The Color of Family

Rating:
Summary: Great storytelling
Review: African-American Antonia Racine Jackson has kept a secret from her beloved spouse and her cherished two children as well as other family members. Back in the 1950s in New Orleans, her brother Emeril and wealthy white Agnes Marquette had an affair that led to the birthing of a child raised as a white man.

Now years later her secret nephew highly regarded concert pianist Clayton Connor is in Baltimore where Antonia and her family reside. Antonia considers it is time to reveal the truth about her blood ties to Clayton. However, with Emeril dead and Agnes in denial, no one believes Antonia though her words creep inside Clayton's mind as he begins to wonder if it is possible that he is of mixed race. Antonia's revelation causes troubles and doubts in her family and that of Clayton's.

THE COLOR OF FAMILY is an intriguing look at racial relationships inside a deep bi-family drama. The story line starts in the segregated 1950s south, but is at its best in the present day as secrets kept by the two female antagonists (Antonia and Agnes) are being revealed. Though Antonia comes across as mentally unhinged with a rationalization for her actions that fails to consider consequences on others and thus detracts from a powerful character study of race relationships then and now.

Harriet Klausner



Rating:
Summary: Uncovering the Truth
Review: THE COLOR OF FAMILY is an intricately woven tale about family secrets and the search for truth. Antonia Jackson has lived her adult life mourning the loss of her twin brother Emeril, who died as a result of a tragic and fatal series of events. Before his death, he carried on a relationship with a young white girl named Agnes who was intimately known by many men - both black and white.

Over 30 years later, Antonia is living in Baltimore, but she still carries, with deep conviction, the belief that her brother fathered a child by Agnes. This child, a son named Clayton, was born nine months to the day of Emeril's untimely death. He has grown up to become a world-renowned pianist, and in Antonia's opinion, is unaware of his true bi-racial heritage. This unyielding belief has led Antonia to hold a grudge against Agnes for over thirty years. More importantly, her obsession with Clayton Cannon and her brother's legacy have interfered with her relationship with her husband and her now adult children. As the story evolves, Antonia and her family reach an emotional stand-off and the only ending to the tension and drama is to learn the truth once and for all.

Patricia Jones' posthumously published novel, THE COLOR OF FAMILY is a true testament to a very talented writer. This is the kind of book that readers seeking a deeper, more reflective story, with a literary feel will embrace and enjoy. The plot has a slow, deliberate pace that is both necessary and frustrating at times. It addresses a myriad of complex themes, including motherhood, familial bonds, and betrayal. The story is built around strong, lingering characters that have been thoroughly developed. The result is a story that will have readers eager to learn whether Antonia is crazy, like her children suspect, or whether she will finally prove her theory about Clayton Cannon's paternity. This is a complex tale about identity and familial love that transcends time and racial boundaries. (RAW Rating: 4.5)

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers