The Kindest Lie is a debut novel written by Nancy Johnson. I’m impressed with this debut novel. It manages to cover such countless subjects including race, social class, and parenthood to name a few. What is unique about this story is that every reader may leave with a different feeling that had the most impact. This is a book I found myself thinking about a day after I got done reading it. I love when a story establishes a deep connection with you.
Story is set in 2008. Ruth Tuttle, an Ivy League educated Black engineer, living in Chicago with her husband. He wants to begin a family but Ruth realizes she must drop a stunner on him first. She had never revealed to him when she was a teenager she gave birth and the child was set up for adoption. Ruth proceeded to get away from her poverty-stricken town, go to school, and begin a profession. However, presently she needs to return to her past and in the process she may uncover a family mystery or two. Along the way she will meet a young white kid with nickname, Midnight.
The Kindest Lie is a story set during the time span in which Obama has recently won the presidential election. However, he has not yet gotten down to business. So you have this fascinating setting of such countless individuals confident of progress blended in with Ruth visiting her old hometown in Indiana which has organizations closing down left and right and individuals struggling to get by. It was not difficult to get a distinctive picture in my mind despite the fact that it is a fictional town. This added richness to the story.
I will say I had a bit of lightbulb moment when I at last sorted two things out with respect to the plot. However, I prefer not to uncover a lot in my review. Still it is essential to mention it is an exceptionally layered story. So it is deserving of a book club selection as there are such countless things to discuss.
I highly recommend The Kindest Lie and I trust the author is working diligently on another novel. Couldn’t imagine anything better than to see where her writing ability takes her next!
Also Read: Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019
Book Review Podcast ( The Kindest Lie: Book By Nancy Johnson )
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