Calling Me Home is a story that interweaves past with present, as Miss Isabelle McCallister and her friend/hairdresser Dorrie make a cross country trip to a funeral. Miss Isabelle is an elderly woman living alone and has asked Dorrie a young single black hairdresser to drive her from Texas to Cincinnati. With Dorrie's crazy life, she kinda will get a break from everything going on at home plus the added bonus of learning a bit more about Isabelle's guarded past.
As the head out of town, Miss Isabelle begins her story...Kentucky 1939. With miles of road behind them she shares the story of her true love, a forbidden love. 17 year old Isabelle had fallen in love with 18 year old Robert Prewitt, a black youth whose mother worked for Isabelle's family. The closer they get to Cincinnati the more Dorrie learns of Isabelle's heartbreaking story and realizes the funeral is of utmost importance.
While driving, Dorrie's hectic life seems to be following her. She feels pressed with her own son and with the new man in her life. But as she sits and listens to Miss Isabelle's story she quickly realizes there are many truths in her story that Dorrie can use in her own life. Once at the funeral, when all the truth is revealed the two women are more connected than ever.
What can I say? I loved Calling Me Home! With the beginning of the romance you can't help but think oh no! Not in that time! You know what was done to young black boys if they even looked at a white women back then! I wanted to talk some sense into her, but at the same time you want them together because they love each other! It's a struggle reading about the appalling treatment...it's like you read and realize how far things have come and at the same time realize there is so much more to be done.
This is a book you really don't want to put down. You can't help but want to know what's next and I LOVED how Dorrie was not just another person is the story, but was also hearing the story just as I was. I sat with this book crying as it came to an end.
I highly recommend Calling Me Home.
Calling Me Home is the February She Reads book club pick.
She Reads is giving away 10 copies, courtesy of St. Martin’s Press! Just follow the link to the She Reads website (here's the link!) and leave a comment! Winners will be chosen Friday! Good luck!
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Great review! I loved this book.
ReplyDeleteTears for me too. And I was also shouting at Isabelle many of the same things you mention above. Really liked your comment about Dorrie and how she was more then a character.
ReplyDeleteGlad I popped in.
Very cool, I heard about this one awhile back, but this is the first review I have seen of it. I'm glad to hear it's good!
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