The Word on Street Lit No. 9
Rollie Welch -- Library Journal, 12/15/2008 10:04:00 AM
The saying "revenge is a dish best served cold" is perhaps most famously epitomized in Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. In this month’s selections, wronged people become bent on cold-blooded revenge. These tales have been written by men but highlight African American female characters involved in heterosexual relationships that collapse under the weight of betrayal. Somebody, in other words, has been creepin’.
It's difficult to come up with an exact definition of urban fiction. Some of this month's featured titles (The Bachelorette Party; Joy & Pain) are arguably inauthentic because they lack a direct connection to the streets. But I’ve always believed a cornerstone of this genre is betrayal between friends or lovers, behavior that splits the main characters into protagonists and antagonists. For a true street setting featuring violent crime and betrayal, look no further than hip-hop artist Dana Dane’s Numbers, my pick of the month.
Pick of the Month
Dane, Dana. Numbers. One World: Ballantine. (Nikki Turner Presents.) Feb. 2009. 256p. ISBN 978-0-345-50605-4. pap. $14. F
Verdict: While this first novel by a popular rapper could qualify as a YA title—almost half the book is devoted to tracing the teenage years of Numbers, a Brooklyn hustler—a handful of steamy sex scenes mean it's probably better suited to adults. The authentic street slang, realistic Brooklyn setting, and violent, thrilling twists will ensure this debut's popularity. Buy multiple copies.
Background: Numbers, aka Dupree Reginald Wallace, is a clever math protégé who can count cards and work all the angles. His concern for his cancer-stricken sister and poor mother forces him to seek more cash by dealing for Coney, a local mover of product. Numbers is in love with both his ride-or-die chick, Waketta, and Rosa, a Latina pregnant with his child. His running partner, Jarvis, always has his back—or does he? Readers know Numbers will be betrayed, but how it comes down is deftly set up by the author.
Birch, Dywane D. Beneath the Bruises. Strebor: S. & S. 2008. 256p. ISBN 978-1-59309-208-5. pap. $13. F
Verdict: Drawing on his experience working with adult offenders of domestic violence, Birch (Shattered Souls) writes about a woman caught up in an abusive relationship with nowhere to turn for help. She lives with her husband in a big, beautiful home, demonstrating that violence can happen on any rung of the economic ladder. The abuse is graphic, but Birch’s latest novel, told from the wife’s point of view, is heavy with her introspective examination of her life. For larger urban fiction collections.
Background: Believing her life is dependent on her husband, Randall, Syreeta tries to make her marriage work, not just for herself but also for her five sons. Her mother is unsupportive, advising Syreeta to accept the abuse because Randy “is a good man.” Syreeta finally contacts Dr. Curtis, a therapist who encourages her to read, educate herself, and take the first brave steps to being her own person.
Duck, Phillip Thomas. Counterfeit Wives. Kimani Sepia: Harlequin. Dec. 2008. 251p. ISBN 978-0-373-83129-6. pap. $14.95. F
Verdict: The ultimate player in Duck’s (Playing with Destiny; Grown and Sexy) latest street tale is a serial polygamist, and readers learn once again that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Make that three women scorned, as they fall for smooth lines and awesome sex. A didn’t-see-it-coming twist ends Duck’s lively tale with a flourish.
Background: Dawn, Nikki, and Jacqueline narrate their sad stories of how they fall for Terry, James, and Todd. Turns out Terry, James, and Todd are all the same guy, a player who seduces them, marries them, and then empties their bank accounts. The Camden, NJ, backdrop connects to the streets as the three women unite on a mission to get their collective revenge. But the sex was so out of this world! Jacqueline laments, “He was good to me. Until he wasn’t.”
Jones, Solomon. Payback: The Return of C.R.E.A.M. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Mar. 2009. 244p. ISBN 978-0-312-34838-0. $23.95 F
Verdict: The sequel to Jones’s 2006 novel, C.R.E.A.M., is a page-turner with a high body count as Karima “C.R.E.A.M” Thomas proves she still has her game on. Opening with a fatal stabbing, the book progresses to detail eight murders in one 24-hour period. Hang on to your hats—this ride has lots of wicked loops and turns. Readers who enjoy their urban fiction on the ultraviolent side will flock to this one.
Background: Karima believes her dealer boyfriend’s death (recounted in the first novel) was more than a simple revenge killing. After her mother’s murder in a North Philly courtroom, she and Detective Kevin Lynch soon suspect a deranged killer at work. His identity is revealed early on, but why is this whack job so intent on murdering a whole list of people? Lynch sacrifices his unstable home life to help Karima track the killer and falls under her sexual spell. But the sole street player who might know more than anyone is 13-year-old Skeet, who understands the game better than any adult.
Welch, Donald. The Bachelorette Party. One World: Ballantine. 2008. 204p. ISBN 978-0-345-50161-5. pap. $14. F
Verdict: This novelization of Welch’s stage play of the same title features a large cast of women gathered at a bridal shower. Fueled by wine, the friends talk trash, and their zingers cut fast and deep. Alas, the good times cease with a tragedy. The novel’s strength lies in Welch’s snappy dialog that helps flesh out each character. Recommended for patrons seeking a read-alike to Sex and the City.
Background: Nicky is getting married to the love of her life, Dr. Alan Lovejoy. Her girls plan to send her into matrimony in style by throwing a bachelorette party in her North Philly condo. The novel’s first half sets up the friends’ lives and how they transformed from inner-city high school girls into successful women. Denise is running for city council, and Freda seeks a breakout session for her singing career. But everyone has a secret. Keisha’s brother, a news anchor, is caught having freaky sex. Ira’s gay relationship is on the rocks, but she carries a blade and will use it to defend her friends. But most dramatic is Tisha, who is married to the physically aggressive and verbally manipulative Roland.
White, Franklin. Joy & Pain. Strebor: S. & S. 2008. 250p. ISBN 978-1-59309-147-7. pap. $14. F
Verdict: White's (Cup of Love) latest, which will appeal to female patrons who enjoy stories full of emotional drama, features three different relationship betrayals. While the novel’s setting in Atlanta’s wealthier areas may eliminate this title from a true street-lit bibliography, there's a rags-to-riches riff here, and White's heroine, Lala, can transform into a formidable, tough-talking street girl in a minute when she realizes men are deceiving her.
Background: Lawyer Keith has been creeping behind the back of longtime girlfriend Lala with Adria, Lala’s best friend. Stung by the betrayal, Lala meets Sydney, a handsome older man who lets her know he can “solve problems.” Dropping out of her wealthy circles, Lala volunteers as a counselor at a Mentoring Our Youth Center and becomes enamored with Sean, a 17-year-old boy with an alcoholic mother. Lala hits on Lorenzo, who runs the center, but his secret life has Lala bolting to a bar to huff down a tumbler of top-shelf scotch. Is Sydney ready to solve Lala’s problems?
