Alright you fellow Sister Souljah readers! Today is the day. And I'm not just talking about our historical election. I went to the election polls early just so that I'd have ample time to head over to Barnes & Noble this afternoon. In case some of yall forgot, today, November 4th, is the release date of Sister Souljah's most-anticipated sequel of the decade, Midnight: A Gangster's Love Story. It seems like it was just yesterday we were posting back and forth about how anxious we were to read this follow-up to Soujah's The Coldest Winter Ever. I'm hoping Midnight will be as much of a page-turner as its predecessor. Unfortunately though, the folks over a Publishers Weekly don't think so. You all can peep their review below, but any avid book reader never decides to purchase or not buy a book on the strength of other folks reviews, opinions, etc. Well, at least I don't.
Also, I found images from the book which I've posted below. We've already discussed our dislike of the cover art on this book, so some of these pics may not surprise you.
Publishers WeeklyI also came across another review written by an anonymous black dude from Michigan. I'm not going to tell you all what website the review was posted on because I'm still miffed that his simple ass wrote a review that contained more spoilers than anything else!! Anyhoo, there is an excerpt of the book available on amazon.com that I thought you all would enjoy reading. CLICK HERE TO READ IT.
Souljah's follow-up to her bestselling novel, The Coldest Winter Ever, is another gritty coming-of-age tale, picking up the story of Midnight (a character in Coldest Winter) as he tries desperately to navigate American culture, Brooklyn streets and the dicey business of growing up. The novel begins as seven-year-old Midnight and his pregnant mother, Umma, are forced to leave their privileged life in Sudan for a hardscrabble American existence. Midnight spends his formative years in Brooklyn guiding and translating for his loyal, loving and talented mother, helping her get a factory job while encouraging her to start a clothing line. Eventually, Midnight starts working at a Chinatown fish shop, finds love, joins a dangerous hustler's basketball league and tries to disentangle his ambivalent feelings toward romance, family and personal honor.
Souljah's sensitive treatment of her protagonist is honest and affecting, with some realistic moments of crisis. Unfortunately, a slack plot and slow pacing cause serious bloat, and Souljah's distinctive prose is woefully unpolished. Frustrations aside, Souljah has obvious talent and sincere motives, making her a street-lit sophomore worth watching.
Also, I found images from the book which I've posted below. We've already discussed our dislike of the cover art on this book, so some of these pics may not surprise you.