Tara M. Stringfellow

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow epitomizes #BlackGirlMagic as it tells the story of three generations of North women in the city of Memphis. Told in short sections, the story jumps around from woman to woman and year to year, but Stringfellow manages the characters very well so the shifts are never confusing — if anything each section only clarifies as she reveals their histories little by little. Along with this deft control of the narrative, intriguing but genuine characters and show more beautiful writing work together to make Memphis a real standout for 2022, and a must-read for fans of Britt Bennett, Kiley Reid, Tayari Jones, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and others looking for an excellent book that champions Black women, family, surviving trauma, and finding your passion. show less

Memphis is a wonderful debut novel. I hesitate to say it’s a joy to read because there’s some serious pain and suffering experienced by the character, but I really enjoyed reading about the generations of women of the North family. It goes back and forth in time, celebrating the wins of each woman and sharing the pain and suffering they experience as Black women in times of trouble. I loved all the characters, from the people to the city and the house where they all reside.

The story show more opens as Joan and her family are returning to Memphis. Why isn’t explained initially, but the reader knows something is off when Joan physically reacts to the sight of her cousin. It’s something everyone said she wouldn’t remember, she was too young, but she does. It’s an uneasy setup as Joan and her sister Mya get used to living in Memphis on one side of the house built by their grandfather. Their aunt August and her son Derek live on the other side. Each person in the house has their own secrets and pain, and gradually these are revealed in chapters alternating between time and character, starting with grandmother Hazel, then mother Miriam and on to August and Joan. (Mya was robbed – she needs her own book as she’s a fun character, questioning everything). While parts of the story are set away from Memphis and the house, the house and the city of Memphis are also main characters. As the story moves across time, the reader discovers how the city has changed to gunshots being normal and Joan and Mya being escorted to school under weapon protection. The gang lifestyle contrasts sharply to the dancing in Beale Street in Miriam and Hazel’s days. Yet the brutality is still there as Black people are killed for their colour and made to stand in the coloured section of the local corner shop.

For Miriam, the reader follows as she falls in and out of love with Jax backwards. We read of the end of their relationship first, followed by their courtship and then what drove them apart on multiple levels. August’s story of how she became the neighbourhood hairdresser is also explained back and forth, as well as her complex story with her son Derek. Threading through it is Joan’s story as she grows up in Memphis, ready to chase her dream. It’s nicely contrasted with Hazel, Miriam and August’s gifts and how they held back on their own dreams. August chose not to chase her gift, while Miriam tries again as a single parent. Perhaps Hazel was the closest, but her prime was destroyed by tragedy secondary to racism. Joan wants her dream to come true as an artist, but she is limited by Miriam’s opposition. Can she convince her mother with August’s help?

Every single word of Memphis is beautifully constructed, just like Joan’s drawings and paintings. Utmost care has been taken with the plot, the placing of each chapter and what is revealed and when. It makes for a wonderful gift to the reader. What I did find unsettling was the racism that each character experiences, particularly from people in positions of authority and the author’s afterword, which specifically mentions cafes that weren’t horrible to her as she was writing alone at their tables. The themes of poverty, love and trauma also run through the novel, exploring sacrifices and battling through trauma for those you love. It’s a brilliant story, and I look forward to more from Tara M. Stringfellow.

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TW/CW: Sexual assault, incest, domestic abuse, murder, gang activity, racism, language

RATING: 4/5

REVIEW: I won a free copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Memphis follows the lives of a family of black women from Memphis from the 1930’s through 2003. It documents their joys and their sorrows, and the great loss they experience through these times.

This book, as is obvious from the trigger warnings listed above, can be difficult to read. It show more is, however, beautifully written – at times almost poetic – and the author does a good job of tying all the different time periods together and keeping it so that the reader doesn’t get confused about who or when they are reading about. As sad and heartbreaking as this story can be, it is also a story of hope, and I highly recommend this book. show less

The drama of a family forced to reunite after trauma broke them apart. Memphis, the ancestral home, draws them back despite the abuse and upheavals of life. A sense of community exists there, even if upended by gang and racial violence. A very tough book to read in spots (graphic abuse of a child) but a powerful look at what some families endure and how their bonds can help them overcome.