The Middle Sister

The Middle Sister     
Bonnie J. Glover
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Pamela Johnson is the middle sister, who along with sisters Nona & Theresa have the daunting task of keeping the sanity of their family.  After their dad vacated his “Daddy” spot, the mental fabric of the family becomes tattered and it’s all the girls can do to survive in the midst of their Mother’s mental breakdown.

Bonnie J. Glover’s debut novel is not a bad effort at all.  In fact it’s quite daring and introspective on more than just one level.  The writing at times becomes a bit pretentious, but the overall effect is notable for this first-time fiction author.

The Middle Sister is set in 1970’s East New York where Pamela conjures an invisible friend into being, as if he were the Father figure that she’d missed since the days of her daddy’s departure.  In fact that is the only plausible reason for the appearance of Kwai Chang – David Carradine’s character from the old action series Kung Fu – to offer the fatherly advice that is lacking in Pamela’s life.  This fact speaks very boldly on how one survives the devastation of life.  It speaks on how the human mind places that very survival above all other situations that make up the muck of life.

And that is exactly what Glover’s expertly crafted novel represents:  surviving the muck the world sometimes offers up.  And as a side motif:  finding buried talents and establishing them as part of your own persona, your own legacy.

[pg. 56]
        
        The lock on the apartment door turned slowly and made a grinding noise when Nona pushed it open.  Theresa rolled her eyes since we had been trying to be as quiet as possible.  I thought right away that I would check my toolbox to see if I had any four-in-one.  I’d lubricated the lock and doorknob and get rid of that sound.  Funny how I knew what to do with problems like doorknobs or dripping faucets without thinking hard.  In my mind I could see exactly how I would approach a problem like that, what tools I’d use, and how long the job would take, all in a few seconds.  Maybe that was my talent, fixing things like Daddy used to do.  That made me smile a little inside.
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No doubt Pamela’s talent for solving problems and preserving the peace within is the glue that keeps this family together.  And you’d better believe Glover gives Pamela and her sisters more than their fair share of problems to resolve, conquer and move beyond.  Sometimes Glover does this with startling and chilling alacrity, but at other times the sobering effect of her writing is bittersweet with humor.

At one point in this spectacular freshman effort the sisters have taken their Mother for a doctor’s visit.  Having witnessed Alzheimer’s work its’ mystical effects, this scene is firmly etched in my memory:

[pg. 119]
        
        “That James Brown, he sure do know how to keep that head combed.  Wished I could get a perm to do like his do.”
        “Mama, you look fine.  You don’t need no perm.  You got an Afro now.  You a real soul sister.”
        ….The door opened, and a large white woman came in holding a folder in her right hand and fumbling to put on glasses with her left…
        “Mrs. Johnson?”
        “That’s me, Doctor.”
        “My name is Dr. Renee Moore….  Can you tell me what’s wrong?”
        My mother waited a couple of seconds, then looked at Nona, me, and Theresa.
        “They say I done lost my mind.”
        “And what do you say?”
        “That it’s a matter of opinion.”
        I’d never heard Mama speak like this before. I jerked my head up.
        “Why is it a matter of opinion?”
        Maybe I ain’t lose it, maybe I just misplaces it every once in a while.”
        Mama gave the doctor one of the grins she gave to us when we brought her home a candy bar or burger from McDonald’s….
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Another poignant moment is when Glover reveals to us Nona’s lesbianism.  The very fact was announced in such a way as one never saw it coming, but the way the Johnson family embraced Nona makes for a very admirable stance.

Glover’s novel has shattered stereotypes of mega proportions.  She has given a voice to the strength of iron will and determination.  She has given a voice to the mentally ill and the ill-spurned alike.  She has shown that in the face of adversity one must be there for family and she’s done so in stunning & beautiful fashion.

4 ½  Stars – Introspective, Strong-voiced & Admirable


Reviewed for Mahogany Media of Hudson & Albany NY
Mahogany Media Review

From A Hard Rock To A Gem

From A Hard Rock To A Gem     
Pamela A. Johnson
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From A Hard Rock To A Gem can be defined as a coy euphemism to describe what attitude one is likely to own whilst coming from and out of the ghetto.  Thus is Johnson’s topic with the aptly titled novel that has the subtitle “a memoir of a lost soul.”  And while this is indeed a noble subject to embrace with pen, Pamela A. Johnson’s effort (unfortunately) falls short of being a stellar voice within the “moving-on-up” genre of today’s literature.

The novel begins with a quote from the main character’s grandmother, Nana Downstairs:

If you keep going in the direction you’re going
You’re going to end up where you’re headed.

With this somewhat ambiguous oxymoron in mind, the tedium of Johnson’s tale begins.  The introduction spews forth with the telling of Diamond Faith Sterling’s early childhood in the inner-city, then blossoms – and with not much subtlety – into how she makes “major moves”, becoming the first female Kingpin (also-referred to as Queenpin) in the dope game of  East Oakland, California.

Though Johnson weaves a tiresome story, the detail in her memoir is vivid with actual detail that reads true.  But her story offers little (if any at all) humor.  Some may argue that merely surviving the harsh environs of the ghetto is in and of itself the proverbial last-laugh.  I, however, felt there was that inevitable bit of humor within Diamond’s character missing – especially considering she does indeed survive the onslaught of being shot at, beatup and abandoned to live with reluctant family members.  This is the story of a tough young lady who – against all odds – does thrive in her environment, but towards the middle and especially the ending of the novel it began to read more like a parody without the laughs.  

Very important thing that humor could have rescued this book from the depths of ultimate tedium.  Johnson neglects to mention any sort of trait that would show me how Diamond was able to sustain her life long enough to become the multimillionaires Queenpin.  Sure she speaks about Diamond’s prowess on the streets for “keeping it real” and having the right connections to obtain the crackrock to sling in the hood.  That’s all fine and good, but anybody could tell you that being THE Boss in the dope game is more than “keeping it real.”  And from this standpoint From A Hard Rock To A Gem no longer rings of truth, but rather dismally knocks of big exploits and tired clichés.

There is, however one memorable scene where Diamond, who was once hooked on snorting lines of cocaine, gives a piece of sage advice to her addict friends White Girl and Lakeisha:

[pg. 190]
        “What, what made you quit Diamond,” White Girl want to know.
       “I started havin’ cash flow problems and y’all know how much I like money.  When it started interferin’ with my money and my business, I stopped.”
        “What program did you go to?” Lakeisha asked.
        “Program…  I didn’t go to no fuckin’ program.  I stopped on my own.  Y’all can stop on yo own too if you wanted.  All it takes is for yo desire to stop usin’ to be stronger than yo desire to use, and you can stop.”
        “So you sayin’ you never even slipped?”  White Girl asked.
        “No I didn’t.  Not once I made up my mind I didn’t.”
        White Girl asked another question.  “So you sayin’ you never crave for coke?”
        “There was times when I wanted it, but that’s when I get my Bible or call somebody I know who use to use but stopped and talk to ‘em about my urge….   When you get those urges they don’t last long, but they be strong.  You gotta stay focused on yo desire to quit usin’ and you have to remember that depression you suffered in the past when you came down from that high.  It’s been a struggle but I been clean eighteen months.  And I didn’t go to no program.  I just stopped usin’….  If yo desire to stop usin’ is stronger than yo desire to use, yes I think you can stop,” I said looking her straight in the eye.
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Admirable words and lovely advice.  Novel words?  Unique advice?  No.  It tends to read like a line straight from the Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous handbook.  And thus is the writing of Johnson.  The premise of the novel is indeed a noble one.  The clunky and cliché writing of the subject matter is not.

3 Stars – Tedious Reading


Reviewed for Mahogany Media of Hudson & Albany NY
Mahogany Media Review