The Middle Sister: A Novel

Loved this book, sad, funny and heartwarming.

Middle Sister, by debut novelist Bonnie Glover, is a powerful tale about unconditional love and family. Set against the backdrop of Harlem, NY, during the 1970s, middle sister, Pamela embraces life with reckless abandonment and freedom, until her two-parent home is shattered. After her father moves out, her mother suffers a nervous breakdown and the family is forced to move from their quaint, modest, one family home to the roach infested, urine smelling surroundings of the projects. Always studious and the smartest of the sisters, the projects prove to also be challenging for someone as naïve as Pamela. To help her navigate her way through her new environment, Pamela conjures up David Caines character, Kwai Chang, from the television series Kung Fu. Okay, I must admit, it seemed odd that someone as old as Pamela would create an invisible friend from a television series. And, is it really this friend who helps to keep her on the straight and narrow or is it her conscious? Whatever the source, coping skills were definitely necessary to survive her new home as she comes of age amidst new situations and people. Glover has skillfully crafted a poignant and powerful storyline. Middle Sister is filled with messages about family, love, survival, acceptance and redemption as well as taboo subjects such as mental illness and sexual identity. Once the reader accepts Pamelas Kung Fu side-kick, climatic plot twists and turns quickly move the storyline forward. But, it was the primary characters, as well as secondary characters, who really brought the storyline to life. Though flawed and scarred with blemishes, they were often loveable and endearing even in their most confused, sometimes most difficult moments. As I watched Pamela come of age, she would flounder and make many mistakes, some of them before thinking, but I never felt that any situation was too arduous for her to conquer. Trials and triumphs, eccentric characters, not so tidy endings make the Middle Sister an eclectic yet heartwarming read. Bonnie Glover takes us on a literary journey through the eyes of the Middle Sister characters and she does not allow us to get off until she is satisfied that it has been a journey worth taking. Solid writing, engaging characters, timeless plot and theme, vivid imagery and shocking twists and turns make Middle Sister a recommended read for those who need a change of pace. Yasmin APOOO BookClub

This is the type of novel that i hate to finish. After the first couple of chapters, these characters had become a part of my life. To finish reading the novel is painful, like losing friends.

This book grabbed at my heart. I was able to laugh and cry because I could relate to the events inside.

I just got this book, and Im already almost done. Its not long and drawn out, or boring. Im really enjoying it.

The book was sad and sorrowful. The main character had little direction into what to look for in a man. I wouldnt recommend this book because it made me sad.

I loved this novel. Glover uses the gritty setting of black American urban culture to portray a very human and universal story of growing up, facing challenges, and taking bittersweet leave of childhood things. I found the cultural aspects very interesting - I like learning about environments and settings I know very little of (I grew up and live in Asia), and this added immensely to the books appeal- but I reckon this is no more a black American story than, say, Heart of Darkness is a travelogue about a group of men going up an African river. Told from the appealing and genuine first person voice of Pamela, the middle of three sisters, its really about family, and as in all great novels, the immensely engaging characters, while grounded in the setting (and necessarily so), transcend the setting to speak to everybody. The story unfolds naturally and organically and authentically-nothing is forced, no shoe-horned happy ending, but the ending is deeply satisfying nonetheless. The novel deserves to bust through to a wide readership.

This book, The Middle Sister, by debut novelist Bonnie Glover, is a thoughtful, warm, beautifully written book that leaves the reader thinking about the characters long after the cover is closed. Glovers characterizations are right on the mark, and the pathos of the story is leavened by its humor. It is, quite simply, a wonderful read, and I cant wait for Bonnie Glovers next novel!

This is a very good book, the middle sister is a very strong person who can hold things together for her family.

No family is perfect, and every human being has flaws. The grace in life is in loving our imperfect friends and family members, and in finding our joy regardless of hardships. Bonnie Glover drives this point home in her debut novel, The Middle Sister, a sensitive and well-written story of a young girl growing up in urban America. Pamelas nearly idyllic life is rattled when her father leaves the family, and her mother begins a steady slide into mental illness. Pamela and her two sisters close ranks and take matters into their own hands, caring for their ailing mom and raising themselves. This is a great novel for young female readers, as Pamela struggles with her emotions over the changes taking place in her life.