The Girl Who Fell from the Sky
Rachel, the daughter of a danish mother and a black G.I., becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy after a fateful morning on their Chicago rooftop. Forced to move to a new city, with her strict African American grandmother as her guardian, Rachel is thrust for the first time into a mostly...
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Rachel, the daughter of a danish mother and a black G.I., becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy after a fateful morning on their Chicago rooftop. Forced to move to a new city, with her strict African American grandmother as her guardian, Rachel is thrust for the first time into a mostly black community, where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring a constant stream of attention her way. It’s there, as she grows up and tries to swallow her grief, that she comes to understand how the mystery and tragedy of her mother might be connected to her own uncertain identity. This searing and heartwrenching portrait of a young biracial girl dealing with society’s ideas of race and class is the winner of the Bellwether Prize for best fiction manuscript addressing issues of social justice.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9781616200152 (1616200154)
ASIN: 1616200154
Publish date: January 11th 2011
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Pages no: 272
Edition language: English
A sad and heart-wrenching story. I enjoyed this book; so much so that I didn't want it to end. It was well written but too short for the heaviness of the story. I had so many questions by the end of the book. With more character/story development I would have loved this book even more. Read more
A sad and beautiful story of a young girl who survives. An examination of race and the adjustments that Rachel, a Danish/African-American girl must face when she moves in with her paternal grandmother. The sad truth that we are judged more often by the way we look than who we truly are is one of t...
Being of a mixed heritage myself, I was really looking forward to reading this book. But I really couldn't get into the book, couldn't get into the story and I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters. It just wasn't for me.
My review: http://youtu.be/eQnELcfL6-4