This book is as controversial as any of her other books. It is the story of S'b'ella and her mother Ednetta. S'b'ella is beaten and raped and she accuses some policemen of doing the deed.
Rich and righteous twin brothers Byron and Marus a preacher and a lawyer come to S'b'ella's aid promising her riches after the trial.
This book is based on Reverend Al Sharpton and the Tawana Brawley case approximately 30 years ago.
I have conflicting feelings about this book (which is no surprise, since it is a Joyce Carol Oates book). I enjoyed Oates' masterful telling of the story, but I was uncomfortable with the subject. Oates' portrayal of S'b'ella and her mother showcase them as uneducated black people. In our American society, white people tend to think of black people as uneducated as it is, without a book portraying characters that way. I wanted these characters to bely that American stereotype but all the book did was perpetrate the idea.
Rating: 8 / 10
ISBN: 9780062332974
Publisher: Ecco
Edition: 1st Edition