Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for The Girl at the Back of the Bus by Suzette D. Harrison. My thanks to Sarah Hardy for inviting me to take part in the tour in the company of so many other wonderful book bloggers, and to Bookouture for my review copy via NetGalley.
About the Book
‘I watched in awe as Miz Rosa stopped those men on the bus with her clear, calm “no” and I thought about that word. What if I said no? What if I refused to follow the path these White folks wanted for us? What if I kept this precious baby?’
Montgomery, Alabama, 1955. On a cold December evening, Mattie Banks packs a suitcase and leaves her family home. Sixteen years old and pregnant, she has already made the mistake that will ruin her life and disgrace her widowed mother. Boarding the 2857 bus, she sits with her case on her lap, hoping that the driver will take her away from disaster. Instead, Mattie witnesses an act of bravery by a woman named Rosa Parks that changes everything. But as Mattie strives to turn her life around, the dangers that first led her to run are never far away. Forging a new life in a harsh world at constant risk of exposure, Mattie will need to fight to keep her baby safe.
Atlanta, Georgia, present day. Ashlee Turner is going home. Her relationship in ruins, her career held back by prejudice, she is returning to the family who have always been her rock. But Ashlee’s home is not the safe haven she remembers. Her beloved grandmother is dying and is determined to share her story before she leaves…
When Ashlee finds a stack of yellowing letters hidden in her Nana’s closet, she can’t help the curiosity that compels her to read them. She uncovers an old secret that could wreak havoc on her already grieving family. As she tries to make sense of what she has learned, Ashlee faces a devastating choice: to protect her loved ones from the revelations or honour her grandmother’s wishes and follow the path to the truth, no matter where it may lead.
Format: eARC (310 pages) Publisher: Bookouture
Publication date: 8th February 2021 Genre: Contemporary/Historical Fiction
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My Review
Told in alternating chapters, The Girl at the Back of the Bus depicts how one small but significant act of defiance inspires three generations of black women to take control of their lives and rise above the discrimination they face.
I admired the clever way the author had Ashlee learn her grandmother’s story, initially just catching up on the story we as readers have already been witness too but then learning, alongside the reader, what happened next. It was also fascinating to see the parallels between the challenges faced by Mattie and those by Ashlee, and how Ashlee takes inspiration from what her grandmother had overcome. As Ashlee reflects, “My having education and economic power that she hadn’t possessed didn’t simplify my options. We both had decisions… Something in her proactiveness, her bravery, surpassed me, spoke to me, demanded introspection, was sobering”. In return, Ashlee is able to fulfil her grandmother’s dying wish and carve out a more rewarding future for herself at the same time.
The book is full of strong, determined women. Not just Mattie but her mother, Dorothy, and Ashlee’s mother, Savannah. As Ashlee comes to recognise she is the product of “indomitable spirits of transcendent women”. And, of course, there is the woman who inspired it all – Rosa Parks. As Mattie observes, “Her sitting gave me courage to stand.” And what courage Rosa Parks needed given the injustices she and other black people experienced at that time. One of the most fascinating aspects of the book for me was the insight into the daily iniquities, such as the shorter loan period for library books or having to board a bus, pay the driver, then get off and enter by a rear door to sit at the back of the bus.
Although some of the men in the book are distinctly unpleasant characters, I’d like to single out Ashlee’s grandfather and Ashlee’s partner, Brad, as positive role models. I’m sure I’m not alone in being touched by the tender scenes between Ashlee’s grandmother and grandfather towards the end of the book. I also liked the realistic depiction of Ashlee’s and Brad’s very modern day relationship involving the juggling of personal and career aspirations.
The Girl at the Back of the Bus is an enthralling and touching story of how courage and tenacity can overcome injustice and inspire others.
In three words: Romantic, heart-warming, emotional
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About the Author
Suzette D. Harrison, a native Californian and the middle of three daughters, grew up in a home where reading was required, not requested. Her literary “career” began in junior high school with the publishing of her poetry. While Mrs. Harrison pays homage to Alex Haley, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker, Langston Hughes and Toni Morrison as legends who inspired her creativity, it was Dr. Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings that unleashed her writing. The award-winning author of Taffy is a wife and mother who holds a culinary degree in Pastry & Baking. Mrs. Harrison is currently cooking up her next novel…in between batches of cupcakes.
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About the Book
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