Jojo may be a teenager, but he is not, nor was he ever, a child. He is burdened with a mother addicted to drugs, alcohol and the love and attention of his white father. The silver lining for Jojo is that they live with his grandparents.
Growing up with resentful parents, Jojo learned to take care of himself and his baby sister, Kayla. Even at thirteen years old, he knows he cannot rely on his mother, Leonie. He looks to his grandparents to take care of him best they can and, most importantly, show him what it means to be a man.
Jojo is a likeable and sympathetic character. He wants to live a normal life, but is trapped in a dysfunctional relationship with his mother. After her teenage pregnancy, Leonie does not want or care to learn how to be a mother. She is selfish and constantly looking for an escape. All she cares about is Jojo’s white father, Michael.
Much of the story takes place when Leonie drags Jojo and Kayla on a road trip to pick Michael up from prison. This is the same prison Jojo’s grandfather was incarcerated in as a young man. There, Jojo encounters the ghost of a young man formerly imprisoned with his grandfather, who also has lessons to teach Jojo about life, love, friendship and the cruelties of the past.
Sing, Unburied Sing is beautifully written, complex and thought-provoking. Varying perspectives give the reader insight into what characters see and hear, adding a unique spin to the story. Each family member has fears, sadness, regret and love, but each expresses those emotions differently. The author constantly reminds us that the past can continue to haunt us until it is set free. I highly recommend you pick up this book when you are in the mood for a deep, introspective read.
Verdict: Read it (4/5 stars)
Length: 285 pages.
Quote: “Home is about the earth. Whether the earth opens up to you. Whether it pull you so close the space between you and it melt and y’all one and it beats like your heart. Same time.”
Also Read: Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
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