Greetings Earthkind!
As part of this Readers’ Advisory class, I am required to read and annotate five books from five different genres.
This week, I am annotating a book from the Urban Fiction genre.
Author: Marlon McCaulsky
Title: The Pink Palace
Series: The Triple Crown Collection
Genre: Urban fiction
Publication Date: 2008
Number of Pages: 228 (I read a paperback version from the library)
Geographical Setting: Atlanta, Georgia. (Other action takes place in New York City and Los Angeles).
Time Period: Late 2000s.
Plot Summary: This novel primarily tells the story of Janelle “Mo’Nique” Taylor, a woman from Atlanta who finds herself on her own without completing high school at 16. Her cousin, Nikki, eventually takes her in and introduces her to her line of work: dancing at The Pink Palace. Mo’Nique decides to join her and is extremely successful for a couple of years until she’s introduced to Tommy Holloway, who seems to be different than most of the other men she’s seen. Tommy works for Damien, the man Nikki is seeing, but the differences between Tommy and Damien are vast.
Mo’Nique suspects Tommy of hiding something, though she doesn’t realize just how separated he is from Damien’s drug-dealing world. As their relationship develops, Mo’Nique finds herself striving to complete her education and to go back to the Janelle she used to be.
This story, told from the perspectives of the four characters is about love and survival. Loving what you do. Loving who you are. Loving your family. Being able to provide for yourself. Figuring out what it takes to survive in this world and balancing your wants and your needs.
Will Mo’Nique and Tommy endure? Will Mo’Nique decide how to live her life? Will Tommy ever reveal who he really is? Will Nikki see Damien for who he really is?
Subject Headings: (All pulled from the Novelist Plus listing)
- Undercover operations
- Drug traffic
- Stripteasers
- Police
- Secrets
- Sexuality
- Betrayal
- African American men/women relations
- African American women
- Strip clubs
- Street life
Appeal: This book, though it does include the sex, revenge, and violence that many Urban Fiction novels include, is a wonderful example of how the genre really seeks to allow readers to empathize and get into the heads of the characters.
3 terms that best describe this book: Urban, Love, Survival
My Personal Thoughts:
This is my first time reading an Urban Fiction novel, and I’m glad I picked to read from this genre. I couldn’t have picked a better book, in my opinion. Marlon has really allowed us into the brains of the characters. I love the relationships that form, I ache for the pain that’s experienced by the characters, and I’m cheering for them as they succeed in being who they are, no matter what form that takes. There are several ways that I connect with Janelle, and I love being able to experience these events with her. She’s probably one of my favorite fictional female characters I’ve read ever.
This story is unapologetic in letting the characters do what they love and feel what they feel, and it makes me love them even more. As an outsider to their world, I can empathize with them and see who they are as people rather than just viewing their actions. The novel doesn’t ignore or gloss over details some people may find offensive, and I’m glad. These events, good or bad, lead these people to be who they are.
My only complaint would be that I wasn’t able to connect with Damien better. I get that he’s a massive jerk, but I honestly would have liked to see more of how he became who he is. That might just be a personal thing; I like to see into the minds of the villains just as much as the heroes.
Overall wonderful novel, and I have so much respect for Marlon as a writer and storyteller.
Thanks for taking time to read this review, and until next time, Happy Reading!
The Alien Librarian 