Rating: 
Summary: I Wish I Could Rate This Book TEN Stars!!!
Review: Visual! Sharp! Beautifully written! I loved this story of girl/woman Verdi Mae and her discovery of herself over the course of more than twenty years. The author easily weaves the story lines, time frames and memory in a seamless way that flows like water. Verdi meets and falls in love with Johnson but his need to sooth the pain of his upbringing and her need to explore everything that her sheltered roots have shielded her from leads them to a heroin addiction that threatens to kill all of the promise that their love brings. In what seems like a brutal betrayal, Johnson tears himself away from Verdi who is "rescued" by her college professor, Rowe. Rowe has his own issues, the least of which is his need to control situations and people, most noteably, Verdi. It takes Verdi more than twenty years to learn the truth of Johnson's departure and to come up from her own faith to save herself from the fears that keep her dependent throughout the story. Verdi's behavior is akin to the autistic child Sage who is not able to speak until a near tragedy pushes the words forth that she has not been able to verbalize in more than seven years of life. In the end, it is the special needs child who is the impetus of Verdi finding and saving herself. Read this book. It is so moving. You will love it. C.M. Miller---Author of The Audrey Wilson Mystery Series--- Taxes, Death, & Trouble--- Accrual Way To Die--- Free Throw
Rating:
Summary: Loved This one Too !
Review: Yes, she has done it again ! Diane McKinney Whetstone is one of my favorite writers of the 90's. I LOVED Tumbling, was again impressed by Tempest Rising and was anxiously patting my foot waiting for another novel to be published. Blues Dancing was yet another 'love story' which featured 'tragic' female characters who ultimately find themselves and overcome their demons. This story was simple, yet lyrical - complicated, yet easy to read and understand. You could compare her to Toni Morrison but you can leave the notepad, dictionary and hightlighter in your desk. It is hard to trudge through this wave 'Dating Game', junk food fiction by African American writers which has marked the 1990's. But, finding Diane McKinney, Edwidge Danticat and Helen Elaine Lee has renewed my faith in real writers and makes me glad I am a reader. The main character, Verdi, along with her male suitors Johnson and Rowe, demonstrates how easily people can give up their power to another person or substance and how finding your own self and own way are really the only ways to assure that someone elses strengths or weaknesses are not making you what you are.
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