Reviews
eoeA tense, layered and evocative tale...Jones explores the rivalry and connection of siblings, the meaning of beauty, the perils of young womanhood, the complexities of romantic relationships and the contemporary African-American experience.ee" Minneapolis Star Tribune, eoeCharting a vast emotional unknown is Tayari Jones's compelling third novel, Silver Sparrow , in which a teenage girl's coming of age in 1990s Atlanta is shadowed by her dawning understanding of a corrosive secret e" her father's second family.e e" Vogue, "Absorbing . . . Jones writes dialogue that is realistic and sparkling, with an intuitive sense of how much to reveal and when."-- Washington Post, "That Jones offers no pat answers is the secret sauce spicing Silver Sparrow . The prose goes down so compulsively that it might be easy to miss the heart of the story. She shines a light on a particular disenfranchised group, the children who grow up in second families." - The Denver Post, "If your mom is a fan of emotionally charged morality tales (and whose mom isn't?), she's going to devour Tayari Jones's third novel, Silver Sparrow , in a single sitting. Jones, a native Atlantan, once again mines her town for material and strikes serious pay dirt. Sparrow introduces us to sisters Dana Lynn Yarboro and Bunny Chaurisse Witherspoon, who were born four months apart from different mothers and have never met. One reason? Their father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist who has gone to great pains to ensure they remain in the dark about each other. And when they do meet, that's when Sparrow gets really good."--Essence, eoeAbsorbing . . . Jones writes dialogue that is realistic and sparkling, with an intuitive sense of how much to reveal and when.e-- Washington Post, eoeImpossible to put down until you find out how these sisters will discover their own versions of family.ee" Los Angeles Times, eoeThis is a heartbreaking story of two sisters, unknown to each other at first, who find and love each other for a short time in their lives.e e" The Oklahoman, Impossible to put down until you find out how these sisters will discover their own versions of family.Los Angeles Times, eoeTayari Jones's immensely pleasurable new novel pulls off a minor miracle... Subtly exploring the power of labels... Jones crafts an affecting tale about things, big and small, we forfeit to forge a family. There are no winners in this empathetic and provocative story, only survivors.ee" MORE, eoe Silver Sparrow is rich, substantive, meaningful. It is also, at turns, funny and sharp, haunting and heartbreaking.ee" The Root, S[An] expansive third novel Jones effectively blends the sisters " varied, flawed perspectives as the characters struggle with presumptions of family and the unwieldy binds of love and identity. "Booklist, eoeThis is a precisely written, meticulously controlled work. Ite(tm)s also one that leaves room for the messiness of fragmented lives e" an impressive command of the craft at hand, and its paradoxes.ee" Vol. 1 Brooklyn, This is a precisely written, meticulously controlled work. Its also one that leaves room for the messiness of fragmented lives an impressive command of the craft at hand, and its paradoxes.Vol. 1 Brooklyn, "This is a heartbreaking story of two sisters, unknown to each other at first, who find and love each other for a short time in their lives." The Oklahoman, "Tayari Jones's immensely pleasurable new novel pulls off a minor miracle . . . Jones crafts an affecting tale about things, big and small, we forfeit to forge a family . . . There are no winners in this empathetic and provocative story, just survivors." - More, "A love story... full of perverse wisdom and proud joy....Jones's skill for wry understatement never wavers."e"O, The Oprah Magazine, eoePopulating this absorbing novel is a vivid cast of characters . . . Jones writes dialogue that is realistic and sparkling, with an intuitive sense of how much to reveal and when . . . One of literaturee(tm)s most intriguing extended families.e e" The Washington Post, SIf your mom is a fan of emotionally charged morality tales (and whose mom isn "t?), she "s going to devour Tayari Jones "s third novel, Silver Sparrow , in a single sitting. Jones, a native Atlantan, once again mines her town for material and strikes serious pay dirt. Sparrow introduces us to sisters Dana Lynn Yarboro and Bunny Chaurisse Witherspoon, who were born four months apart from different mothers and have never met. One reason? Their father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist who has gone to great pains to ensure they remain in the dark about each other. And when they do meet, that "s when Sparrow gets really good. "Essence, "Populating this absorbing novel is a vivid cast of characters . . . Jones writes dialogue that is realistic and sparkling, with an intuitive sense of how much to reveal and when . . . One of literature's most intriguing extended families." - The Washington Post, "Tayari Jones has taken Atlanta for her literary terroir, and like many of our finest novelists, she gives readers a sense of place in a deeply observed way. But more than that, Jones has created in her main characters tour guides of that region: honest, hurt, observant and compelling young women whose voices cannot be ignored . . . Impossible to put down until you find out how these sisters will discover their own versions of family." - Los Angeles Times, Silver Sparrow is rich, substantive, meaningful. It is also, at turns, funny and sharp, haunting and heartbreaking.The Root, "A love story... full of perverse wisdom and proud joy....Jones's skill for wry understatement never wavers."--O, The Oprah Magazine, Absorbing . . . Jones writes dialogue that is realistic and sparkling, with an intuitive sense of how much to reveal and when.--Washington Post, eoe[Jones] is fast defining middle-class black Atlanta the way Cheever did Westchester e e" Village Voice, eoeJones gives us permission to love all of the novele(tm)s women, though they are flawed and often refuse to love each other. Thate(tm)s a recipe for great book club discussions.e e" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, eoeTayari Jones has taken Atlanta for her literary terroir, and like many of our finest novelists, she gives readers a sense of place in a deeply observed way. But more than that, Jones has created in her main characters tour guides of that region: honest, hurt, observant and compelling young women whose voices cannot be ignored . . . Impossible to put down until you find out how these sisters will discover their own versions of family.e e" Los Angeles Times, "A love story . . . Full of perverse wisdom and proud joy . . . Jones's skill for wry understatement never wavers." - O: The Oprah Magazine, "Charting a vast emotional unknown is Tayari Jones's compelling third novel, Silver Sparrow , in which a teenage girl's coming of age in 1990s Atlanta is shadowed by her dawning understanding of a corrosive secret her father's second family." Vogue, A tense, layered and evocative tale...Jones explores the rivalry and connection of siblings, the meaning of beauty, the perils of young womanhood, the complexities of romantic relationships and the contemporary African-American experience.Minneapolis Star Tribune, [An] expansive third novel…Jones effectively blends the sisters' varied, flawed perspectives as the characters struggle with presumptions of family and the unwieldy binds of love and identity.-Booklist, "[Jones] is fast defining middle-class black Atlanta the way Cheever did Westchester " - Village Voice, "A love story... full of perverse wisdom and proud joy....Jones's skill for wry understatement never wavers." "O, The Oprah Magazine, "A tense, layered and evocative tale...Jones explores the rivalry and connection of siblings, the meaning of beauty, the perils of young womanhood, the complexities of romantic relationships and the contemporary African-American experience."- Minneapolis Star Tribune, "[An] expansive third novel...Jones effectively blends the sisters' varied, flawed perspectives as the characters struggle with presumptions of family and the unwieldy binds of love and identity."--Booklist, eoe[An] expansive third noveleJones effectively blends the sisterse(tm) varied, flawed perspectives as the characters struggle with presumptions of family and the unwieldy binds of love and identity.ee"Booklist, Charting a vast emotional unknown is Tayari Jones's compelling third novel, Silver Sparrow, in which a teenage girl's coming of age in 1990s Atlanta is shadowed by her dawning understanding of a corrosive secret her father's second family. Vogue, "Tayari Jones's immensely pleasurable new novel pulls off a minor miracle... Subtly exploring the power of labels... Jones crafts an affecting tale about things, big and small, we forfeit to forge a family. There are no winners in this empathetic and provocative story, only survivors."- MORE, "This is a precisely written, meticulously controlled work. It's also one that leaves room for the messiness of fragmented lives - an impressive command of the craft at hand, and its paradoxes."- Vol. 1 Brooklyn, eoeThat Jones offers no pat answers is the secret sauce spicing Silver Sparrow . The prose goes down so compulsively that it might be easy to miss the heart of the story. She shines a light on a particular disenfranchised group, the children who grow up in second families.e e" The Denver Post, "Impossible to put down until you find out how these sisters will discover their own versions of family."- Los Angeles Times, This is a heartbreaking story of two sisters, unknown to each other at first, who find and love each other for a short time in their lives. The Oklahoman, "Charting a vast emotional unknown is Tayari Jones's compelling third novel, Silver Sparrow , in which a teenage girl's coming of age in 1990s Atlanta is shadowed by her dawning understanding of a corrosive secret - her father's second family." - Vogue, "A love story... full of perverse wisdom and proud joy....Jones's skill for wry understatement neverwavers." O, The Oprah Magazine, " Silver Sparrow is rich, substantive, meaningful. It is also, at turns, funny and sharp, haunting and heartbreaking."- The Root, "[Jones] Is Fast Defining Middle-Class Black Atlanta the Way Cheever Did Westchester " Village Voice, eoeTayari Jonese(tm)s immensely pleasurable new novel pulls off a minor miracle . . . Jones crafts an affecting tale about things, big and small, we forfeit to forge a family . . . There are no winners in this empathetic and provocative story, just survivors.e e" More, Tayari Jones's immensely pleasurable new novel pulls off a minor miracle... Subtly exploring the power of labels... Jones crafts an affecting tale about things, big and small, we forfeit to forge a family. There are no winners in this empathetic and provocative story, only survivors.MORE, eoeA love story . . . Full of perverse wisdom and proud joy . . . Jonese(tm)s skill for wry understatement never wavers.e e" O: The Oprah Magazine, "This is a heartbreaking story of two sisters, unknown to each other at first, who find and love each other for a short time in their lives." - The Oklahoman, If your mom is a fan of emotionally charged morality tales (and whose mom isn t?), she s going to devour Tayari Jones s third novel, Silver Sparrow, in a single sitting. Jones, a native Atlantan, once again mines her town for material and strikes serious pay dirt. Sparrow introduces us to sisters Dana Lynn Yarboro and Bunny Chaurisse Witherspoon, who were born four months apart from different mothers and have never met. One reason? Their father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist who has gone to great pains to ensure they remain in the dark about each other. And when they do meet, that s when Sparrow gets really good. Essence, eoeIf your mom is a fan of emotionally charged morality tales (and whose mom isne(tm)t?), shee(tm)s going to devour Tayari Jonese(tm)s third novel, Silver Sparrow , in a single sitting. Jones, a native Atlantan, once again mines her town for material and strikes serious pay dirt. Sparrow introduces us to sisters Dana Lynn Yarboro and Bunny Chaurisse Witherspoon, who were born four months apart from different mothers and have never met. One reason? Their father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist who has gone to great pains to ensure they remain in the dark about each other. And when they do meet, thate(tm)s when Sparrow gets really good.ee"Essence, [An] expansive third novel Jones effectively blends the sisters varied, flawed perspectives as the characters struggle with presumptions of family and the unwieldy binds of love and identity. Booklist, "Jones gives us permission to love all of the novel's women, though they are flawed and often refuse to love each other. That's a recipe for great book club discussions." - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, If your mom is a fan of emotionally charged morality tales (and whose mom isn't?), she's going to devour Tayari Jones's third novel, Silver Sparrow , in a single sitting. Jones, a native Atlantan, once again mines her town for material and strikes serious pay dirt. Sparrow introduces us to sisters Dana Lynn Yarboro and Bunny Chaurisse Witherspoon, who were born four months apart from different mothers and have never met. One reason? Their father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist who has gone to great pains to ensure they remain in the dark about each other. And when they do meet, that's when Sparrow gets really good.-Essence
