The Darkest Child

The Darkest Child is a page turner that you will not want to put down. This remarkable story about what a child can endure at the mercy of an insane parent and seemingly world around her is something not to be missed.

This book is really good! It is truely a page turner. The problem is however, is I am not able to finish the book. This is my second time purchasing this book. The first time, I left it on the air plane while going to Iraq, this time, there was a miss print of the book. I got to page 88 and the next page was 192. and then it skipped back to page 100. So i am stuck on that part. But so far so good!

The story never established a purpose. It kind of reminded me of the bridge to no where cause I could never get a sense of where this story was going. There were so many characters and different story lines.

I think the story would have been better told from the mother's point of view. The reader never gets an understanding of why she abused her daughters and why they allowed them to abuse her.

I had no expectations for this novel but the subject matter certainly interested me. The writing was very good and the story quite engaging and at times heartbreaking. If you're interested in this era of African Americans in U.S. history, the plight of women and the culture of the south, this is a great read. I would love to read more stories written by Delores Phillips.

This was a beautiful story of an African American family headed my a complex woman who used and abused her kids. In my lifetime, I have seen these traits in African American women who love living a fast life. They see children as possessions to be used and define the kids by there outside traits,

Purchased based on b and n online rating. Generally enjoy historical fiction / period novel especially those set in the south but I really had to push to get through this. Too many characters that came in and out of the story line. No real full character development of any likable character. The one character I wanted more about disappeared in to the drawn out plot line.

This book was BUSY. There were far too many characters introduced and it seemed to jump from story line to story line without finishing the first. Some of the characters were named, but they really had no purpose, which seemed to add to the confusion. The mother, Rozelle, seemed to have gotten away with a lot for back then, just seemed far fetched to me.

I chose this book after reading Perfect Peace by Daniel Black. This was the longest 388 pages I've read in my leisure yet. I did not like this book at all and would not recommend it to anyone else to read.

Ruthlessly depressing, relentlessly bleak, and not written well. It was also filled with many inaccuracies about life for blacks in the 1960s south. The book had potential but could've been tighter and more cohesive.

This is another book that has followed me around. I would always get recommendations to read this book from Goodreads and the store but I figured I wouldn't like it. It just wasn't my type of book. But something in my gut kept me coming back to this book & the book popping up around me. I put it on my goodreads "to read" shelf and my the store "wishlist" and left it there...FOR MONTHS! Well, in 2018 for my goodreads book challenge I decided I would be more open to read books from authors I've never read, different genres of books and step more out of my reading comfort zone. So with that being said, I purchased a book that I feel is quite possibly the best book I've ever read in my life. I don't think I've ever felt this strongly about a book ever. This book has pulled every emotion from me. I've been so sad and hurt. Happy and downright pissed! The mother in this book, Rozelle is something else and that's putting it nicely. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what she is because she is a mixture of many toxic & vile things. She is manipulative, evil, a low down sad excuse of a woman and a terrible example of what a mother is and should be. The things these kids and young adults have had to endure at her hands is inexplicable. She constantly did things to make her kids hate her and want to leave her but she never wanted them to leave her even though she seemed to hate them. The sad thing about Rozelle is that she is one of those types that never experienced love from her mother so she just continued the cycle. This book although fictional is very realistic, raw and somewhat graphic in it's description of certain scenes. When talking to my hubby discussing it he would ask, "are you sure this isn't a true story, It's way too believable to not be?" This book was AMAZING! It was so well written and put together. I am saddened that I will never know what will happen to Tangy Mae and the rest of the Quinn children and even Rozelle since the author Ms. Phillips passed away in 2014. I have so many questions like: where is Sam? Did Crow ever go see about Tangy? Did Tangy go to college or get a job? How did Mushy react when she found out Tangy & Laura were gone? Is Rozelle really crazy or faking it? How are Harvey, his wife and baby? How are Martha Jean, Velman and the girls? How's Wallace? And who the hell are all their daddies? I strongly believe that Mr. Groden, Mrs. Zadie's husband is his dad. And lastly the book was amazing!

A brutally honest work of fiction that doesn't revel in the sadness or horror it reveals about race, family, poverty and the cycles that trap people despite their best intentions.

Of the three books I had queued up to read, it was Delores Philips' The Darkest Child that drew me in and held me tight. Philips doesn't waste any words trying to seduce you into her story, she simply places you into the thick of it. Tangy Mae is a painfully compelling character who, at every turn, has every possible reason to fail her potential surrounded as she is by people who only see her as an extension for their needs. She's conflicted and a study in contradictions but her eyes and voice provide the clearest window through which to view a story that is grounded in a historical moment (desegregation of schools) but centers squarely on the people living in the era rather than on the textbook facts.
Though there are villainous white characters who lurk at the periphery, the book centers on Tangy Mae's family, friends and a variety of people who regularly factor into their lives. Although the issue of race is at the forefront, we experience it as it exists in this time and place where although whites and blacks inhabit the same spaces they are periphery to one another's lives. It is through Rozelle/Rosie that we experience white and black integrated in one form. Her sadness and madness terrorizes her family even as Tangy Mae gives us glimpses into her capacity to love and how it is in her seeming gestures of kindness that she is most terrifying.

Beyond race Delores delves deeply into the troubling relationships within family. Her exploration of the relationships between mothers and daughters is very honest, troubling but extremely important. Women are at the forefront of the book in a way that doesn't attempt a glossy finish but instead explores what it means to feel weak, to endure, to be strong, to have power and to find a way through personal struggles without being sure that it will all ever be okay.

Arresting, truly riveting African American historical drama! The story of the Quinn family, told by Tangy Mae (one of the darker complexioned of Rozelle's 10 children), grabs the attention from the start. The intricacies of the Jim Crow South, mixing the hate, love, mental and physical anguish/abuse with hope for a better life is all brought together in this heartbreaking narrative. Rozelle, in her diminished mental state, offers what she can to her children, including horrendous abuse. Touched on many areas needing discussion today in America: separation along color lines, why Black Lives Matter, understanding history and separation in the Black community. This is the kind of book needed in junior/senior high school history classes!
Voluntarily read ARC, thru Netgalley and Soho Press, for honest review.

This book is a must read for all literary lovers because not only was it a well written novel but the themes and emotional connections within its content I’m sure can and will resonate with everyone who reads it. Tangy Mae Quin is the darkest child out of all her mother’s children. Considered to be ugly because of her deep ebony tone Tangy is also treated the worst among her abused siblings. Taking place in the 1950’s of the deep south Tangy must navigate her way through her teenage years and early womanhood by breaking free from her mother’s tight grasp, but this task for her is something much easier said than done.
I have read a lot if emotionally disturbing books in my day, but this novel definitely took the cake for me. The many levels of abuse these children went through whether light or dark was downright cringe worthy majority of this read. The emotional scars that had been placed on them were so damaging that they carried their abuse into their adult lives even after escaping away from their tortuous mother. This was a read where you wanted these characters to win so bad but in reality, the fight to overcome psychological damage was not an easy one, especially in their time and era. Tears will be shed, hearts will be crushed reading this novel but like in anyone melancholy drama there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

This book will continue to haunt me for a long time now that I'm finished with it! It features many dark places. I am not sure how a woman could have so many children and abuse and murder some of them. I would say that she probably wouldn't get away with it in this day and age but I'd probably be wrong. Just look to the news to see all the cases of terrible things happening to children dealt to them by the hands of their parents who they should be able to trust to protect them. This takes place in Pakersfield, Georgia, the late 1950's. The mother had 11 children all by different men, a single mother. Surely she was mentally ill to treat her children this way. Deep poverty,segregation and alcoholic behavior are a part of the book. The book was fascinating in the sense that it is so unlike what I am used to in real life. The author really knows how to pen a story.
Pub Date 30 Jan 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Soho Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"The Darkest Child" is one of the most heart-wrenching and well written novels that I have read in a very long time. I become emotionally invested in Tangy Mae and her life. My heart broke over and over as the read but I felt compelled to keep reading. What a powerful novel!

I won't spoil the plot but Tangy Mae lives in a deplorable house with her selfish, emotional and physically abusive mother and her multiple siblings during the late 1950s in Georgia. She does her best to play the peacemaker, tip toe around her mother, and does everything she can to stay in school. She's bright and has dreams of getting out of her town and extricating herself from her situation.

I literally wept and often cheered while reading this book. I continue to think about it even though I've finished it. I know my review can not truly do justice to this incredible and again, I must say powerful books. I highly recommend it.

This is my second time reading this book and it is just as good as I remembered This story hurt just as much as when I read it prior as it did reading again. I know it is labeled as fiction, but I did find myself wondering if any of this was true. Tangy endured more than any child should have to. She started out in life with a stirke against her, which was her mother. And her second strike, her skin tone. This book is very heavy, with abuse, racism from the one you would think should love you unconditionally. The book will bring a variety of emotions up in the reader, but please keep reading. This was an outstanding book before as it is now. Thanks to NetGally, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

One of my book club members suggested this novel and it's quite an ambitious read, standing at just under 400 pages, but you will not be disappointed! I honestly couldn't put it down. Set during the 1950s when racism and discrimination were prevalent (even among our own) and socioeconomic injustice was unbearable, Tangy Mae, being the darkest child was the smartest and honestly the most confident child of 9 siblings and a narsocistic mother. This book had me experience a range of emotions, ther are some really heartbreaking moments endured with the characters. The chapters are short which makes great feelings of progress, and rather than having the author read the book to you, the charachers tell their own stories with conversational dialog --it was a pure joy to read. I look forward to a sequel, if possible and more works produced by Deloris Phillips! If you're looking for a page turning adventure, this is it!

It has been a long time since I have read a book so captivating! The normal functions of my day were a nuisance until I finished the book. And even when finished I was left hungering for more. What happens to Tan and Laura once they leave their horrible town?. What secrets lurk about the Tan's grandmother and son? Does Tan trade in one horrible place for another? How is it that the child who was disliked because of ber dark skin makes it out of the shambles of a life she endured.
The Darkest Child is a spellbinding tale of disfunction, loyalty, survival, endurance with a little of redemption thrown in. How remarkable that any of Rosie's children survived her twisted parenting! I wish the book gave more backstory about Rosie's mother. Was she as demonic as her daughter?
I loved the book because it drew me in with its characters and their struggles to decide whether to die by being to be "loyal" to their mother or flee to freedom. The book provoked thought about how blacks and whites viewed themselves during Jim Crow era.
This book is gritty, honest and downright disturbing at times. But so were the times back during that era.
Looking for a feel good book? Try a different book. This book is not to make you feel good but to think.
Delores Phillips is a superb writer and skilled storyteller of this genre. I'm am saddened that she died before she completed the sequel or any other novels.

This is a very hard read but thanks to the publisher for reissuing it (and for the DrC) because it's a valuable important book. Tangy Mae is the darkest, and best educated of the 10 children of Rozelle. Rozelle is a rape survivor but she's also a child abuser and that's what makes this so difficult. It's amazing when you think about it that Rozelle was allowed as recently as 1958 to remove her children from school and send them to work. Tangy Mae, who Rozelle thinks is ugly, has a chance to break the cycle. So much of this is depressing but there is hope. It makes you wonder how many other kids experienced this sort of existence and where they are today.

Tangy is the daughter of a light-colored mother who has fathered several children, each with a different father. Although no longer wanting to serve as a maid in a white family’s house, she forces Tangy and her older sister into prostitution to support their brothers and sisters. Filled with sadness most often caused by the mother’s insanity, Tangy still hopes she will graduate from high school and find a peaceful life for her and her younger sisters. Poignantly written, this story shows how determination and stubbornness help people survive in a life in which they have no control.

I dont know what took me so long to read this book. I'm so glad I finally picked it up. The characters are very well developed. I find it hard to write a review without telling too much of the story. This book is in the voice of Tangy, the darkest child. Her mother had 10 children. She abused all of them, the girls more so than the boys. Physical and mental abuse. Even with a horrid story line, the book keeps you interested with hopes that they all escape. This book is a bit dark. Dark like the movie "Precious" or "For Colored Girls"... I'd definitely recommend this book.

I was confused by 1/4 of my way through the book. I couldn't understand why the raving reviews didn't mention that this book depicts horrible graphic, almost constant violence against children. I do agree that the book is well written (my 2 stars are given for the writing), but the subject matter is not for the faint of heart. Unfortunately for me I became attached to the children, so I wanted to finish the book in the hopes that they would be freed from their demented mother. I was desperate for a happy ending for those children. I just finished it & I can't tell you if I got that happy ending because I hate spoilers in a review. I will just say that I do not suggest this book if you are a mother or detest violence. I found it to be an extremely painful book to read & I wish I never purchased it.

This is the story of a dysfunctional family living in the Jim Crow south. Though the Quinn children are hindered by entrenched racism, the bulk of their suffering is inflicted by their mother Rozelle. Rozelle is a beautiful, but evil, woman who seems to delight in tormenting her children. She has beautiful clothing and stockings, while the kids are dressed in old, filthy rags. Their house is a raggedy shack, but she has a bed while the children sleep on the floor.

Rozelle has something like 10 kids all with different fathers and is about to give birth when the book opens. Tangy Mae, the darkest one, is doing well in school but her mother wants her to take over her cleaning job to bring some money in the house. This is the beginning of the end of Tangy Mae's innocence. I really hated how the mother kept calling Tangy Mae lazy and insisting that she would have to quit school. School was her only refuge from her miserable life.

The mother is a complicated character. She is a whore, yet she is always hollering about her children bringing shame on her. Rozelle even forces two of her daughters into prostitution -- one to get one of her brothers out jail. Rozelle acts like she hates her children, but she does not want any of them to leave her and is constantly talking about the sacrifices she's made to raise them. Never mind that this raising barely included decent shelter, clothing and food. The reader never finds out what's really wrong with Rozelle. Is she just mean, or does she have some undiagnosed psychological problem?

I found myself rooting for those children and hoped that they would be rescued. As much as I enjoyed the book, there are quite a few loose ends. Where are all these children's fathers? We read about a couple of men, but most are never mentioned. When Tangy Mae dares to point that out that to her younger brother it was like she'd committed blasphemy.

What happened to Rozelle? We are told a little bit about her conflict with her mother, but it's not enough to explain her later behavior. She is light enough to pass for white and has a major color complex and even refused the one man who was willing to marry her because he had dark skin. Rozelle was willing to creep around with him and spend his money though.

I would love to read a sequel to find out if those kids ever recover from their hard upbringing.

I've read many great books from 'first-time' authors. Yet, Delores Phillips', The Darkest Child is one which I will long remember because of the strong characters who become the central figures in this painful and gripping story of maternal cruelty, abuse, and neglect of the mother's brood of seven children raised in poverty during the 50's in rural Georgia.

The book is at times difficult to read. However, I became intensely captivated by Phillips' story, wondering what would become of the child victims of the cruel and selfish mother, Rozelle (Rosie) Quinn. I wanted to know if her strong and determined teenage daughter and 'darkest child', Tangy Mae would overcome the horrors of her upbringing, by saving herself and perhaps rescue some of her siblings.

Not only does Phillips tackle issues of dysfunctional black family life, and light-skin vs dark-skin color discrimination, she paints a vivid picture of poverty and survival among poor black communities in the south during the era of segregation. Yet, what kept me hooked was Phillips' ability to make each character come alive on the pages -as if you could see them and feel their pain. I will always remember the character, Tangy Mae and the plight of her sisters.

Maizie Lucille James
January 13, 2012

I had to go to Atlanta to find this diamond in the rough. I'm sure I could have found this book at my local Borders, but since the story is set in Pakersfield, Georgia it made sense that his book was on prominent display.

This is Delores Phillips' debut novel, and after reading it I'm stunned at the graphic details and emotion that come out. As the story opens it is 1958, and we meet 13-year-old Tangy Mae and her mother Rozelle 'Rosie' Quinn in rural Georgia. This was a time when opportunities for African Americans were few and far between. Rozelle is in the midst of quitting her job as a maid and tells anyone who will listen that she is about to die. All nine of her children seriously doubt that. Rozelle would rather have people think she's about to die, than admit being pregnant with her 10th child.

Now that her mother can't work, Tangy Mae is expected to quit school and start supporting the family. More than anything Tangy Mae wants to graduate from high school and break free from her mother. To some in the community Rozelle is just a single mother trying to do right. But in her children's eyes, Rozelle is a monster. Any attempt at freedom is met with abuse. Tangy Mae's older sister Martha Jean, who is deaf, finds someone to love her but Rozelle beats her into submission upon finding out. Martha Jean's freedom is granted only after her future husband -- Velman -- is able to give Rozelle a car and driving lessons in exchange. A young Tangy Mae was branded with a fire poker for questioning her mother's authority. Their older sister, Mushy, ran away because she couldn't take the abuse anymore. Tangy Mae and her older sister, Tarabelle, are forced into prostitution by Rozelle, just so their mother can keep up her expensive shopping habits. Tangy Mae's brothers are spared some of the abuse because they bring money into the household. Her brothers also try to change things in their community, but are only met with resistance from the white authority figures in town.

Tangy Mae is made to believe that no one will ever want her because of her dark skin. Rozelle drilled into her children that the lighter your skin color, the more desirable you are. Whatever affection Rozelle did show, it was usually to her children with lighter skin.

There are moments when it feels like this novel is preaching about the ills of the racism in the 1950s, but as a whole it's about young children trying to break free of an abusive mother. Without giving away too much, the ending left me a little empty. Within the last few pages you get the feeling that Tangy Mae and her siblings are finally going to get their happy ending. But Phillips shakes their resolve and makes them doubt their futures.

In many families, there is something, someone, broken beyond repair. Someone coiled and cutting like the spring in Tangy Mae's threadbare couch. In THE DARKEST CHILD, this person was Rozelle, the mother of young Tangy, the woman who, like one of the few pieces of furniture on Penyon road requires that all her children honor her, enduring the violence that is her love.

Though I will get to the tale of Tangy, Tarabelle, Mushy, Martha Jean, Harvey, Sam, Edna and Laura--yeah, I know 'em all--it's the untold tale of Judy, the true darkest child that echoed throughout the length of the story, which begins with Rozelle Quinn announcing her own death instead of Judy's life.

Tangy Mae is the next darkest after Judy. She's one of the negroes among her mother's children. The others are grouped into whites and Indians. Rozelle, known to her few friends and numerous enemies as Rosie, works her magic on her children from a young age, assuring them that "no one goes hungry in Georgia" despite their growling stomachs. From the only bed in their tin roof shack, Rosie hears every hope and kills it before it can grow into the ultimate rebellion--leaving her house.

One daughter, Mushy as she's called, has already escaped to Cleveland, only to return several times in attempts to save the younger siblings from the terrors she knows her mother has planned for them. Against a background of the Jim Crow Georgia in the 1950's, Philips tells the tale of the Quinn family in a clear, honest voice that both captivates and pains the reader. While at times Tangy is too busy surviving to feel her pain, one can't help but feel it for her. Not since CANE RIVER has a family so riveted me. I will be thinking about the Quinns, their home and the world that made them for a very long time.

Tangy-Mae is one of 10 children of Rozelle, their abusive and controlling mother. Tangy is smart and wants to be educated but the struggle in 1958 Georgia and her dysfunctional family makes that seem like nothing but a dream.

Racism, abusive parents, white vs. black struggle, siblings, jim crow laws, housing and schooling for minority, rape, death, dysfunctional family, yearning for love, African American, etc.

As we are coming of age, the one thing we certainly want from our parents is their love and this can be seen through their treatment of us. In this case, Tangy-Mae and her family strive to survive in an extremely racist period in the united states, but this struggle is 80% harder due to the type of abusive control-freak loveless crazy and resentful mother her and her siblings have.

It’s semi disturbing so probably 16+

FIRSTLY, THE CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK ARE DEVELOPED RICHLY, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF TANGY-MAE’S SIBLINGS HAVE THEIR OWN STORY IN A WAY AND IT IS ALL TOLD FROM TANGY-MAE’S POINT OF VIEW. I CAN’T EVEN TELL HOW DEVELOPED THE CHARACTERS ARE…IT’S DONE IN A WAY THAT IS COMPELLING AND DRAWS THE READER TO FEEL SOMETHING (SYMPATHY OR RESENTMENT OR HATRED) FOR EACH CHARACTER….& THE WORD CHOICES MAKES THEM VIVID AND COME TO LIFE,YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THEM WHILE READING. SECONDLY, THE WORDS USED IN THIS NOVEL TO DESCRIBE THE SITUATIONS, CHARACTERS, AND EVENTS ARE BREATHTAKING AND EXTREMELY POWERFUL AND CAPTIVATIG. A FEW QUOTES FOR YOU!
“Fear was a thing I understood all too well. It was a malignancy that had spread throughout my body until my mother, in her godly wisdom, had diagnosed and cauterized it.”

“She took pleasure in categorizing her children by race. Mushy, Harvey, Sam, and Martha jean were her white children. Tarabelle, Wallace, and Laura were Indians-Cherokee, no less. Edna and I were Negroes."
The textual style of the book in my opinion was light and easy to read-it had to be so because it is sort of long and if it was too mushy and stiff the reader would probably not be able to finish it fast or get as engaged. This book might be more pleasant to African americans but I believe anyone who is interested in diverse novels would absolutely love this book-it’s just a fact that an African American or black person in general might connect more with the characters’ struggles. But on another side, an adolescent who, regardless of race, has an extreme dysfunctional family will connect with this novel also.
Slavery was hinted a bit but not really the main focus of the novel, which I think is good because the only thing that people read of African American lives usually surrounds slavery-it is good to see that this story is just about family life in hard times
My personal reactions to this book….i don’t want to be biased …..i don’t know where to start. Because of this book I have decided starting during the summer I am going to start reading a significant amount of black author’s novels. This is the best written work I have ever read, or remember reading. The first few chapters got me hooked and I kept on thinking about what’s going to happen to the characters and if they have a future and how their relationship with their mother will end up-happy or sad ? in the middle of the book I almost had tears in my eyes because it was brutal and sad and depressing but also very enjoyable at the same time!!!!! This is the best book I’ve read in the last 3 years I bet I don’t see anything wrong with it. Although I was analyzing the mother’s behavior in my mind and thought she might’ve had some psychological problem that was never diagnosed but the author didn’t present that but it could be that it’s just who she is, that attitude and evilness she has. Except for that I find othing wrong with this book, not at all. I am so in love I could read it again if I had time.

"Haven't you ever heard of the Quinn's?" asked Tangy Mae, the central character in Delores Phillips' debut novel, The Darkest Child. Tangy Mae is the darkest child of Rozelle Quinn. Rozelle is the matriarch of the infamous Quinn clan of Pakersfield, Georgia, which consists of ten children who possess differing shades of melanin, shows evidence of the varying paternity of each child.

Rozelle, not a religious person, uses the biblical phrase "Honor thy mother" to keep her children loyal and obedient, all while extracting unspeakable and horrific acts of abuse on them. Her compulsion to hold on to her children and her twisted mental state is the catalyst that keeps the story moving.

Set in the late 1950s, the story is told through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Tangy Mae. Tangy's desire is to graduate from high school and attend college. Rozelle tries all that she can to thwart Tangy's efforts and kill her dreams labeling her the "ugliest" of her children. Tangy endures the abuse from her mother in order to protect her siblings and continue with her dream.

The drama the family experiences is loaded with murder, betrayal and sexual abuse. Rozelle never fails to shock the reader with each selfish act. When you think that she can get no worse, she does something more to knock you off your feet.

The author poignantly details the pain the children experience at the hands of the one who should show them unconditional love. Although it is a dark story there are moments of happiness, hope and love.

Delores Phillips has done an excellent job with her first work of fiction, portraying each character vibrantly through the book. The plot twists are enough to keep readers talking for a long time. The Darkest Child is a remarkable novel.

Reviewed by Paula Henderson for Loose Leaves Book Review

I must start of by saying that this book snatched my eye at the library and I knew I was supposed to read it because I am a dark skinned woman that dealt with a lot of insecurity issues growing up bc I was told I was ugly bc of my skin tone by ppl of my own race. I didn't expect to see what I saw in this book but to have a mother like this is a absolute nightmare. It was as if they were born into hell and trying to find a way out. It was a tough read but so many ppl should read this book. I have seen a lot of single angry abusive mothers and lord knows they deserve whatever karma they bring their way. It is a lot of abuse that happens behind the doors of a lot of homes ESPECIALLY single mothers. Not all but some are known to take out their frustrations on their kids. Cussing them out and beating them senseless and ppl wonder why their is so much violence and anger in the black communities. Once upon a time it all started at home. This book was heartbreaking and a well needed story to shine the light on what the problem is behind these broken-hearted children.

I could not put this book down...and the saddest thing about it is that it is an engrossment of what happens in racial enclaves. The Darkest Child is not as "dark" as some other books I read, but you do need thick skin for this book. Once you get past the brutality inflicted on the kids of Rozell (the matriarch of the story and the antagonist), you can get to the root cause of Rozell's insanity. There's generational-societal dysfunction that no human could survive but through the strength of being super-human (or some sort of mental security that comes from mental illness). It's really a page turner though, especially if you don't have social-sensitivities.

This is a very will written horrible story. I wanted to give it less than a five but that was just because I hated the story, but it's a great book. It is worth reading if you can handle difficult or degrading subject matter. I can't, so this is one of those books that will stay with me for a while. I wish I hadn't read it, but it was too good of a horrible story to stop anywhere before the end.

This is the story of dirt poor thirteen year old Tansy Mae, one of ten children born to her unstable and at times very abusive mother. Tansy's mother is black but easily passes for white and makes her living cleaning houses for rich folks and pleasing the men of the house (but she keeps this from the younger kids). Her mother expects them all to quit school and get a job to help support them. Tansy is smarter than the rest and wants to complete school but her mother has other ideas and once Tansy becomes "of age" she's going to discover some ugly truths about her mother and her angry older sister.

Tansy has a difficult life, both at home and out. She's the darkest of all of her siblings and growing up in Georgia back in the 1950's faces prejudice on a daily basis. This is her story, told in her voice and it is an excellent one that gripped me from the first page. It's heartbreaking and real and a book that isn't easily forgettable. My only minor complaint is that I wish it had gone on a bit longer but that's me being selfish.

The Darkest Child is a disturbing book. It seems too autobiographical for comfort. Many of the chilling events ring too true to be fiction. Despite the horror I felt , I would recommend the book simply because it shows the resilience of some unusually strong women. It also reminds us that not all women should not be mothers and that some mothers do not automatically know how to love their children.

THE DARKEST CHILD is the story of Rozelle Quinn and her 10 fatherless children. Living in a rural Georgia town in Triacy County, the Quinn family experiences many unbelievable acts of betrayal and abuse by their unpredictable mother.

The story is written from the eyes of Tangy Mae Quinn, a smart, compassionate teenager who just wants to go to school and learn, but seems to always suffer the consequences of her mother Rozelle's sins. Although Rozelle leads a very twisted, deceitful life, her impoverished children remain bonded to each other, and to her. Triacy County has many secrets, and Rozelle holds the key to many of them. From the sheriff to the town midwife, Rozelle touches each of their lives with her wicked ways.

This story is very painful to read, but I could not put it down. Each chapter brought a new tragedy, and each child in the Quinn family touched my heart in a different way, and I could only think how much I wanted to rescue them from their life of pain.

The Darkest Child peaked my curiosity just as quickly as Mama Quinn was introduced. The story touches on so many issues that most families experience in isolation. The Quinn's though, were unfortunate enough to experience these challenges all encompassing and all the way to the 14th degree. Poverty, prostitution, physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, infidelity, racism, murder, betrayal, alcoholism, and friendship are woven throughout every page; all tests of an unconditional love & respect that I was unable comprehend.

This book is definitely a page turner! While I began to feel emotionally exhausted, by the constant antics and struggles, I found myself enthralled with the question, "how's it gonna end??". Delores Phillips, what happened?? The ending was lacking and just abruptly stops the ride I'd been on with Tangy Mae. The ending was my only disappointment, but I would recommend this book over and over again! Great read!

Rozelle Quinn, the matriarch and villainess in the novel "The Darkest Child," may soon become the most detested character in the history of fiction. She is a physically abusive mother who not only spanks her children with a leather belt but also burns their flesh with smoldering pokers straight from the fireplace, pours steaming hot coffee in their faces, and punches them in the face sending teeth flying and causing eyes to swell like a world class pugilist. She encourages the children to steal for the good of the family. She even forces her teenage daughters into a life of domestic servitude and prostitution (a life she knows all too well) for the extra money it brings into the household, which she always claims for herself. Psychologically, she's even worse, ranking her children by skin tone, claiming the lighter skinned ones are more valuable than the darker ones. When some of them make plans to leave her house for good, she either makes them feel guilty enough to stay or finds a way to sabotage their plans.

The story is told from the perspective of Tangy Mae, Rozelle's darkest and most intelligent child. The setting is the fictitious, rural town Pakersfield, Georgia. Tangy Mae, who is 13 when the book commences in 1958, dreams of someday being the first in her family to finish high-school in order to make something of her life. But there are many obstacles, including Jim Crow laws, racism, poverty, and most of all her sadistic mother who wants her to quit school to get a job for the purpose of helping take care of the family, which includes nine other siblings, all of them by different men.

Though Tangy Mae is the storyteller, the lives of her brothers and sisters are given just as much attention as she. This includes Tarabelle, Tangy's strong and brave older sister who hates her mother for forcing her to service men in The Farmhouse, Harvey, her older brother who wants to marry an undertaker's daughter, Martha Jean, her deaf younger sister who falls for an older man for whom Tangy also has a crush, and Sam her brother whose dreams of equal opportunity leave him framed for a crime he didn't commit. When Mushy, Tangy's older sister, returns to Georgia after a four-year, self-imposed exile to Cleveland, she fills her brothers' and sisters' heads with ideas on following in her footsteps-far away from their abusive mother. Meanwhile, Rozelle will stop at nothing to keep her children home with her.

"The Darkest Child" is a beautifully written work of art that is hard to put down. Its descriptive writing is reminiscent of classic works from Alice Walker, Ralph Ellison, and Ernest Hemingway. Consider the following passage as an example: [And the sound of silence was frightening. Rain pounded the tin roof like a thousand demons marching for their master, and the roof yielded. Liquid curses splashed down upon our heads and into the waiting vessels. In the gray shadows of a rainy dusk, the clock on the table ticked rhythmically, but the hands never moved. They were stuck.] Simply beautiful.

This novel will undoubtedly cause you to cringe with its graphic depiction of violence. The characters will make you cry and laugh. They will also leave you longing for the escape they desire. But most of all, this book will make you fall in love with the writing of Delores Phillips, a Cleveland resident who works as a nurse and holds a degree in English from Cleveland State University. Not only is it the one of best debut novels available, but it is easily one of the best novels ever written. "The Darkest Child" is a masterpiece.

Emanuel Carpenter
[...]

Come to Pakersfield, Georgia and meet the Quinn family. Told from the point of view of Tangy, who happens to be "The Darkest Child" in the family. This family truly follows the "blood is thicker than mud" motto. Not only do they share lineage they are all victims of their mother's cruelty. Unfortunately we also find that not all of them have the ability to survive.
Growing up a Quinn child is a terrible burden to bear. Tangy's siblings all have a little of their mother in them and it's frightening. Her sister Tarabelle carries her mother's hatred. Mushie, the eldest who has moved away carries a love for drinking and other womens' husbands. Her brother Harvey is determined to beat his wife into submission. Martha Jean carries her mother's jealous streak. Laura is a master thief.
Roselle, their mother, is undoubtedly the most complex character you will meet. She is an entanglement of hatred, bitterness, evilness, craziness and cruelty wrapped up in the package of a beautiful woman. She is determined to keep her children under her reign of terror. But they have other plans. A string of events will cause her children to fall away in a domino effect; and even "the little metal box under the floorboards" won't be able to keep them in her grasp.
Delores Phillips' debut novel, The Darkest Child is nothing short of a masterpiece. Her writing style puts you in the mind of Toni Morrison and J. California Cooper. The Darkest Child will force emotions from you that are indescribable. Just when you think you can't cry anymore or when you finally feel that there is hope you realize you were wrong. Dark yet enlightening. Cold yet touching. Never before has a novel been written that finishing is required and no longer a choice.
Angie Pickett-Henderson
R.E.A.L. Reviewers

Delores Phillips has outdone herself. Her debut novel left me stunned. Her vivid descriptions of her characters had them jumping of the pages directly into my living room. Reading alone, I found myself laughing and crying aloud for the members of the Quinn family. Ms. Phillips definitely drew on her experience as a nurse in a psychiatric hospital when developing the psychotic character of Rozelle. I am so appreciative that we now live in a time where child protection laws are enforced (to a degree). I cannot imagine myself enduring the physical, verbal and emotional abuse that Tangy Mae and her siblings were subjected to. If Oprah's Book Club were still reading contemporary fiction, this would definitely be one of her selections. However, since it is not, I have chosen it as my book group's featured selection for the month of August, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Brown V. Board of Education ruling. I hope Ms. Phillips will consider a film adaptation of the book and I cannot wait for a sequel. Readers of this book will not want it to end. A definite must read!
P.S. Does anyone know where I can find a reading guide/discussion questions for this book?

Holy moley...what a read. Not for the tender-hearted, to be sure, but for most everyone else. I literally could not put this down.

Set in the deep South before integration, the burgeoning civil rights movement is the backdrop for this family drama, told by 13 year old Tangy Mae, the blackest--and smartest--of crazy-ass Rozelle's 10 children by as many fathers. When I say "crazy-ass", I'm not exaggerating a whit; Ms. Rosie's mean, too, and brutalizes each of her children throughout the story.

While not detracting from the story very much, there are a few problems with the book: too many characters make it difficult for the reader to keep track of each of them, let alone bond with them all, and some characters are introduced only to disappear without closure. Some motives remain concealed and there are a few holes in the plot, but these issues did not affect my vote of five stars for Phillips' debut novel.

With a title like "THE DARKEST CHILD", one might venture to assume that the narrator in such a book would obsess over her skin tone. This is not the case with Tangy Mae Quinn. True, she is Rozelle Quinn's most deeply hued child, but Tangy Mae doesn't dwell on that fact, and this isn't just another book about the darker children being treated unfairly. In Rozelle's household, all of the children are mistreated, regardless of their color.
It would be simple to say that THE DARKEST CHILD is a coming of age story, but I saw it as much more than that. This is a book that reaches in and pulls you out of your comfort zone. You are forced to deal with atrocities and injustices committed against innocents. You are destined to become angry with a mother who imposes cruel and torturous living conditions on the fruit of her womb. You are forced to take a look at why people behave the way they do instead of writing them off as evil. In a word, you are made to think.
I saw Phillips' writing as a personal conversation with Tangy Mae herself. I was never distracted by the writing, one of the most important ingredients in a well-written novel presented in the first person. I was shocked by this book, I wept for the characters, and I felt much of the same emotion as if Tangy Mae were sitting in my presence telling her story. The title is actually a work of irony because Tangy Mae was, in fact, one of the brightest children I have known. In essence, she made lemonade out of the lemons life gave her. This is a dynamic, thoughtful, and poignant novel that I am very glad I read.
Reviewed by CandaceK
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Brutal and heart breaking, The Darkest Child is one of those novels that lives in the company of The Bluest Eye and The Color Purple. Hate, racism, the changing South, colorism, and insanity collide in a story that features a protagonist constantly striving to find a way out of the nightmare she has been born into. The ending is unsettling and oddly unsatisfactory, but I don't know that it could have been any better and remained true to the rest of the novel. The world of the novel is broken and the people in it warped and damaged by their isolation and years of habit. It was a compelling read.

All I can say about this book is "my my my". I never knew that a mother could be so cruel to her children; when I first read this book I could not understand how these children could have love and remorse for this person that they called mother. As I read along towards the end of the book I realized that struggles and hardship helps mold us and make us stronger, and I believe that this was the case in Tangy's life. At only 18 years old Tangy saw and experienced more than some older people have experienced; she experienced pain, loss and suffering since the early years of her life. Once I read this book I could not put it down, this book is a must read. I will warn you once you read it it will allow you to appreciate the little things in life and your family (especially for people who may have a dysfunctional families). This was Delores Phillips first book, and I will say she did an excellent job, she is now on my favorite author list.

The Evans family can't seem to get a break. Just as you're wishing and hoping something good is going to happen to and for them, you turn the page and your heart drops all over again.

Tangy Mae is dark and ugly according to her mother, Rozelle, but although she's the darkest of Rozelle's 10 children she is treated no different than they are because she's the "less" attractive. Rozelle abuses all of her children, exposing them to harm from every aspect. She sleeps with different men, blows cancerous smoke into her kid's lungs daily, gets drunk, yells at her kids, calls them bad names, you name it and she does it.

Tangy pours her heart out on the pages of The Darkest Child. She tells of scenes so graphic, you're pulled in deep enough to feel the pain each child feels.

The Darkest Child is a powerful tale of child abuse that forces us wake up and listen. My only problem, which doesn't take away any stars, was that there were so many characters it was hard for me to keep track of all of them at times. Still, this was an excellent read.

Rolanda,

Nothing BUT Page Turners Book Club

This book was wonderful. I had so many emotions from one page to the next. I loved Tangy Mae and hated her mother so much. i like the way Tangy was supposed to be the darkest and "ugliest" but turned to be the smartest and the most likeable. And her deaf and dumb sister who would have been the outcast turned out to have a better life. Tangy's mother was the only one who pegged her ugly, she seemed to be outstanding to everyone else. In comparison to other authors who make the light skinned children to be the best liked and the darker ones to be the outcast of society, this was a fresh new spin on things. Not every darker skinned child was ugly and not likeable. I cheered for the children when they stood up to their mother, and understood when they could not. From the beginning of the book I was wondering why their mother was the way she was. It is obvious she has some serious mental proplems. I wished it was explained, but by the middle of the book i didnt care for it to be explained in this story. I hope the author will write a sequel to this book. Maybe venturing into the life of the mother a lot more, but for this book its ok to leave her as she is. Its more about how she affects the children than about her mental issues. She is horrible to say the least but i eventually felt sorry for her also. She was not one dimensional like other reviewers might think. I saw a lot of things going on with her, that had nothing to do with her skin color, or even being born evil. I dont want to give the story away sooooooooo, Wonderful debut, cant wait for the next one.

This is a novel that will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride! I laughed until I cried, then cried until I couldn't anymore at others. I'm pretty sure this was an autobiography(not really), but it seems too realistic to be untrue! I honestly can say that this is my favorite book EVER. I know that it can be very sadistic but her emotions are real. If you have ever grown up with an unstable parent in the household then you will most definitely relate to how Tangie felt along with every last one of her siblings. I felt like they were in my thoughts, it was scary. I really want this author to write another story but I've given up hopes of that happening. Must read!

This is the most harsh, heart wrenching, unforgettable story I have ever read! Extremely well written....I could smell the wretched smells, hear the heart breaking screams and feel the soul shaking terror that the Quinn children endured! Thus far only one other author has made me feel,taste,hear and see what the characters endured. Annie Wilkes the character from the book Misery by Stephen King is surely Rozell's sister from another mother! They are the most evil, sick women ever conjured up and they do Satan proud! READ THIS BOOK and then thank the good Lord if you have/had a real mother not just a female that birthed you, but one that LOVED and cared for you, because it could have just as easily been Rozell Quinn!

one of those books that speaks to any era if you have witness and seen this up close and personal,when folks are color struck even from there own children. this book takes you back to a rougher era, however the feelings and sentiments in this book represent a deep seated hatred that sadly reflects any time. from the plantation, to jim crow to now,it feels like something that is always there. this book was a powerful read and the kind of book that will get to you emotionally and then some. it deals with the mental aspects and various other aspects of the situations and conditions and surroundings. a must read and a book to remind everybody that everybody is beautiful and there live has a purpose.

This book was hard to read in many places......the fact that a "mother" could be so cruel and evil toward her own children was disturbing. But about half way thru the book, the suspense had built up to the point where I literally could not put it down. I wish there was a sequel as I would like to know what happened to the oldest brother. If you are squeamish or easily offended, this might not be a book you can finish but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it was interesting that no matter what her mother did to her, Tangy still loved her....also her love for her 2 younger sisters was amazing....she endured a LOT of misery and pain just to keep them safe.

The Darkest Child. By Delores Phillips, 387pp (2004)
The Darkest Child is the story of Tangy Mae Quinn, one of ten children born
to a brutal mother, Rozelle Quinn. Tangy struggles to become educated in
spite of a racist Georgia town and a mother who takes joy in killing her
dreams and self esteem.
The story captures you right away. You feel for Rozelle's children, who in
spite of everything love their mother and crave her acceptance. While you
get to know a little about each sibling, Tangy is the narrator of the book
and the story evolves around her. Tangy is a wonderful heroine, smart,
sensitive, talented and pretty and your heart breaks for the horrors she
endures at the hands of her mother.
I loved the first two thirds of the book, and I could not put it down.
However, when Tangy's mother forces her into prostitution, I felt sick and
literally could not sleep. The description was so vivid and so disturbing
that I had a hard time reading and processing it. This is not a knock on
the author or the book, but more like a word of caution to potential
readers that this book is pretty intense.
One criticism I did have of the book is that it ended too abruptly. I
wanted to know what happened to Tangy and her siblings. I wanted to know
that they were going to be alright. Another problem I had with the book was
that I wanted to know more about what made Rozelle tick. She was obviously
mentally ill, but I wanted to know what happened to her to make her such a
monster. She had no redeeming qualities and was pretty much one
dimensional: pure evil. The book eluded to the fact that she was the
product of rape, and born with the devil in her. I personally do not
believe people are born evil and I wanted to know more about her
background. I felt the story called out for a more complete explanation.
The final problem I had with the book is that Rozelle was a bi-racial woman
and I felt her character with all her unexplained craziness perpetuated the
myth of the tortured mulatto. Unfortunately, this is not the first
contemporary fiction book that I have read that has embodied this theme or
a variation on this theme. There has been a lot of pain associated with
color within our community, and what we need from our writers are
thoughtful discussions, and more complete characters, not knee jerk
stereotypes.
All criticisms aside, I still thought the book was wonderful; very
detailed, very moving and an outstanding first effort by a very talented
author.
4 stars
reviewed by
misrich
Mahogany
Hudson&Albany

"Ms. Phillips, thank you." Delores Phillips in her literary debut set the bar with "The Darkest Child" as this book is a literary masterpiece.
This book made me feel and I am forever grateful for that experience as she also created dialogue that I feel needs to be answered before I leave this Earth.
I cried, I laughed, I had to stop at times as it was getting to be too much, but, in the end "The Darkest Child" is a book that needs to be read by every Black person.
Ms. Phillips though is wrong on one account as this book is real. The protagnoist, Tangy Mae Quinn, exists, as do Rozelle, Tarabelle, Sam, Harvey, Hambone, Martha Jean, Mushy, just to name a few.
These characters are real. The situations are real. Reading this book gave me a peek into what it must have been like living in the segregrated South as a Black man or rather being Black period, and the anger I felt at white people in their view and treatment of Blacks, and how the effects of that time still carry on today.
I encourage each of you to purchase this book and buy an extra one and give it to someone.
--Juss

First of all bravo to Ms. Phillips I am speechless. I haven't had a great read since Warriors Dont Cry. I talked about the each character as if I knew them, I told people in my family about my emotions. I related to Tan strength to be so young and mature for her age. I went through sleepless nights wanting really bad things to happen to the mama Rosie, but it did. The saying is true God don't like ugly! I notice how Tan was full of hate and anger, but it is like after Junior's death and the farmhouse she grew up and forgiving. I love how the book wasn't totally based on the civil right movement, but it was mentioned. Coming from a signal parent home I loved how Crow showed his love for Tan (don't want to tell the story). I just finished the book at 9:45pm at work and just so speechless. I could go on and on bravo, bravo, and thank you. God bless

P.S. I am going to write Oprah because this is an excellent novel

I CANNOT STRESS HOW AWESOME THIS BOOK WAS !! Their were so many aspects of this book that i loved, i loved Tangy's determination and i could so identify with why she was in love with VELMAN ( her sister's husband ) the author had such a creative way in making you understand why Tangy was in love with her sister's husband and still loving her and not condemning her for it. Wallace and Velman were probably my favorite characters beside Tangy, Wallace had so much spunk and Velman was every woman's knight in shining armour. I must say this book had me laughing and crying, my biggest disappointed was when it ended, i had a hard time letting go. The analogies and metaphor's used just added that extra something, to make the book not only more tragic but beatifully written, without being vulgar. I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK. Their was quite alot left unsaid, Im hoping for a sequel real soon ?? im hoping it is even better than the first !! what can i say? THIS BOOK WAS BEYOND AWESOME.

This book is so well-written. The story is sad and at times, intense. It draws you in and you develop a true affection for the characters. I hope to read more from this author and I would love a sequel to this book.

Remember the 70's television comedy called Good Times? It seemed good things rarely happened to the Evans family and you frequently found yourself wishing for something great to happen that would whisk them out of their unfortunate existence. Well, The Darkest Child is like the literary equivalent of Good Times, except this story takes place in a house on Penyon Road, somewhere in the state of Georgia during the late 50's. And this time the sorrows and afflictions experienced by the family comes at the hand of the mother, Rosie, a woman who inflicted so much abuse on her ten kids that you cannot keep up.
The story is narrated by Tangy Mae, a fifteen year-old woman/child that the mother labels as ugly. The mother sleeps with men, chain smokes, drinks, cries, yells, and does all kinds of unusual and disturbing things that make the reader feel sorry for the kids and wonder about their eventual outcome.
The Darkest Child's strength lies in its commanding writing voice and vivid descriptions. Some of the painful scenes make you physically react, as if you're being abused instead of the children.
The worst thing about the book is there are far too many characters; you may not feel attached to each of them or remember which one is which, but the story is still compelling enough to keep you drawn to the characters' dilemma. In addition it would have been great if the mother's behavior was explained so the reader could know her motivations behind her horrendous actions.
This book is highly recommended because of its originality, excellent writing, and unpredictability, and because, as far as I know, there aren't too many books that can be compared to The Darkest Child. It is an engaging and dark read that won't be soon forgotten.

The Darkest Child is a powerful debut from Delores Phillips; one so strong, I think she should earn a nomination for "rookie author of the year," if such a category in literature exists. It is a harrowing saga set in the late 1950's in rural Georgia and narrated by a teenaged Tangy Mae Quinn. Tangy is child number seven from Rozelle (Rosie) Quinn, a beautiful woman who has slept with most of the men in the town resulting in marriage to no one and ten fatherless children by as many men. Rosie exhibits selfish, erratic behavior leading the reader to believe she is a paranoid schizophrenic, although she is never diagnosed as such in the novel. Rosie rules the household with an iron fist (and an occasional iron poker) and is mean-spirited and merciless. Partially because of her mental condition, Rosie brainwashes the children with biblical references to "Honor Thy Mother" which burdens them with an obligation to forfeit all earnings to Rosie and never abandon her.
Although Tangy is the lead storyteller, there are numerous characters with much drama of their own and a subplot surrounding the Civil Rights struggle and school integration. Phillips also adds the classic theme of "colorism", in which the options of dark-skinned women in a color-conscious, male-dominated society are limited; however in this novel, Tangy tries to overcome it via education. There are tantalizing family secrets and vivid descriptions of child abuse which elicits reader empathy for the characters. I felt the characters' pain as they struggled with suppressed anger/frustrations from the domestic situation with a manipulative, mad mother as well as the social situation regarding second-class citizenry in the segregated South.
This is a really good book if you like to read about African American familes and women's issues and struggles. However, I thought it could have been a great book if the cause of Rosie's dementia was revealed and had more closure on the outcome of key characters. Perhaps a sequel is forthcoming....if so, I would love to read it.
Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, The Nubian Circle Book Club

The Darkest Child is narrated by Tangy Mae, a young teenage girl living with 9 other siblings and the devil for a mother. From the other posts here, you can tell that the story touches on racism, colorism, abuse, prostitution, civil rights, desegregation and so much more. Since Tangy tells the story through her eyes, as the reader, I couldn't help but take on her experiences, joys and pains as my very own. There were times when I had to close the book, shut my eyes and calm myself down before I could continue reading.

After I finished this book, I couldn't stop worrying about these children. I grieve for Tara & Judy; I worry about Tangy & Laura and want to keep them safe; I come up with ways to find Sam, and to fix Mushy & Harvey. It's like my heart and my brain refuse to accept that these people are simply characters in a book and not my own loved-ones. At times I found myself despising the author for how devastated she made me with only her words. This, in my opinion, shows her true talent. I loved and hated this book all the way through; by the middle of it, I prayed for Tangy and her siblings and wished a terrible demise on Rozelle. The Darkest Child is quite an experience indeed...

I could not put this book down.

It is filled with pain, horror, struggle, longing for love and even for life, all which will cause you, as reader, to experience some of the same emotions as do many of Delores Phillips' characters.

I need a breather after finishing. But I am also let down because the book ended.

So much truth about social injustices, racism, classism, gender issues, screams at the reader, it is impossible to simply set this book down and walk away unaffected.

But Phillips conveys these truths by writing beautifully and as if she is in the mind of her young girl narrator.

I look forward to another book from Phillips, as she as a writer is off the hook!

"The Darkest Child" will stay with me forever.

I got the chance to read this book and it was really good. You have this mother, Rozelle, who has a bunch of children, but manipulates,bullies,terrorizes and prostitutes them for her own uses. She keeps them in line by making them say, "Honor Thy Mother" and doing things, but in the end, she pays the ultimate price. Tangy, I really liked, but she really went through some real hurtful things. She wants to keep going to school when most of her other siblings have already quit.She loves her mute sister, but hates and alternately loves her brother in law,wanting him for her own.Yet she keeps going to school,becoming the first in her family to finish high school. But just from look at this family from the outside, you can tell that there are some real murky secrets there that make them real dysfunctional. The ending left me wondering, what happened? what happened to them? makes me wonder if a sequel is in the works.

I am not afraid to look the reality of colorism in the eye and acknowledge that it does exist within the black community. It is my greatest hope and dream that someday the dark skinned black and the light skinned black will be seen as the one family in the future. I want so much to love the lightskinned sister and brother as my own reflection and not be divided from them or made to feel that one is treated better than the other, but sadly, that day is not here and this book bravely and powerfully illustrates that point to the fullest.

I am a medium brown colored woman, my mother was very dark skinned and I have witnessed the evils of skin color prejudice all my life. In most situations, it was Black Men who were prejudiced against myself and the women around me beccause of our coloring. These men felt no shame or limit in their racist intra-family prejudice and measured their entire lives by how many light skinned or white women they could attain and how light brite their children could come out. It's everywhere and anyone who denies it is both a fool and a liar.

That is why I highly recommend THE BLACKER THE BERRY by Wallace Thurman. There is no truer portrait of the self-hatred among our people than the one extolled in this book, and what makes it even sadder is that this book was written in the 1920's. So that only shows how deep this kind of evil runs.

Lately, I have become very interested in this subject and I have searched for other books that explore this subject with intelligence, honest, beauty and wisdom and I have found several that I consider to be classics on the subject of Colorism.

(1) MARITA GOLDEN'S book "Don't Play In the Sun" is definitely the most modern up to date book of the bunch. It expertly weaves the story of her life experiences in the 1960's Black Power movement with the current struggles of women like Serena Williams and India Arie to find their way in the world, even in the midst of being shunned and ignored by the black community itself. The book's analysis of the Hollywood casting system and the "Mulatto Follies" of BET and MTV is priceless.

(2) "The Bluest Eye" by TONI MORRISON is by far the most riveting and painful book that I have read on this subject of colorism. I believe that her book, more than any mother, gets to the psychological and historical root cause of the problem and exposes the mode in which we pass the problem on generation to generation. The destruction of an innocent black girl named Pecola Breedlove will leave you heartbroken and shocked as you see the bold naked truth unfold right before your eyes. You can't ignore this book, because the story being told is the one that you are all too familiar with no matter what color you are.

(3) "Flesh and the Devil" by African novelist KOLA BOOF is another deeply powerful book that examines colorism, but not out in the open. This book is unique in that it focuses on a very enchanting love story between a Black Prince and Princess and follows their reincarnations through history as they struggle to find their way back to each other. Through detailed moments in black history, both in Africa and the United States, the provocative author highlights the way that black people originally viewed their beauty and humanity and then juxtuposes it against the way they see themselves now in the modern world. The result is nothing less than devastating. I love this book so much, because the storytelling is so rich and the depth is so sweeping and grand. Anyone who loves good writing and is proud to be descended from the Black race will find themselves literally changed forever by the powerful images depicted in this very poetically moving story.

(4) "The Color Complex"--VARIOUS AUTHORS, is a very simple, straight forward analysis from a sociological point of view. Much research and statistical facts are used to illustrate that our communities are infested with these issues.

(5) "The Darkest Child" by Dolores Philips is another great novel that shows us the poor blacks who live under the poverty line ingesting these complex social hierarchies based on color and how they not only expose their children to them, but force the entire community to live by the "color code". Everybody is used to it from slavery and the system goes on and on unchallenged. In this book, Tangy Mae, the darkest of 10 children by the white-looking mother Rozelle, struggles to find her dignity and confidence in the midst of her evil light skinned mother inflicting one horrid abuse on top of the other. One thing I will say for the evil white-looking mother, Rozelle, is that she treated all of her children hiddeously and with contempt, from the whitest to the blackest. But she killed the child who was born looking like Tangy Mae and that spoke volumnes. This book is a very real metaphor for what goes on. Very real.

WOW! Wow, is such an understatement. This one of the greatest book of all time, I just love Ms. Delores Phillips literary voice. Ms. Phillips is a truly gifted writer and this book takes you on an emotion rollercoaster. You will laugh, cry, get angry, and wonder why that happened to those children. I read this book and one day. I think I held my breath the whole entire time while I was reading this book hoping that they could get free of the hold that their mother had on them. This is one of those books where you want to go inside of it, and slap the hell of somebody practically the mother. This book will leave a lasting impression on you and you will not forget these characters. I am so looking forward to her next book. It is truly a moving work of literary art. The way she using words to tell this story is amazing! You will not be disappointed please buy this book.

WOW! That is what you say after the first chapter and again when you get to the last page. This is an amazing coming of age story narrated by then 13 year old Tangy Mae Quinn. Tangy is being brought up in rural GA circa 1954. This is not only a story of a young girl living in the home of a demented mother but also the struggle of survival in the racist south in the 1950's. First time author Delores Phillips does a beautiful job creating a picture in your head. There are a lot of charactors (Tangy is one of ten children), but I didn't have hard time keeping up with any of them and didn't ever feel like there were too many charactors. There were times while reading I laughed outloud and others I just wanted to cry for poor Tangy Mae. I will after say Rozell Quinn (Tangy's Mother) has got to be the most evil charactor I have ever read about besides the devil himself. She puts Mama Ruby in "The Upper Room" to shame by chapter three and if you haven't read "The Upper Room" I suggest you read that too! All in all this is a great debeut novel that is fast paced without a dull moment to spare. Please read and enjoy!

This was an interesting book. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I mean it was definitely readable and the characters were well thought out and believable. But the subject matter was a little disturbing. It's not the first time that I read a book like this so I'm not sure why it disturbed me so much. The mother in this story was downright scary!!! The children where each characterized in such a way that you wanted to cry with them, you felt the welts on their back, you felt the pain of the rapes, you felt the daily terror and the anger. That was hard to digest.

Overall it was well-written and it was a very good read.

It is sometimes so much easier to sweep some things under the rug and make out as if a person may be imagining their life's hardships.

In "The Darkest Child" I was taken for a ride through the eyes of a young girl that lived a life of neglect. She was a victim to a mother who also had come from some hardships. And, this is what happens when we are not completely healed from issues and insecurities. We tend to live our own lives finding fulfillment and forgetting about the precious souls that depend on us to love them and take care of them.

This story was very real to me. I experienced so many emotions that I'll always remember this book.

Well painted picture. Well told story. Well written book.

Very interesting story about Tangy Mae and her 9 siblings and the horrendous conditions they had to endure by the hands of their very abusive mother. The story was well written enough to keep my attention however, there was never a wow factor for me to get excited about this book. I also did not like how the story ended. No real closure with the characters and I was left with too many questions in the end.

Wow. I was assigned to read this book as part of a course requirement and am truly happy that I did. Wow. Wow. Wow. I secured my copy of the book late into the course, and wondered why it seemed to provoke such intense emotions from my classmates who had gotten it on time. I finally bought it last week and devoured it over the course of a few nights. This book is stunning, I feel honored to be among the first people to experience the debut of such raw talent, Delores Phillips is absolutely gifted. I'm not even going to go too much into the plot, many people have already done a good job with that, but briefly, it's a really fast read. No lengthy or boring descriptions of the setting, the course of events just happen naturally. Also, I expected it to be preachy but it wasn't, which goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover, or by your prejudices. In short: please just buy the book. Read it. Check it out from the library or something if you have to, but just read it. There is no way you can leave this book untouched or unchanged in some way.

There are several theories regarding why the novel is appropriately titled "The Darkest Child".

1. Tangy
Tangy Mae, the sixth born, is the darkest of Rozelle Quinn's nine living children. Tangy vividly describes what life is like growing up in Parkersfiled, Georgia while living in a dysfunctional home with a suspected mentally disturbed mother. Tangy, the smartest, is subjected to many physical and mental cruelties at the hands and cruel nature of her mother.

2. Judy
The tenth born, Judy, who is referred to as a "darkie" is not touched by Rozelle until Rozelle decides to toss Judy down the gulley which ultimately leads to Judy's death. We suspect that Judy was thrown away because her birth marked the end of Rozelle's ability to bear children.

3. Rozelle
Rozelle Quinn, conceived as the result of the rape of her mother Miss Zadie, has dark personality characteristics. She is controlling, manipulative, cruel, perverse and lacks the compassion that a mother typically feels for her children. Her actions led Sistas Speak to question the mental state of Rozelle. We came to the conclusion that Rozelle is mentally disturbed, schizophrenic and to quote one of our members, "a ho".

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Children:
Rozelle's ten children are suspected to have ten different fathers. As Tangy explains in the novel, her mother took pleasure in categorizing her children by race. "Mushy, Harvey, Sam, and Martha Jean were her white children. Tarabelle, Wallace and Laura were Indian - Cherokee, no less. Edna and Tangy were Negroes."

Of Rozelle's ten children, Sistas Speak are convinced that Sam (3rd born) is the only child Rozelle may truly love partly due to Rozelle's fondness of sheriff Angus Betts, Sam's father. We believe that Rozelle may have turned out to be a different mother and woman if the sheriff had taken her as his wife. Unfortunately or fortunately, it is believed that no man thought Rozelle to be a woman worth marrying. However, she was apparently a woman worthy of using to obtain self-gratifying sexual pleasures. So what is a woman's worth?

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About the author
Delores Phillips' writing style is exquisite. The imagery is detailed and real. Characters are believable, with the exception of a Sistas Speak member questioning the reality of a small southern town knowing that children are being abused and not intervening. Makes you go...ummmm..

Sistas Speak also questioned the author's motivation behind the novel. There were so many unexpected down-right cruel and wicked events that we questioned whether or not the author may have experienced abuse in her past.

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Overall rating:

Overall rating is 5 cups of tea. Seven Sistas Speak rated the novel a 5-star read. Two members rate 4 stars, one member rated 3 stars and our honorary 15 year old Sistas Speak, who read the book in 4 hours, rated the book 7 stars!

Overall comments about the novel - - well written; dark; depressing; enlightening; vivid; page turner; unpredictable; and historically appealing.

It was unanimous - - we want a sequel!!!

I was really engrossed with this book. The story was heartbreaking at times. The narrator was a girl in turmoil, her sisters and brothers were abused in the worst ways. I felt sorry for the kids but at the same time, I felt even more sorry for the mentally ill and deranged mother. I loved this book it was hard to put down but at times, I had to take a break because of some of the things the mother did to her INNOCENT CHILDREN. Such a sad, but totally great read. I have started telling friends about this book, I really think it deserves all the accolades that a gifted author can receive.

There's bound to be some drama if you live on a street or in a subdivision called Peyton. The Quinn family had their share of misfortune. Mama Quinn obviously suffered from lack of oxygen to the brain. The horrific decisions she made and executed on her children were dreadful. The story is told by her then 15 year old daughter, Tangy Mae, who was considered the darkest child. It takes place some time in the 1950s in a small town in Ohio. The Quinns lived in a run-down house that wasn't fit for rats to live in.

I found the story almost difficult to continue to read - the living arrangements and abuse the children received from their mother left me flabbergasted. I must admit that it was an excellent piece of literature that will or should find its place somewhere amongst To Kill A Mockingbird and The Color Purple.

Highly recommend (if you have a strong stomach)

Susan
A Book Case Review

My mother recommended this book to me and I finally decided to read it after months of her talking about how good it was. She was right. I literally could not put this book down. I found myself staying up past midnight reading it. I planted faces on every single character and literally felt like I was there witnessing everything as it unfolded. The story was great but I did not like the ending at all. I was very disappointed and left with way too many unanswered questions. The story itself was a heart breaker. It made me realize how fortunate I was to have such a loving,non-dysfunctional family growing up.

This book was good. To me it really started out slow, however after page 100 it became interesting, very interesting. Tangy Mae was a very obedient child. Her Mother put her through pure hell. She was abused in so many ways by her mother, however Tangy still respected and obeyed her mother. The character is a very smart, beautiful and strong sister! As the story un ravels you will find out why her mother was the way she was, but that still doesn't excuse her for the way she treated ALL of her children, especially the darker children she had.
All in all this is a good long story with a happy ending....(as happy as it possibly could be)...
This is a must read...
Thank You.

I'd never heard of Delores Phillips but the "old" cover showing a beautiful dark skinned child caught my attention. I regret the day that I started reading this one, because I could not put it down. I didn't get anything done and called out sick at work so I could stay home and finish it! Delores did an outstanding job with her first novel. She didn't linger too long and even though there were a lot of events and characters it didn't seem like too much at once. She hit each with just enough information for you to understand and moved on. Each chapter was so captivating and just left me eager to know what would happen next and who would be left standing in the end. And in the end I was sad, yet still satisfied. Great job, Delores!

This was a VERY deep novel! The characters are real, the situations are real....many of the characteristics and sayings took me "back in the day" to true country living. At times it was really too much for my heart and I had to put it down then come back to it. This is in no way to say that it was a bad story. The only reason that I didnt give it 5 stars was because in my opinion there were still some loose ties. I enjoyed the ending as it was Tangy's new beginning but for example, we never learned Sam's whereabouts or even if it was still alive or not :/

This is such a beautifully written book. I couldn't get enough of it. I told everyone about it that I knew would appreciate the book subject. I hope more people read this. My one problem with it was that 3/4 into the book it felt like she got stuck on one part of the story and it felt like it dragged on a little longer than I thought it should have but other than that, great read.

Storyline so exaggerated it seemed fake but a voice so real that it felt like truth. As I read the book I felt like the eleventh child, knowing Mama was wrong but had to stay. Wanting to hold my sisters and brothers as they came and went; laughed and cried; felt fear or found pieces of confidence. The story in disturbing not trifling like most of the new books being passed off as African-American fiction. I strongly recommend this book if you are looking for a challenge. Most books now are writing in 5th to 8th grade comprehension, this story with the character development, terminology, and overall substance is for the more mature(not age) and dedicated reader.

The Darkest Child is an emotional portrait of a truly dysfunctional family. Delores Phillips weaves a tale of hardship and nearly unbelievable strife in the segregationist South of the 1950's. The Quinn family comes to life through Tangy Mae's eyes, as Phillips paints the cast of her story with such attention to detail, one is almost overwhelmed with the character development.

The narrator's view becomes problematic at times, as Tangy Mae is portrayed as highly intelligent in school, but her naiveté in matters of interaction with others is overpowering. From her jealousy over her schoolmate befriending her older sister, to her insecurities in dealing with the men and boys in her life, Tangy Mae is depicted as the epitome of immaturity in her social life, making her the stereotypical bookworm who lacks common sense. It is also difficult to justify her lack of ability to see her mother, Rozelle, for what she is, as she blunderingly accepts her mother's edicts as truth, in spite of repeated events that speak the contrary.

Perhaps Phillips was attempting to point out the paralyzing fear created in a victim by an abuser, but it is bordering on unbelievable. If Rozelle is capable of brutalizing her children with beatings, branding, and stabbing, she is also capable of murder. Rozelle's youngest, an infant, meets her death after being thrown into a gully outside the family house by her own mother, and Tangy Mae witnesses the event. The fact that Tangy Mae accepts Rozelle's lies to the Sheriff about the death is unbelievable.

Rozelle Quinn could easily be considered one of the most villainous characters in recent literature, but this distinction is lessened by the lack of explicit reprisal, or even inner-turmoil in Tangy Mae. It is difficult to suspend disbelief with such disparity between the main characters. No matter how brilliantly villainous a character may be, it is always paled when matched against a less sharp heroine, a title begrudgingly given to Tangy Mae given her consistently wavering judgment.

In spite of its shortcomings, The Darkest Child is a good read for anyone who appreciates villainous characters, or depictions of the segregationist South through the eyes of an African-American. Future works of Delores Phillips would be worth watching, to see how this novelist grows in her craft.

This book does have some violence - rather horrid - and some sexual scenes. With that being said, the story was still a very good one. The arthor did a great job with descriptions and I could almost hear the voices as I experienced the novel. In the end, you bond with Tangy Mae - and I admired her strength and courage.

I must say that some people are not reading this book simply because of its cover. But... don't judge a book by its cover is a "understatement" concerning this well written book. Infact, I have been waiting for this author to publish another book---ANYTHING! really, because this book was GREAT! people and you won't be disappointed,I promise. However to write something this good takes years and probably is just to difficult.I believe this author witnessed or lived such events. She had to because I felt like I was there myself. Actually, I found out about this book through "word of mouth" as I think most people are doing. Don"t let the cover fool you. Read it! I read it approx. 2yrs ago...still waiting for another well written book....like this one.

First read The Darkest Child years ago. I'm happy its getting more exposure and acclaim this time around. Amazingly vivid writing. I could envision every part as if it was a movie. Would be a great film if the right people got their hands on it.

I will remember this book because it made me wish I was her mother so I could give her a better life than what she had. A wonderful yet heartbreaking tale of a young black girl in the time of extreme racial tension. I just found it randomly at the library and I forgot to review it but it's an great book.

JANUARY 2005

Syracuse, New York

Delores Phillips came out so powerfully in her first novel that I'm very interested to see what her next book will be like.

This one is the possibly the best novel of the entire year. A tough act to follow. It's just flawlessly good. So sad and so tragic. It just makes you FURIOUS and yet you can't put it down, because there is so much reality in it. I loved this book.

It's awesome. Please read this book my people. Pleaase!!

Last Note: "The Darkest Child" won 5 N.Y. Hotep Society Awards including best book of the year. My bookstore was one of the ones that sent in ballots. Congratulations to Delores Phillips for such an outstanding achievement.

i can't think of many novels that gripped me like this one did. the story of a young girl and her family's drama set against a backdrop of the segregated south was laid out so vividly, i felt like i was there. to realize that these unspeakable acts, while fictitious, actually happened in this country's history makes this even more compelling for me. i put this in the same category as "the color purple" and i would love to see it made into a move. angela basset as rozelle? yeah... blockbuster!

I LOVE this book. My grandmother was born in the 30's and the book reminds me a lot of the stories I have heard whispered throughout my family. Single mother with a housefull of kids, working and doing what has to be done to provide for her family... Children dropping out of school to help provide for the home and help raise younger siblings... Being rooted to one place. Dreams of escaping and a reality that there is no escape. Even when you leave, like one child in this book did (Mushy), you are always tied to that which you hate and run from. And unfortunately, the result is that you do a 360 degree turn and end right back where you started.

The book is AWESOME! I borrowed it from my cousin. One Sunday night before my reality tv fix (Yes. I am captivated by the foolery!)I opened the book up and got as far as page 4. I put it down and didn't pick it back up for a few days. I never put it back down. 5 days later I was done with the book. I read it every waking minute! At work. In the tub. In the bed. While food was cooking... ALL THE TIME!

I'm not big on re-reading books, but this one is a must! By the summer, I am sure I will be picking it up again! Maybe, I'll purchase it through Kindle so I'll always have it on me. It's just that good.

The ending disappointed me a tiny bit. I'd like to know where Tangy Mae and Laura were headed and Tangy's plans.

I was in total awe after reading such a wonderful piece of literature. The story is narrated by 13 year old Tangy Mae. The plot was very awesome and inevitably had me glued to the book. The Quinn family provided a clear insight on how life can be both good and bad when you have a mother that abuses you on every level of abuse during your entire life; even through adulthood. I was proud to see that Tangy Mae did make it out of Pakersfield, and sadened by the murder of Tara and Judy; and how their deaths went unpunishable. I was also engolfed to read that Martha Jean and Velman eventually married and had a normal family environment out of all the nine children. Although, she was considered the dumbest by Rozelle, she was able to be offered and find true love even if it cost Velman a car. He loved her so much that he taught Rozelle how to drive and then gave her the car! I will definetly love to read a sequel...Please Delores Phillips write another story for the Quinn family with another poignant ending.....

send you through a range of emotions. It is unfathomable how this breeder (I wouldn't DARE call her a mother) treated her children. Seems to me the only reason she continued to have them was for her own financial support. It broke my heart and angered me how so many people knew about what Rozelle was doing but no one made any moves to stop it, but I guess in those days folks minded their own business. I do not want to give away too much of the story so I will stop here and say it was an excellent read. I sure hope Mrs. Phillips writes a sequel because I would definitely buy it.

AS THE NEW YEAR IS UPON US, I OFFICIALLY OFFER YOU MY LIST OF THE 10 BEST BOOKS THAT I'VE READ IN 2004. THIS IS OUT OF ABOUT 84 BOOKS THAT I'VE READ THIS YEAR. EVERY SINGLE BOOK ON THIS LIST IS A MASTERPIECE WORTH BUYING. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED WITH GREAT LITERATURE LIKE THE FOLLOWING:

"THE DARKEST CHILD"--Delores Phillips

The finest, most dramatic debut I've read in years. Top notch and gut-wrenching. This is by far the best book of 2004.

"BRICK LANE"--Monica Ali

Superb entry into a world foreign yet all too familiar. Flawless, beautiful writing.

"HOTTENTOT VENUS"--Barbara Chase Riboud

A True Story. Which makes this book all the more shocking and tragic. By now you've heard of the kidnapped and dehumanized South African woman paraded in the 1800's Europe as a "freak" because of her huge posterior and the apron over her genitals. Chase Riboud chronicles the tale perfectly and makes it far more interesting than just history. The fact that "Sarah" was like a Pop Superstar of her day makes it all the more chilling in my opinion. A definite Must-Read.

"FLESH AND THE DEVIL"--Kola Boof

Totally original, unexpected black love story. Chock full of African history, U.S. black history, fantastic plot twists, pulsating sex, equally dazzling "lovemaking", brilliant observations about race, color and sexism and plenty of risk-taking by the sensational Sudanese-born Kola Boof, truly a NEW STAR in the "epic" sense. Fabulous!

"DOUGLASS' WOMEN"--Jewel Parker Rhodes

If ever a fictionalized story of a real person's life/real events makes you totally believe inch and detail of the fiction writer's imagination--this one is it!! Jewel Parker Rhodes is turning out to be one of our most ardent writers of historical fiction, her brevity and flair for honest human emotion making her just a little BETTER, in my opinion, than the queen of historical black fiction--Barbara Chase Riboud. You can't go wrong with "DOUGLASS' WOMEN", it's sensational.

"ERASURE"---Percival Everett

I know. I'm late reading this one. But it's classic, fantastic, the greatest book ever written about being a "black" writer today. SUPERB. 10 Stars.

"A DISTANT SHORE"--Caryl Phillips

Great novel about "human beings" ripped apart in their own world and then thrown together in new equally dreadful surroundings. A black man and a white woman are juxtaposed in England with terribly beautiful insight by the writer. It's a hard book to explain, except that it's about human beings finding their real true minds. Superb!!!! I give this one 10 stars.

"DRINKING COFFEE ELSEWHERE"--Z.Z. Packer

The breakout debut of the new Alice Walker and Toni Morrison rolled into one. Z.Z. Packer is outrageously talented and brilliant. These sparse, witty, intelligent, insightful short stories will bring you to tears, make you laugh and truly astonish you.

"THE KNOWN WORLD"--Edward P. Jones

This book starts off kind of "slow", but once you get into it, it's quite shocking, easily one of the most important stories told in a decade. Jones deserves all the accolades and awards he's received for this masterful masterpiece of the new century.

"LOVE"--Toni Morrison

Still the undisputable greatest writer writing. Toni Morrison offers up one of her very best novels, the most underrated and overlooked novel of the year. Absolutely meszmerizing, a bute.

The delivery of this story is done like one that would be done by a seasoned writer. Delores Phillips puts you at the scene of the happenings in this story. There are unforgettable characters like Tangy, Wallace and the psychotic mother Rozelle. The love of her mother makes Tangy do unforgiveable things that change her life forever. This book helps you invision things that happened in the 50's and 60's. Surely the prequal can open up some unanswered questions as to why Rozelle was the way she was. I can't wait for its release.

I ate this book. I devoured it in 3 days and I loved every second. I couldnt put it down. Delores writes in a clean, factual manner that is somewhat haunting but always strong. I love how she captures the shame that the main character Tangy feels from the society that she lives in to the mother that she comes home to. It is aweful, absolutely aweful, the things that happen to the people in this book. Reading this book is like hearing about the Holocaust for the first time. I believe it will challenge its readers with sincerity. If you are white reading this book you will have to put yourself in the shoes of a little black girl in the 1950's South during the Brown v Topeka Kansas era and if you are black you will be able to relate to this story in hauntingly intimate ways. I recommend this book to anyone. It is easy to read and the chapters are laid out in such a way that helps the time passage flow never miss a beat. I heard that Delores is working on another book. If it is not out already, I will make sure to pick that up tomorrow at the bookstore. I have nothing bad or critical to say about it other than keep up the good work. I recommend it to anyone because it is not just a "black book" is it mostly piecing the humanity of a little girl back together from what her mother and the world have done to her. It sounds like another " Color Purple" to me and I hope that someone takes this on as a screenplay.

This book had so many levels of pain. The pain Rozelle experienced from her mother was transferred to her children who each had their own level of dysfunction. This book showed that no good comes from retribution and no amount of drinking can make you really forget. I am at a loss for words, but now have some understanding of the difficulty in leaving an abuser. Wow!

I recently read this book and must say that it is one of the most emotionally difficult books I have ever read. Delores Phillips draws you in from the very first sentence and writes with eloquence. She does an excellent job of describing reality of racism in the 1950's and has created a family unlike any other. The characters and their circumstances grip you. Truly, this book is unique in content and character. I felt haunted for a few days after completing the book because of the graphic descriptions of violence. I would, however, highly recommend this book and look forward to her next.

WOW! This book was heart wrenching and made you more aware of generational curses and soul ties. How sad that curses get passed down from generation to generation, inflicting pain and confusion on all concerned. It would have been interesting if the author would have touched a little on how Rosie was raised and some of what she may have endured at her mother's hands because clearly Rosie was scarred. Thanks for a great book. This book is a great read. Grips you from the beginning to the end.

There is never a dull moment in this book from beginning to end. It has the perfect mix of drama, madness and mayhem.

Take a mentally unstable single mulatto woman that has a rainbow tribe of 10 kids back in the 40's and 50's. She pimps some, abuses some, manipulates others, and neglects all. Mix in some small town racism & poverty then BAM!!! You've got "The Darkest Child".

I think this book also examines the cyclic effect that slavery and racism played in the psyche of black families. However, it will leave you wondering whether to blame society, upbringing, or the mother's mental stability.

Hello everyone,

This was the first book that was selected for us to read in our newly formed book club. I was very excited because this was my first time in a book club. The facilitor couldn't have picked a better book to start us off. Reading the first chapter, I was struggling to understand and imagine the place where this was taking place (its located in the 50's) but right after the first chapter, she got me! I was able to follow and understand everything. I was able to imagine the house where they lived, the school TangMae attended, Put faces to all the children and then, I was hooked from that moment on. This books has something exciting something different happening in EVERY CHAPTER. There is no boring chapter. It was going up/down/up/down throughout the dame book. The one thing I didn't like was the ending. I wanted something to happen to that dam mama but nothing did. It almost like she got away with all that she did. The characters were fully developed (she could have elaborated more on the boys characters but in the end I understood why the author concentrated so much on her girls. Reading this story I was totally able to related to the surrondings, to the situations, to the characters and to the entire family. Loved the girls characters, hated the mother but loved that it was just a story that was very well written. Can't wait to see if Ms. Phillips does a sequel. If she does, I will be very disappointed if it is not better than this one. I am not an avid reader but this book made me one.

This has got to me one of the best books I have ever read. I still can't beleive that this is the first novel by Ms. Delores Phillips. This book is so realistic. There are characters that cannot see their wrong doing just as there are people that cannot be rehabilitated.

This book made me laugh, cry, shake my head etc. I have never felt so much emotion as to despise a fictional character as Ms. Rozelle in my life.

This book was so moving. I loved it. A true literary work of art. I am not sure why she is not on Oprah. Maybe she will be there soon. Kudos Ms. Phillips. You are truly a wonderfully gifted writer.

The Darkest Child is engaging; heartwrenching, beautiful, uplifting and sad, all at once. Tangy Mae is a resiliant, intelligent young woman who has more strength than she knows. Her abusive, mentally ill mother somehow manages to keep her family under her rule while simultaneously ripping it apart with anger, fear, and violence. The storytelling is amazing -- Phillips takes you to the early 1950's and spares no gritty details of the hardships suffered by African Americans trying to attain rights and equality in a community filled with ignorance and racism. This novel is very well-written and you will want to dive in and rescue Tangy and her siblings.

The darkest child is well written story about a mother(Rozelle Quinn) and her ten children (all have different fathers)who live in a small Georgia town.
This book was a wonderful read and touched on issues of racism, favortism, and oppression of the worst kind.
I could not put this book down and will most definately read more books by this author!
You won't be disappointed.

Although this book hits on a hard subject, motherly love gone too far, simple abuse or mental illness. The sad truth is that there are people who live like this, who develop survival mechanicisms to cope or escape like Tangy and her siblings. I particuarly LOVED how they looked out for one another despite their mother's misgivings. Also, the author took time to add humor into the mix which had me laughing at times. It wasn't all dark clouds. So once you get over the harshness of some of what occurred--I had close the book on a few occassions to regain my composure--you will find beneath it all is a great book. One that is thought provoking and stirs you to the core. Everyone I've told about it (and I've told many)loved it just as much as I did. Which is saying alot about an author's first book. Great work Ms. Phillips!

This is an amazing look into a black families life that most of us can't understand. The level of poverty and the level of hate and discrimination shown to this family make me ashamed of the human race!!

At first I struggled to read this book because of all the abuse, hatred, and disappointment the children went through, especially at the hands of their own mother, but I had to keep reading just to see if they got out alive. A good book for a first time author. I was disppointed with the ending, but I'm hoping it ended the way it did because there is a sequel. I'm looking forward to her next book and I hope it gives Rosie her due!!!

I initially picked up this book because I was drawn to its title. As a dark skinned African American I could certainly relate to some of the horrible treatment that once significantly impacted my own life. This book was powerfully written, compelling, and emotional (at times). The ending was seemingly abrupt though, because I definitely wanted more. Can't wait to read more of her work!

This is a great book. The events were tragic but the author had a unique talent to give us an insight into the lives of this poor black family back in the fifties. The main character remained likable all the way through and the ending was satisfying.

I read this through a bunch of emotions. I laughed, I cried, and I mostly felt anger. It sounded almost like an biography. It was so realistic. It ended like there will be a sequel. I sure would like to know what happened to the mother & Mushy? I kind of felt sorry for the mother, but that only lasted for a little while. She wasn't crazy. She was just plain old EVIL. I hope Delores continues to write. If this is her first. She will have a hard time topping this one. I am buying my own copy & sending a copy to my sister.

Congratulations girlfriend. Thanks for a great read. Just keep them coming.

Pat

This story was so well written, that I could have closed my eyes and almost believed that it was authored by the incomparable Ms. Toni Morrison. Those of you who love prose and appreciate the written word know how high a compliment that is! I have recommended the book to many over the last few years. I only hope that Ms. Phillips can follow up this master piece with something worthy.

This story kept me very intrigued by a very well written and shocking tale. It reminded me of eating a delicious meal that ended and left me hungry for more! How this story ended was the sole disappointment. I shall look for more titles from this author.

Excellent book, I often found myself wondering if the book was real only to remember it's fiction. Thank Goodness! I recommend this book to anyone who asks, "do I know of a good book?" I was completely drawn in from being to end. It's her first book; how long will we have to wait for book number 2?

well i wont tell what the story was about unlike some of these other kats. but when i picked up the book i didn't really know what to expect. I just wanted to read it simply because of the title. but the story line was good. Had good things and bad things to talk about. and o boi at the lil unexpected twist at the end. well unexpected for me anyways. but yea all those who haven't read it should mos def. do so.

p.s. the ONLY i wasnt feeling is how the book ended wit u like ok so what happens next

This book was breath-taking, I never wanted to put it down. It made me want to cry, laugh, but above all it made me think, I'm only 13, but it made me think. If you have an ungrateful child this will make them change their way of thinking, just like it changed mine. Well this is the owner of this kindle and I'm totally speechless........I can't imagine a mother being such a way to her children but she knew no better I guess

This is one of my favorite books, I've read it at least 4 times and it never gets old! You know what is going to happen, but its like your reading it for the first time, every time. I will be glad when they produce the movie.

Interesting read but very dark and haunting. I also felt the characters were too weak when it came to their mother as opposed to other authority figures . No just was served no matter what the mother did.

This is a very grim story of all kinds of abuse,hate, death, sadness, poverty, racism. It was very hard to get through the whole thing. The writer did a fine job it is just that the subject matter was very painful.

There is so much I could say regarding this book. It was clearly one of the most interesting and powerful stories I have read lately. The characters were strong and the story line was completely powerful and moving. This is a book to add to the 'must have' collection. It is a story you will want to share with others. It reminds African Americans of the pain we have endured in the past but provides inspiration to all in the form of the central character, Tangy Mae, and several supporting characters. You will love this book.

The way Phillips brings the story to life through the characters is fascinating. I could picture every detail, and was pulled into the book from the first page until the end. I highly recommend this book to any reader, and I would love to see this story brought to the big screen.
-reviewed for [...] by Dewhana Jones (full review will appear on avid-readers.com in May)

I thought I was all alone in the world until I read your book Ms. Phillips.

I had a life as such and only in reverse, the ten children, we were 7 boys and 3 girls. I never knew why my mother treated me the way she did, and as for color she was the Darkest one.

I was getting beaten for existing I guess. When I left home at sixteen, I never return. I didn't even go too her funeral when she died. I didn't have to worry about her coming for me at anytime , all she cared about was Men and Money. Some of the things she made Tangy Mae do, well I'd be dead today. My Mother was a lot worst than Rozelle, one my little brother was playing with eyes on the kitchen stove, she came up too him and put his hand in the fire and then put them on his face, he died with those scars on his face. I'm the oldest child.

This is a GREAT GREAT BOOK.

This book has stayed on my mind since I read it 3 years ago. I do not know why it has touched me so much, but it has. The story is bitter and at times downright brutal. It is told through the eyes of a child wise beyond her years. It shows how conflicted a person in Tangy Mae's mother's situation could be. I do not empathize with her mother, but I certainly understand. I encourage young women to read this novel. It is a great read. I would like to see this become a movie.

This book made my heart ache but i couldnt stop reading it. I could never be that cruel to anyone let alone children I carried. I had to put this book down for a few days because I got too emotional. Dont get me wrong, I loved the book but if u are someone that like your literature sugarcoated u dont need to read this. The Darkest Child is hardcore reality.

In Delores Phillip's epic "The Darkest Child", she immediately draws the reader into the altogether different world of 1958 Georgia.

The story revolves around a young girl called Tangy Mae Quinn, a 13 year old born into a huge Southern Black family (9 children going on 10, to be exact).

Her mother Rozelle is a fair-skinned and thorougly cruel woman, of mixed-race heritage born to a Mixed-Race woman and a White man. Her antics and vicious abuse of her children drive a wedge between her and her family. She subjects her children to everything under the sun; from vicious beatings and constant emotional abuse to the worst of all, forced prostitution of her daughters to the town's lecherous White men.

Sadly however, many of her children do not aim for anything higher than this degraded quality of life, settling for the forced role their mother has placed them in. Young Tangy Mae is different however. She loves school, wants to break out of the stifling prison her mother has created, and all throughout the book, seems to have a good deal more intelligence than her other siblings.

Her mother will not have this for long though, as her pregnancy with her 10th illegitimate child forces her to retire from cleaning houses for a living and she begins to think of pulling Tangy Mae out of her school to replace her.

As the novel continues, it is revealed even moreso how demented Rozelle's mind is as she murders her own baby daughter Judy by tossing her into a gully, and makes poor Tangy Mae prostitute herself for money.

The writing is excellent and the characters are strongly portrayed, being given intense emotions that permeate the feeling of the entire novel. The reader immediately feels for Tangy Mae and her sordid predicament, and despises the monster of a woman that is Rozelle.

But personally, I felt that throughout the reading of the book, the character of "Rozelle" becomes somewhat of a villainous caricature. There is not enough explanation about the origins of her behaviour and as the reader continues on, the horrid relationship between her and her mother. For every "Rozelle", there were many more light-skinned women who were excellent mothers, loving their children regardless of how "much or less" melanin was in their skin, and had no prejudice whatsoever. Therefore, I would have appreciated more explanation as to the roots of Rozelle's deep emotional problems; the color of her skin was simply not enough.

But all in all, I feel this was a powerful and entertaining novel, making the reader cheer or cry in exactly the right places. And for that alone, I would recommend it to other readers.

I rarely give 5 stars in my reviews, but this book was definitely deserving of that and so much more!! Ms. Phillips spun a tragically beautiful story had me captivated from the first page, I was so angry when I had to put it down to go to work. It reminded me of my grandmother, she was from New Orleans and once told me that she ran away from home because her mother tried to sell her off at the age of 13 to an older man for a cow. It's deplorable how young black women and girls were undervalued and treated back then. I never wanted it to end. I don't want to give too much away, but read this book.

A breathtaking novel that will have you yearning for more. I felt myself turning the page for a glimmer of hope for Rozella's children. Sadly, as the chapters increase the sorrow and sadness engulfed me as I tried to reason with the tragic events that took place. This is not a happily ever after tale but instead a story if survival as each of Rosie's children try to deny the impending traits they possess of their mothers. As much as they try to abandon her and the town they always find their way back to "home." In the end only the "darkest child" finds a way out but not without much pain and sacrifice.

This story was desperately needed to be written for so many women of color--Native American, East Indian, West Indian, etc. Intra-race discrimination is real and effects how people are treated from childhood to adulthood because of the hue of their skin. When Tangy Mae realizes she can use books to escape her torment, I applauded. This novels shows how people who're oppressed can thrive when given an opportunity. I'm glad Ms. Phillips provided her with that chance.

The darkest child is simply an astounding book. I can't believe that I took so long to get to it. The story is gripping and will command the readers' attention. If you want to know what it was like to live in a world of segregation and mental deterioration, then I highly recommend this book.

This novel had me was captivated. It was a magnificent tale that had me horrified and yet I couldn't put it down. The characters were evolved so well it felt like you were reading someone's biography. Bravo Ms. Phillips on a magnificent debut!!! You most certainly have a bright future. I look forward to future work from you.

This book was excellent! It was a prime example of what not to get used to! All the characters were well developed, the storyline flowed without being boring or long winded. I could see the characters and surroundings as I read. I would love to see this as an HBO or Showtime movie. I have no complaints at all about this one.

After reading so many reviews about this book I had to run out and get it for myself. I was presently surprised from the first chapter and knew that this would be a page turner. I found myself reading in between breaks, dinner and any other space I could find just to see what Rozelle would do next. The plot may have been a bit drawn out but the author wrapped up all the characters and tied up all the loose ends and gave us an ending we didn't expect. A GREAT read!!!

This is, by far, the best book I've ever read. Every once in a while a great talent comes along and those lucky enough to be in its path know, with certainty, it's guided by a higher power. This is God's work, through Delores. Each page is truly a jewel. The writing simply shines; the story has burned a place in my soul, forever. A gift; it can only be described as a gift. I eagerly await all of Delores' coming titles. God is not finished ...

A book like this sure does make you think. I don't doubt that it is a stroy that could be true for hundreds of families. It saddens me that I am part of a culture that creates situations like this. This book will make you think. Maybe even act?!

I loved this book! So vivid! Before I read it I was hesitant because people were saying that it was dark and gloomy. I disagree with it being gloomy. I mean, it's a sad story, but real to so many children and yet this girl had enough strength and hope to get up, get her sister and get out.

This book rang so true that I cried through half of it. I felt so ashamed of the hatefulness in people's heart. Racism is not only stupid, but black people who think like this girl's evil mother are even worse. I loved Tangy's story and I hated for it to end. At the same time, I got sick of her mother getting away with sickness and her brothers and sisters suffering. I will never get over the little baby sister and what happened to her. It is so sad. You should buy this and "Flesh and the Devil" by Kola Boof if you want to read the best writing. Both books deserve a 10 +

A sad but truly captivating story, a real page-turner. The ability of Delores Phillips to reconstruct the life and lack of opportunities for this particular African-American family back in the 1950's is delivered by a truly remarkable narrative. A must-buy.

"The Darkest Child" is an excellent dubet book written by Delores Phillips. Her descriptive writing enables you to feel like you are currently present during that time. Her story line is well written. I became very emotional during the reading of this novel. Her description of the horrible descrimation and hate in the South made my skin crawl. Everyone should read "The Darkest Child" no matter what race you are...you can become inspired to know that through the hardships of life you can overcome anything with a touch of "hope". I applaud Ms. Phillips for a writing job well done!

Wow, that's all can I say! I couldn't put this book down, I read it in one day. It held me until the last page. When I thought I had figured things out the story gave twists so unpredictable that I was awe struck.

This story of a very determined, passionate young girl who overcomes many obstacles, the main one being her mother, is very inspiring. I feel it should be required reading (especially for girls of any race) in every junior high and high school in America. I hope Ms. Phillips will continue to write.

I really enjoyed this book, in my option, one of the best. Delores Phillips hit a home run with me. The characters in this story came alive for me. This book was quick to pull me in and it kept me wondering what would happen next. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good story, a story that you will never forget. I will probably read this book again and that's something rare to me, like a good movie is never seen twice. This book was so good I want to read it twice, a second serving.

A great piece of work involved in the writing of this book. It definitely should be a movie. A young mother who cannot take care of her responsibilities and put that responsibility on her children by any means necessary. A MUST READ!

All I can say is that I read this book in a day and I could NOT put it down! I wanted to know what this crazy mother was about to do to her kids and what was going to happen. The ending shocked me because it was unexpected it. This is a the story of an abusive mother with 10 kids back in the 1950s, in a time in which thing were very segregated and very racist. I really felt for the character Tangy Mae...she was perhaps the most sane person in the house....this book is an eye opener, not to to the atrocities committed by racism, but the own atrocities that could occur in one's own house...simply amazing!

I picked up this book because it was the only one left that I hadn't read. I wasn't expecting much but what I found was excellent! This is one of the best books I've read this yesr, I'm only sorry I didn't read it sooner. READ THIS BOOK!!

Darkest Child: A Novel is an experience into the darkest side of mental illness. Tangy Mae is a heroine. Despite all that she experienced at the hand of her mother, Roselle or because of her mother, Tangy was determined to save her little sister, Laura and herself.

Overall a great read. It felt a little unfinished and there were some grammatical errors throughout that should have been caught before publication, but the storyline kept me engaged so it didn't matter as much. I would recommend this book to a friend.

I'd stopped reading black authors quite a while ago because I'm not into chic love and urban romance novels. I want to read something of substance and Phillips does a bang up job of providing literary sustenance to readers such as me.

"The Darkest Child" is one of the most incredible stories I've ever read! Rarely are readers treated to such well-developed, multi-faceted characters in a book. Phillips duplicates life by demonstrating that no matter who we are or what we do, each of us shifts the paradigm of life.

Kudos to Phillips and her proud family, and I look forward to reading the next novel(s).

I'll be brief. I am not finished reading this book, but I am seething! I know it doesn't happen, but I keep wishing one of those children would rearrange Rosie's head with a meat cleaver...they would be justified.

The Darkest Child is a hard and fast look at mental illness and its effects on those around you. The book made me analyze religion, beliefs, and family as I turned from page to page. At points I had to put the book down because the imagery was so overwhelming, but soon thereafter I'd have to pick the book back up because I needed to know what happened next. This book is well written and kept me engaged from beginning to end.

I'm so suprised that this is a debut. She's a very seasoned writer. I could barely put this book down. I have to admit it is a tearjerker, and at the same time it reaches down deep and touches your soul. I had been going through a "wilderness" experience . . . where the books that I had read were not fulfilling me, however this ended the drought. I can't wait for her next novel!

I loved this story. I was captivated from the very beginning. The author weaved words around her story that created an image, an image so clear, it was if you're there watching it all unfold with your own eyes.

I literally could not put the book down. Now that I'm down reading it, I can't get the characters out of my head. I find myself worried and thinking about those kids as if they were actual living and breathing beings. I don't believe there is a better testiment for the author or this story. I encourage you to read this book, you won't be disappointed.

Great story, first book, good job. I just couldn't put it down, you really can get caught up in this book. I passed it on to more than one person. I hope your next books are just as good. We really need some new blood.

When I read the reviews for this book I thought they were being over dramatic. but OH MY GOD, the book was so good. It was real and it reminded me of what it was like for blacks not to long ago. There are a lot of positive and real lessons that I learned from here. I am not one to read a book fast unless it has relationship problems, but this one sucks you in there lives and experience the trials of a black girl born to a family of hate during a time of racial unrest. It is worth reading believe me.

This novel" The Darkest Child" is a book that will not only capture its audience's attention with all the dramas that goes on within the house between Rosie ,the evil light skinned mother and her rainbow tribe of children but, also the night encounters which have led Tangy Mae and her sisters to become their mother's slaves as Rosie leads them to "the Farmhouse". This book will have you on the edge of your seat and waiting to see what will happen next. I can't wait until this author writes another book

AFTER READING THIS BOOK AND I HAVE READ VERY MANY.............THIS IS BY FAR ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ.............BEING RAISED BY A MOTHER VERY SIMILAR TO TANGY MAE'S MOM I COULD REALLY RELATE TO ALOT OF IT.....ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT IT WAS VERY WELL WRITTEN AND I HOPE THERE WILL BE A MOVIE AND I WILL READ EVERY THING ELSE DELORES PHILLIPS WRITES.............GREAT JOB...

I agree with the original poster. this book is FANTASTIC ..one of the best I have read in a VERY long time ..however the original cover was definitely better. This new one shows a child who looks NOTHING like what the original protogonist (Tangy Mae)is described as. Bring back the original!

i read this entire book in two days! i started on a friday and couldn't put it down until i had read the very last page. my heart went out to tangy mae and her mother was simply unbelievable! i wanted to jump through the book and pimp slap her! the author did an outstanding job at painting the picture of rural country life in the 1950's.
iris celeste, author of Praise Your Way Through

This was an extraordinary read especially on my new
Kindle.

There's another book called "Long Train to the Redeeming Sin"
about African women that was like this (really, really good)
and it had a lot of similar themes but much more colorful
because of Africa. I guess this genre is the Toni Morrison
type of book?

I love these kinds of books.

Many times while reading this book I wished that I could get my hands on Tangy's mom. I don't generally read books of this nature, but I could not put this one down.

The mother had nothing to do all day and as they say "the idle mind is the playground of the devil"

One word to describe this book, and that is AWESOME, When I finished reading the book, I missed the characters mainly Tangy Mae. I am praying that she writes a sequel. I'm just amazed at the impression that this book has left on me. Delores Phillips did an excellent job on her first novel, I can't wait for book number two!

I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end. A little too much child abuse for my taste but in the day and age that this book is based I believe that this could have with happened without consequences.

Very few books stick with me and move me like this book. If you read nothing this year read this book. And pass it on to others that they make be moved by this wonderful story tellers books. Ms phillips moves you with the heartbreaking story of Tangy Mae. You want to weep for the things she has suffered and want her to continue to raise above them. Thank you Ms. Phillips.

This book was great from beginning to end. Pressing through the emotions of anger and triumph, I conquered this read in 2 days. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to be engulfed from the lines of the first page!!!!

I picked this book up a couple of weeks ago and finally got around to reading it. Let me say this is DEFINITELY a great read. Please go pick this book up. I really enjoyed the book. Probably the best book I've read this year thus far!

This is one of the best novels I have ever read ... the characters seemed so real and although a heartbreaking story it still shows human strength and triumph. I laughed and cryed for the main character and could not put the book down until I got to the last page. I am patiently awaiting a follow up novel by Ms. Phillips.

Who cares what the cover looks like, I NEVER look at the cover, thank goodness, because if I did judge a book by it's cover I wouldn't have read even half of the wonderful books that I've read in the past. This book is great and everyone should read it. Many people have no idea that things like this have happened and they have. It's heartbreaking but a wonderful, can't put it down, read! The original cover is beautiful but so what!!!

From the first word, The Darkest Child, held me captive. I went through a spectrum of emotions reading it... including shock. I would recommend this book to anyone. And I bet the reader will not want to put it down until the last word is read.

The Darkest Child is a powerful debut from Delores Phillips. I read this book and must say it is one of the most emotionally difficult books I have read. I highly recommend this book. I'm waiting on the sequel.

This was the best book i've read in my lifetime and will probably be. Even though I think the story is about Delores Phillips,because of the about the author section describes Tangy mae. This novel was excellent. I was right there in the kitchen with them laying on the floor. I had to read my bible after this book. It bothered me tremendously for weeks. Lord help all the children who are living this book forreal.

As an avid reader, I would have to say that this is one of the best books I have ever read. Although this is Delores Phillips' first novel, she uses extraordinary skills to ensure her readers visually see every detail of her work. From beginning to end, there were times when my breath was literally caught in my throat while reading. Kudos to Ms.Phillips!!!

Beautifully well written. A friend bought it for me as a Christmas present but I let it sit on the shelf for a few months before opening it up. If I had known what to expect I would have began to read it immediately! The story drew me in from the beginning.

This is the best book I have read in some time. I couldn't put it down. I felt like I personally knew these people and was living in the house with them. I didn't want the book to end. Ms. Phillips made me stop reading every now and then to take a deep breath. She made it so real. I am looking forward to her next novel.

I am an avid reader, so when I say this book is among the top 5 books I've ever read, it means a lot. This book is such a page turner, it will have you engrossed until the last page. The plot is extremely involved, so I don't want to give away any of the events, but let's just say that you will NOT be disappointed.

"This book was riveting, and keep me on the edge of my seat, chair, bed, pool, and jacuzzi. It took it everywhere I went, 'cause I could put it down. The main and supporting characters were excellent! A must read. Two thumbs up!

I applaud Delores Phillips for her work in this novel. Through the heart-breaking life experiences of Tangy Mae, Phillips brilliantly describes the debilitating effects of a society boiling with racism, poverty and injustice, but shows how resilience of the human spirit can still overcome even those tough obstacles.

I finished this book with tears in my eyes! Just trying to imagine a mother treating her children the way Rozella did was very disturbing. This has to be one of the best books that I have read in a long time!

This is not a book to ignore. You will enjoy it, and hate the mother at the same time.

This book was nothing short of a masterpiece... I fell in love with the characters. I felt as if I was leading their lives; I cried when they cried and laughed when they laughed... This book was incredible !!!

Delores Phillips wrote a sit on the edge of your seat story that I could not put down. Her children were possessions to her, not poeple that deserved to be loved. The characters were so bold but yet in need of your love that you just wanted to reach out and help them.

This book will definitely make you cry, laugh, and hate all at the same time. Delores Phillips' stunning debut is truly reminiscent of 'The Color Purple' and shows how education is taken for granted today.

I really like this book, wait no, I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!! It was very good, so good in fact I read it in one day! I liked everything about the book. I like the way she tied all the loose ends together towards the end of the book.

I have not read a book in a long time that has moved me to tears. Throughout the book I felt I was right there with the main character Tangy. The book was beautifully written, and has found a spot on my favorite books list.

This is a gripping story that draws you in from the beginning. I couldn't put it down once I read the first page. I cried at certain parts of this book. It's hard to belive that it's fiction. This book wil touch in so many ways.

I have never read a book with more unredeemable characters. The abuse perpetuated on the children of Rozelle is unprecedented in literature. Beatings, burnings, forced prostitution, emotional manipulation and even murder are all a part of this demented story. I kept waiting for something, anything to happen to free these poor children from their mother's vise-grip. Each incident was worse than the one before and after awhile I became really disgusted at the entire book. I likened the author's style of piling on the misery in story after story to a monotonous voice of doom. I really has a hard time emphathizing with any of the characters because the author's telling and re-telling of the horrors their mother inflicted on them. This style made even the children simply objects for stories of abuse. The author failed to make all of the kids human. Tangy's own character was one demensional. So much was left out that we don't really get a clear picture of how Rozelle was transformed into the monster that she was. There is no real genesis of her madness or her parents strangeness. Each of the siblings appear cardboard and simply placed in the story as objects of abuse. This book was totally exhausting for me to read but the author does have a talent for holding you to the end. Unfortunately the end was not worth the pain of the story.