Find out the latest indie author news. For FREE.

ADVERTISEMENT

J.E. Smythe
Author
Through Grandma's Eyes
J.E. Smythe, author

Adult; General Fiction (including literary and historical); (Market)

LaCrae James is 19 years old, head strong and talented. She dreams of becoming a top dancer and will stop at nothing to make it happen. After meeting a man who promises to make her dreams come true, LaCrae decides to take the chance of a lifetime. She rebels against her mother and heads to New York City. When Mae Dupuy's granddaughter shows up unannounced on the steps of her brownstone in Harlem, Mae opens her home to her. Mae knows all too well the price a young, ambitious girl like LaCrae could pay if she makes the wrong decisions in the tough streets of an unforgiving city. As LaCrae realizes that she's stepped into a world that requires far more than she bargained for, Mae shares her own tale of joyful love and unimaginable pain, hoping her journey steers LaCrae back onto the right path. Through Grandma’s Eyes tells a story that spans generations. This heart-wrenching, triumphant novel weaves together the past and present through a vivid cast of characters, and reminds us all of the enduring power of love and family. Sometimes in order to move forward, we need to look back.
Plot/Idea: 5 out of 10
Originality: 5 out of 10
Prose: 7 out of 10
Character/Execution: 6 out of 10
Overall: 5.75 out of 10

Assessment:

LaCrea, 19, leaves her D.C. home despite her mother’s objections to pursue a dancer’s dream. She flees to her grandmother’s in New York City. Some hard lessons dim the stars in LaCrea’s eyes, leading her grandmother to share her own cautionary tale, borne of pursuing a similar dream. This is a platitude-rich tale, cautionary in its pitfalls and gratifying as the characters find success, albeit success removed from the spotlight. The prose is smooth, the dialogue believable, and one comes to care about the characters. The ending, however, is somewhat predictable.

Date Submitted: September 11, 2016

ADVERTISEMENT

Loading...