I love Virgin Soul by Judy Juanita. The book is stepping into the life of
Geniece, an African American young woman getting seduced by the Civil Rights
movement during her early college years and in the San Francisco Bay Area
(where I’m from). Parentless and raised
by relatives, subject to the turmoil of society around her, and haunted by
race, she’s basically a good girl deciding her values.
The books reads a little like a diary and is detailed in the
minutia of daily life. I’m so far out of
Geniece’s experience but appreciated hearing her viewpoint. These two factors together do what fiction is
supposed to do…take you into another world and let you feel the reality of
someone different.
And gosh does Juanita take on big issues. Occasionally, they weigh a bit heavy…but in
the believable way of a young girl grappling to form her own opinions. This is a coming of age book very relevant
today in our world of ever changing values and morals. Being just post Baby Boom I forget all the
evolving values that generation felt compelled to resolve.
I hope people read this book and step outside their world
and into Geniece’s. Virgin Soul captures
a pivotal point of time in our American history through the eyes of a likeable
girl who grows into a woman before our eyes.
And it’s in the Bay Area! Please,
one of the most compelling areas of social and societal (I mean technology
based) change!
Read this book!
No comments:
Post a Comment