the two lives of sara catherine adel west

I couldn't put this exquisite book down.' - Nancy Jooyoun Kim, New York Times Bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina Lee 'This heartfelt novel about a survivor trying to build a new life among a found family cuts deep. The Two Lives of Sara also celebrates everyday forms of resistance in a racist and divided country and the balm that love, food, and art can still provide. Both masterfully suspenseful and certain to tug at the reader's heartstrings, The Two Lives of Sara solidifies West as a literary force.' - Booklist, Starred Review 'In this utterly absorbing and dazzling novel about the stories we tell to stay alive and the secrets we keep to protect ourselves, Catherine Adel West explores the intricacies of family and community as well as the realities of migration, reinvention, and loss. Every character is a beautiful, relatable complication. 'Focusing on the interplay between generations as she did in her debut ( Saving Ruby King) West writes with charming precision and intention. With a charismatic cast of characters, The Two Lives of Sara is an emotional and unforgettable story of hope, the limitations of resilience and unexpected love. Romance blooms between them, but secrets from Mama Sugar's past threaten their newfound happiness and lead Sara to make decisions that will reshape the rest of their lives. Black literature and music provide the stories and soundtrack for these turbulent and hopeful times, and Sara finds herself drawn in by conversations of education, politics and a brighter tomorrow with Jonas, a local schoolteacher. Across the country, people like Martin Luther King Jr. Like many cities in early 1960s America, Memphis is still segregated, but change is in the air. She is welcomed with open arms by Mama Sugar, a kindly matriarch and owner of the popular boardinghouse The Scarlet Poplar. Sara King has nothing, save for her secrets and the baby in her belly, as she boards the bus to Memphis, hoping to outrun her past in Chicago.

In 1960s Memphis, a young mother finds refuge in a boardinghouse where family encompasses more than just blood and hidden truths can bury you or set you free. 'An utterly absorbing and dazzling novel about the stories we tell to stay alive and the secrets we keep to protect ourselves.' - Nancy Jooyoun Kim, New York Times Bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina Lee Magazine, The Root, Popsugar, Bustle, and many more! About the Book A young mother finds refuge and friendship at a boardinghouse in 1960s Memphis, Tennessee, where family encompasses more than just blood and hidden truths can bury you or set you free.īook Synopsis Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Ms.

The two lives of sara catherine adel west