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The Darkest Child
The Darkest Child
Author: Delores Phillips
Rozelle Quinn is so fair-skinned that she can pass for white. Her ten children are mostly light, too. They constitute the only world she rules and controls. Her power over them is all she has in an otherwise cruel and uncaring universe. — Rozelle favors her light-skinned kids, but Tangy Mae, 13, her darkest-complected child, is the brightest. She...  more »
ISBN-13: 9781569473788
ISBN-10: 1569473781
Publication Date: 12/15/2004
Pages: 462
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 27

4.1 stars, based on 27 ratings
Publisher: Soho Press
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 4
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

LaurieS avatar reviewed The Darkest Child on + 504 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
It tells the story of dirt poor 13 year old Tansy Mae, one of ten children born to her unstable and at times very abusive mother. Tansy's mother is black but easily passes for white and makes her living cleaning houses for rich folks and pleasing the men of the house (but she keeps this from the younger kids). Her mother expects them all to quit school and get a job to help support them. Tansy is smarter than the rest and wants to complete school but her mother has other ideas and once Tansy becomes "of age" she's going to discover some ugly truths about her mother and her angry older sister.

Tansy has a difficult life, both at home and out. She's the darkest of all of her siblings and growing up in Georgia back in the 1950's and faces prejudice on a daily basis. This is her story, told in her voice and it is an excellent one that gripped me from the first page. It's heartbreaking and real and a book that isn't easily forgettable. My only minor complaint is that I wish it had gone on a bit longer but that's me being selfish.
reviewed The Darkest Child on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This book beautifully captures the fractured relationships between siblings and their crazy, abusive mother. Growing up in racist rural Georgia is hard enough but add on a psycho mom who literally loves her children to death, well you will weep and rejoice for the heroine Tangy Mae. I enjoyed this book so much I find it hard to part with. But i'll share the word!
reviewed The Darkest Child on
Helpful Score: 1
I kept waiting for the twist and it never came.
reviewed The Darkest Child on
Helpful Score: 1
This is one of my all time favorite books. I read it a couple of years ago and was so sucked into the story, I got angry when my subway stop came and I had to stop reading! I didn't want it to end. I have lent it to a friend to read, but I plan on rereading it as soon as I get it back, it's that good!
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merede3 avatar reviewed The Darkest Child on + 14 more book reviews
This book was a heart breaker. The main character's life is devastating yet she survives.

Book Wiki

Common Title
People/Characters
Tangy Mae (Primary Character)
Rozelle (Rosie) (Major Character)
Tarabelle (Average Character)

Genres: