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Mother of Pearl
Mother of Pearl
Author: Melinda Haynes
Capturing all the rueful irony and racial ambivalence of small-town Mississippi in the late 1950s, Melinda Haynes' celebrated novel is a wholly unforgettable exploration of family, identity, and redemption. Mother of Pearl revolves around twenty-eight-year-old Even Grade, a black man who grew up an orphan, and Valuable Korner, the fifteen-year-o...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780786864850
ISBN-10: 0786864850
Publication Date: 1999
Pages: 448
Rating:
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 6

3.4 stars, based on 6 ratings
Publisher: Little Brown
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

Leigh avatar reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 378 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 8
Predictable and wordy. I didn't see this as insightful as others did and found it a chore to get through. Save your time, as there are better books out there on the same subject.
countrylane avatar reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 81 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
I want to recommend a serious novel: MOTHER OF PEARL. This was an Oprah Club book and I really enjoyed it. A bit out of normal realm for me, but I highly recommend it. The setting is small town Mississippi in the 1950's. If you are familiar with the Southern lifestyle you will get into the book right away. I have talked to others who weren't so accustomed to the way we do things "down South" and they thought the book was a little odd. (not bad-just odd) But trust me, this book rings pretty true. This is a story about judgements, persecution and prejudice. The two main characters are Even Grade, a 28 year old black man who grew up an orphan in a segregated small southern town and Valuable Korner, a fifteen year old girl, considered poor white trash, a daughter of a whore (father unknown). These two unlikely people develop a genuine friendship. The book is full of outrageous, believable characters who help these two try to create a life they never had as children. The author is Melinda Haynes. She is a great writer and this book really kept me turning pages as the mystery unfolded. Multiple plots lead up to a shattering tragedy. Great book.
reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 18 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Very interesting, takes a while to get into, but offers a lot of rewards. NOT a beach read!! If you like Southern literature, you'll probably eat this up.
reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 334 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This is a stunning, insightful novel about race in a small town in the 1950s, in the deep South. The characters, a 28-year-old black man and a 15-year-old white girl, will engage your attention. I found this book to be a though-provoking fiction work about love, about mystery, about race, and about tragedy. Fiction, you see, is sometimes carries far more "truth" than reality. A satisfying read.
Thursday-Next avatar reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I have never liked anything Oprah has recommended and this badly written book is no different.
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tranquility avatar reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 25 more book reviews
This book takes place down south, and was an interesting book that my book club read one month, it features the growing up years of the girl "Pearl" and how she lived her life, and her many adventures.
Zydeco avatar reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 80 more book reviews
Too long, too wordy and too much allusion and metaphor. Stereotypical characterizations abound; the sassy, ill-spoken African-American women, the butch lesbian, the flighty whore, etc.
reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 13 more book reviews
Read it for the ending!
reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 67 more book reviews
Great read on how people's lives intertwine.
reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 60 more book reviews
If you are of a certain age (40-ish or so)and grew up in the South, this book will bring back so many memories. The slang, phrases and attitudes will remind you of long-lost grandparents, other relatives and/or your childhood. This is a witty story and will leave you smiling or laughing out loud at times. Feel free to email with any questions. ~LeAnn
reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 6 more book reviews
An interesting story about a young girl but also a small town in Mississippi and how all the people are connected. "Capturing all the rueful irony and racial ambivalence of small-town Mississippi in the late 1950s, Melinda Haynes' celebrated novel is a wholly unforgettable exploration of family, identity, and redemption." -Back Cover. Also from Oprah's Book Club.
reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 84 more book reviews
Excellent book! Loved this story.
reviewed Mother of Pearl on + 2 more book reviews
six audio tapes in tis collection

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