Deesha Philyaw’s short story collection centers on the private lives of Black women navigating the tension between traditional Christian morality and their own physical desires. Set largely in the American South, the narratives feature characters like a daughter caring for her mother with dementia while secretly dating a married pastor, and friends who share an annual sexual encounter while their families attend church functions. These stories focus on the specific physicalities of grief, the hidden realities of queer identity within religious spaces, and the ways food and sex serve as outlets for repressed autonomy.
Readers interested in the intersection of African American religious culture and female sexuality will find detailed portraits of the internal conflicts created by church dogma. The book appeals to those who appreciate prose focused on character behavior rather than plot-driven twists. After finishing these stories, a reader understands how these women forge their own versions of grace and self-acceptance outside the rigid expectations of the pulpit. The collection provides a look at how private joy persists despite public scripts of holiness and purity.
Inward-looking and thought-provoking; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2020
- Language
- EN
