows of the life of her father's other family with his wife Laverne and other daughter Chaurisse. It was fascinating to see the story through Dana’s eyes, and to build your impression of Chaurisse and her mother and everything else through Dana, and then to suddenly have that shift a little over halfway through the story, and see things from Chaurisse’s perspective. I loved that about this story.
Dana's mother Gwen married young, a boy she knew from middle school. She married him after graduation, and they divorced a couple of years later. Working a store counter, she met James Witherspoon one day while he was looking for a gift for his wife. Within a year after her divorce, she was living in a rooming house and pregnant with a married man's child.
So Gwen has her baby and puts herself through school to become a nurse. Shortly after Dana's birth, James and Gwen marry in a neighboring state. Dana is raised knowing from a young age about her father's other family, and getting the sense that she must spend her life playing second fiddle to sister Chaurisse.
However sister Chaurisse and the family know nothing of Dana and her mother. It isn't until grandmother Bunny is on her deathbed that her grandmother is finally told of Dana, and Dana is brought to meet her.
Bunny was my favorite character, as brief as she was in the story. She wished her boys would have told her sooner of Dana's existence, and that she'd had time to get to know her.
I read this one for my book club, and the consensus was that the characters weren't very likable. In fact, one woman in the group really disliked this book! It's one of those books that can just leave a bad taste in your mouth, because you are so frustrated with the characters and the way they handle the events in their lives.
And father James, while you give him credit for trying to be a part of his "illegitimate" daughter's life, you see the unfairness of it all. Dana is always given second best. She gets her father one day a week while here sister gets him every day. Throughout her life she has to sacrifice her wants for that of her sister (when her sister wants a summer job at the same place as Dana or wants to attend the same program, it is Dana that must forfeit her desire). And while her father and his wife Laverne make a good living and are able to provide their daughter Chaurisse with a comfortable life that include debutante balls, Dana lives in the projects, being raised on her mother's salary and whatever scraps her father tosses their way.
James' brother Raleigh is sort of likable, but his general inaction and silence in the face of what his brother is doing to Dana and her mother is infuriating at times. He is his brother's accomplice in his duplicity, and James could not have pulled off the dual lives (one public and one secret) without Raleigh, who is even named as Dana's father on her birth certificate.
Aside from the story content or writing style, I was surprised at the poor formatting of the ebook. There were a lot of typos and I could swear there were missing passages. There were strange stilted endings to chapters. Others in my book club agreed that some of the chapters ended rather abruptly.
My final word: This book was "okay". I enjoyed the unique dual perspective, I was intrigued by the concept. But when it came down to it, I just didn't like the characters very much. Bunny was the only one I really cared for, and the daughter Chaurisse and uncle Raleigh I liked a bit. The writing style was okay, but not thoroughly engaging. It gets an "eh" from me. Kind of intriguing, but the characters are ultimately unlikable.
This story begins through the eyes of Dana Lynn, a young girl of color being raised in relatively poor circumstances. She and her mother don't live in poverty, but they are surviving
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on a single mother's nursing salary. As the first line in the book states quite bluntly, Dana's father is a bigamist, already married to another woman and yet married to her mother as well.The book reveals Dana's life with her mother Gwen, and what she knows of the life of her father's other family with his wife Laverne and other daughter Chaurisse. It was fascinating to see the story through Dana’s eyes, and to build your impression of Chaurisse and her mother and everything else through Dana, and then to suddenly have that shift a little over halfway through the story, and see things from Chaurisse’s perspective. I loved that about this story.
Dana's mother Gwen married young, a boy she knew from middle school. She married him after graduation, and they divorced a couple of years later. Working a store counter, she met James Witherspoon one day while he was looking for a gift for his wife. Within a year after her divorce, she was living in a rooming house and pregnant with a married man's child.
So Gwen has her baby and puts herself through school to become a nurse. Shortly after Dana's birth, James and Gwen marry in a neighboring state. Dana is raised knowing from a young age about her father's other family, and getting the sense that she must spend her life playing second fiddle to sister Chaurisse.
However sister Chaurisse and the family know nothing of Dana and her mother. It isn't until grandmother Bunny is on her deathbed that her grandmother is finally told of Dana, and Dana is brought to meet her.
Bunny was my favorite character, as brief as she was in the story. She wished her boys would have told her sooner of Dana's existence, and that she'd had time to get to know her.
I read this one for my book club, and the consensus was that the characters weren't very likable. In fact, one woman in the group really disliked this book! It's one of those books that can just leave a bad taste in your mouth, because you are so frustrated with the characters and the way they handle the events in their lives.
And father James, while you give him credit for trying to be a part of his "illegitimate" daughter's life, you see the unfairness of it all. Dana is always given second best. She gets her father one day a week while here sister gets him every day. Throughout her life she has to sacrifice her wants for that of her sister (when her sister wants a summer job at the same place as Dana or wants to attend the same program, it is Dana that must forfeit her desire). And while her father and his wife Laverne make a good living and are able to provide their daughter Chaurisse with a comfortable life that include debutante balls, Dana lives in the projects, being raised on her mother's salary and whatever scraps her father tosses their way.
James' brother Raleigh is sort of likable, but his general inaction and silence in the face of what his brother is doing to Dana and her mother is infuriating at times. He is his brother's accomplice in his duplicity, and James could not have pulled off the dual lives (one public and one secret) without Raleigh, who is even named as Dana's father on her birth certificate.
Aside from the story content or writing style, I was surprised at the poor formatting of the ebook. There were a lot of typos and I could swear there were missing passages. There were strange stilted endings to chapters. Others in my book club agreed that some of the chapters ended rather abruptly.
My final word: This book was "okay". I enjoyed the unique dual perspective, I was intrigued by the concept. But when it came down to it, I just didn't like the characters very much. Bunny was the only one I really cared for, and the daughter Chaurisse and uncle Raleigh I liked a bit. The writing style was okay, but not thoroughly engaging. It gets an "eh" from me. Kind of intriguing, but the characters are ultimately unlikable.
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LibraryThing member medixon
Enjoyed this read. I will seek others by this author.
LibraryThing member WillowStarSerenity
I just finished reading Silver Sparrow. It is a novel written by Tayari Jones. This book is about two families who would have completely independent lives if it wasn't for one small detail. They have the same husband. The man married both women because he got them both pregnant. The second wife
I can honestly say that I loved this book. I didn't want it to end. I love how she placed it in both of the daughter's perspectives. I feel it added a more clarifying point to the whole situation. I loved how much I got sucked into the book. I felt for both of the girls. I have to be honest. I had more sympathy for Dana than I did Chaurisse. At the end, I started realizing how spoiled Chaurisse truly was.
I feel there were certain parts that could have been told in more detail. They were written out perfectly without the details though. I also would have liked to seen a few chapters from the mothers' perspectives. I think that would have been pretty awesome. I understand why it was written the way it was though.
I fully recommend this book to anybody. It's a very powerful story. I loved it, and I'm sure others will love it just as much as I did. If I had the money to do so, I'd buy a copy for all my friends and family to read. I can't tell you enough how beautiful and powerful this story really is. Get a copy and find out for yourself. You won't regret it.
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knew about the other wife and about their daughter. The first wife had no clue about the second wife or her daughter. I can honestly say that I loved this book. I didn't want it to end. I love how she placed it in both of the daughter's perspectives. I feel it added a more clarifying point to the whole situation. I loved how much I got sucked into the book. I felt for both of the girls. I have to be honest. I had more sympathy for Dana than I did Chaurisse. At the end, I started realizing how spoiled Chaurisse truly was.
I feel there were certain parts that could have been told in more detail. They were written out perfectly without the details though. I also would have liked to seen a few chapters from the mothers' perspectives. I think that would have been pretty awesome. I understand why it was written the way it was though.
I fully recommend this book to anybody. It's a very powerful story. I loved it, and I'm sure others will love it just as much as I did. If I had the money to do so, I'd buy a copy for all my friends and family to read. I can't tell you enough how beautiful and powerful this story really is. Get a copy and find out for yourself. You won't regret it.
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LibraryThing member DonnasBookAddiction
Tayari Jones firmly places you in the backdrop of black, middle class Atlanta during the 1970s and 1980s. But there's also a lot of really interesting and historical context brought into the novel to help explain how the adults, in particular, came to such a complicated matter.
Silver Sparrow is the
Tayari Jones did an exceptional job telling this story and I wondered if she was trying to convey it in a way that you’re more sympathetic to one character over another. However, the novel masterfully shifts points of view. The first half of the book is narrated by Dana Lynn Yarboro (illegitimate daughter) and the second part of the book is narrated by Bunny Chaurisse Witherspoon who doesn't know the truth but the friendship forces things to a heartbreaking climax and conclusion
This was one of the most difficult books to review. It’s a very interesting storyline. The whole premise of reading the novel was to discover how the story could possibly be resolved effectively and how all the tension and psychological strain is played out between the two innocent daughters who only wanted to be loved and valued. Someone or everyone would have to be hurt in this situation. I wasn’t sure who I wanted to come out on top. I came into the story expecting to hate the bigamist, but I came out feeling empathy for everyone involved. Amid the dishonesty and treachery, I felt loyal to both sisters and both mothers in this complex tale.
I loved the interjection of real life people, like Dr. Martin Luther King and the infamous Al ‘Grits’ Green and Mary Woodson White story.
I look forward to reading another novel by Tayari Jones.
Silver Sparrow is the
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story of two daughters and the bigamist father they share. Although James Witherspoon works very hard to keep his two families separate, the girls inevitably meet and strike up a friendship.Tayari Jones did an exceptional job telling this story and I wondered if she was trying to convey it in a way that you’re more sympathetic to one character over another. However, the novel masterfully shifts points of view. The first half of the book is narrated by Dana Lynn Yarboro (illegitimate daughter) and the second part of the book is narrated by Bunny Chaurisse Witherspoon who doesn't know the truth but the friendship forces things to a heartbreaking climax and conclusion
This was one of the most difficult books to review. It’s a very interesting storyline. The whole premise of reading the novel was to discover how the story could possibly be resolved effectively and how all the tension and psychological strain is played out between the two innocent daughters who only wanted to be loved and valued. Someone or everyone would have to be hurt in this situation. I wasn’t sure who I wanted to come out on top. I came into the story expecting to hate the bigamist, but I came out feeling empathy for everyone involved. Amid the dishonesty and treachery, I felt loyal to both sisters and both mothers in this complex tale.
I loved the interjection of real life people, like Dr. Martin Luther King and the infamous Al ‘Grits’ Green and Mary Woodson White story.
I look forward to reading another novel by Tayari Jones.
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Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9781616201531
Original publication date
2011-05-31