Sittin' in the Front Pew : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Trite
Review: This was my first book read by this author. The book was good, however, I do not feel it was a "5" by any stretch of the imagination. I felt the book was a little slow paced in parts, and was very, and I do mean VERY predictable. There have been too many other similar stories written by other black authors, on this same topic; which is families falling apart and acting out at funerals. I give this one a "2"

Rating:
Summary: Dyin' Ain't Easy
Review: Parry A. Brown has certainly done it again. "Sittin' In The Front Pew" delivers the page turning journey traveled by most, on the Bereavement road. She does it with honest-filled emotion, gut busting laughter and had the nerve to add to it, a little mystery. The mystery set her novel apart from others who have tackled this issue.

Parry added the usual suspects which included, a wise elder relative, a 'they-think-they-all-that sibling,along with the usual bickering that comes with the family dealing with a burial. However, she kicks it quite a few notches with her witty dialogue weaved into what could, and sometimes is, a very emotional and difficult situation. There was as much dirt buried within the family as was finally thrown on the deceased.

The fact that Ms. Brown always has a strong Black male character in her stories is a credit to her.

I can't wait for her next book and I need to stop typing this review before I give away the ending to 'Sittin' In the Front Pew'.

This book is an event and should be written as a play. I'd pay twice the price just to see the hilarious Jennifer Lewis play the part of Collette.

Rating:
Summary: Great reading for the summer!
Review: This book is funny & has a lot of great one liners. This book is the classic example of how funerals bring out the worst in family members. No the sisters cannot get along & the readers will be sittin' on the sideline waiting for the mess to hit the fan! Anxiously awaiting this author's next book.

Rating:
Summary: You can't help but love it!
Review: Let me start this pot. You have four sisters with a father who is on the verge of remarrying after a long hiatus when he suddenly dies. When the sisters get together to plan the funeral, they find out things, like the bottle of obviously used Viagara pills,the will leaving a substansial amount of money to another "mystery woman",dealing with the fine line of who is a "true" relative as opposed as to who isn't. And some of the sisters getting major attitudes on some of the issues. In this book, Parry don't hold back on nothing ya'll. You won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Good Read
Review: While reading this book, I kept wondering how did Ms. Brown know my relatives. This book kept me in stitches. I laughed so much when the family was making the funeral arrangements because all I kept visualizing were my relatives. Ms Brown really captured the essence of some of my family functions that I had the pleasure of attending .

Ms. Brown 's writing style was very easy to follow, even though she mixed the southern dialect of Uncle Thomas with the everyday lingo. I was still able to understand what was being said and how it was meant. Some of the attitudes and issues were a bit far fetched, but the story line was believable.

We all have secrets and some we swear we will take to our graves, but unfortunately some secrets don't remain there.

Rating:
Summary: Sittin' at Ringside
Review: Parry Brown does an excellent job of postively depicting Black men, dead or alive. She always makes good brothers shine - giving sisters a ray of hope! Though this novel is not about good men, it is about those grieving a good man.

In "Sittin' in the Front Pew", Ms. Brown stirs our emotions as we mourn the loss of the beloved Eddie Naylor. He is loved by everyone - family, friends, co-workers, church members, and others in the community. However, we learn throughout the novel that everyone who loved Eddie does NOT love everyone who loved Eddie. If that sounds confusing, then you will understand it better as you continue reading this non-stop drama.

The characters are well developed, and each has precious memories and pains that will bring compassion to your heart, a smile to your face, laughter to your soul, and tears to your eyes. Their frequent arguments are so triffling that it sometimes takes away from the uniqueness of each character. Nevertheless, you will learn to bear their burdens and pray for their comfort because they desperately need it. These daughters mourn more than their deceased father. Each Naylor woman also mourns her own loss of love, companionship, and opportunities to love.

The long-awaited funeral was welcomed because the drama becomes draining after three long days and nights. However, I found the funeral scene unrealistic and too dramatic. Collette's easy acceptance of a stranger's hand after rejecting the hands of family members who reached out to her throughout her life was far fetched. I was not disappointed that Collette finally buried the hatchet (along with her father), but I was disappointed that her family and readers had to endure the agonizing pain she caused us all.

There were many times that I wanted to resurrect the dearly departed so that he could beat his daughters' butts. Nevertheless, I was glad that the novel finally ended with the hopeful promise of a new and harmonious future for the Naylor women.

Rating:
Summary: TOO TRUE
Review: This book should not be listed as fiction. The characters and the situations that the Naylor girls go through during their father's funeral arrangements are too true. I recognized different members of my own family as I read the book. This is our book club selection for June and I can't wait until we discuss it!!!! You won't be sorry if you read this book. It is great reading.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Sophmore Work from Ms. Brown!
Review: Although this was my first book from Parry and her most recent, she has gained a new fan in me with Sittin' in the Front Pew, a tale which takes us into the lives of Glynda Naylor and her sisters as they prepare for their father's homegoing service.

When Glynda receives a call from her sisters that their father Edward Naylor has passed, on the support of her friend Rico she heads home to assist her sisters (Dawn, Renee, and Collette) with the arrangements. From the moment she arrives and touches base with everyone they begin to clash on the smallest elements from the flowers and colors to who will ride in the limos. As they work through the arrangements they begin to delve deeper into the life in their father, discovering things that were once a mystery to them. Just as things begin to come full circle with the arrangements, one of their father's secrets comes out with a powerful force and it truly changes the lives of the sisters forever.

I found this book to be very realistic and relatable in many instances. Parry goes a wonderful job of weaving in the process and the emotions that families go through as they prepare to say goodbye to their loved one. This a wonderful, dynamic book that will truly take you on a unique journey from beginning to end.

Rating:
Summary: High Drama and Laugh Out Loud Comedy
Review: Sittin' In the Front Pew is an emotional ride through a family's grief when their patriarch and savior dies suddenly. We meet four women who mourn deeply yet distinctively different. Glenda, the protector, Dawn, the peacemaker, Renee, the older more centered, and Collette, the down right hateful. Throw in an uncle that worshipped his brother, a fiancé that gets the short end of the stick, a homosexual son named Jamaica, and a mystery woman and you have a recipe for high drama and laugh out loud comedy.

Despite the drama and comedy I felt that the book was a bit predictable and I was bombarded with the "saint" hat that everyone laid on the deceased head. When it was revealed that his saint hat didn't fit as well as they thought I felt that Ms. Brown lost an opportunity to examine four distinct reactions to his "fall" from grace. (Also I predicted who the mystery woman was long before it was revealed.)

However this book made up for a lot in the last few chapters. Ms. Brown was able to fill my tear ducts at the wake and then turn around and make me laugh until the tears actually fell at the funeral. Though it started slow for me this book turned out to be a really good read and quite entertaining. If I could customize my review I would give it a 3.5 but since Amazon doesn't use half stars I will let it rest against the 3.

Kotanya -APOOO Bookclub-

Rating:
Summary: Unconditional Love
Review: Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, the Naylor girls are a group of sassy, in your face sisters. They are the daughters of Edward Zachary Naylor, a strong, dependable pillar of his community. Edward Naylor raised his four daughters to be strong and independent women after the tragic death of their mother. One night Edward suddenly dies to the dismay of everyone. But Edward had a secret and that secret is revealed prior to the funeral causing an uproar with everyone. At a time when families should be allowed to grieve and rejoice simultaneously, in the devotion and accomplishments of a loved one, the Naylor sisters constantly battle about every detail of the funeral, even though Edward made his wishes known in a copy of his personal papers and his will.

I could devote several paragraphs to each daughter, for each has her own story to be told. But I will say this, each daughter has a unique personality and one is not like the other. Their voices and behaviors leap off the page to the point that you may recognize them. I know I did. Renee, the oldest is the married mother of four. Glynda resides in Los Angeles and is a lawyer. Collette is a very successful financial planner with her own guilt to bear and Dawn is a single mom of one and a nurse. Each daughter loved her father unconditionally and to say that his death was a shock is an understatement.

Sittin' In the Front Pew offers an array of emotions that I'm sure each reader can attest to in some way. I found myself laughing at the antics, grieving with the characters and rejoicing in their triumphs. The dialogue is realistic and moving because at the heart of Sittin' In the Front Pew is the depiction of a strong, male figure with frailties. I also enjoyed the memories that the daughters, family members and friends shared about Edward. It provided insight into the man himself.

I consider this novel an excellent club selection because there is a lot to be examined that only a discussion could accomplish. KUDOS to Parry Brown for bringing it home!...