The Almost Sisters

I just don't know. There were aspects to this that I really liked, and aspects that made flames appear on the side of my face.

I liked that the narrator, Leia, was a comic book artist, and included aspects of fandom throughout the book, including in the way she imagined raising her child.

I loved Birchie and Wattie, and the way they took care of each other and were awesome, smart and contrary matriarchs that protected each other, and ultimately did whatever they wanted.

The first time the face-flames appeared, it was because Leia had never once considered the feelings of Wattie, a black woman who is Leia's grandmother's best friend and roommate and the two are never without each other. It's like Leia was shocked into realizing that racism exists in Alabama, to which I loll my head to the side and go duhhhhhhh.

Which led to all this bullshit in Leia's inner monologue about there being two Souths, the one she lives in and the one that exists for Wattie and the other black families in town, except they're both the same South, sweet tea and manners exist in both of them, heavens to Betsy!, and you just have the privilege of not having to notice problems like black women not being welcome in the Baptist church that only white people attend until it's uncomfortable for you. And I guess I'm just really mad that Leia, who has known Wattie for all of her 38 years, had never considered how she feels in this small southern town, but gets to feel so superior for being the person who is going to “unite this town!” with her biracial baby. (At which point I was like heart-pounding outraged about this baby being used as, I perceived, a device to Fix Racism.)

Also, I didn't realize how much I hated the title of this book until the very end, but I'm having a hard time articulating why. You think for like 95% of the book that this is about Leia and her step-sister Rachel, who's kind of a busybody bitch for most of the book, but the title doesn't totally fit their relationship. But at the very end it's revealed that Birchie's father raped Wattie's mother for years, and that the two old ladies are half-sisters. Why would they be "almost sisters" when they are literally blood related?

I think I just talked myself into 1-starring this. Maybe 1.5 if I'm generous.

The audiobook was narrated by the author, and Jackson has a high-pitched voice with a southern cadence/accent. I never got the speed up higher than 1.25x because of the pitch.

TW: racism, rape

This is my first Joshilyn Jackson book, which was recommended by Modern Mrs. Darcy's Anne Bogel. The novel THE ALMOST SISTERS has many moving parts, but they all fit together very nicely, and you can follow the story easily enough. It was the audible version read by Ms. Jackson and I absolutely fell in love with her accent by the end of the book.
There are some good twists, turns and secrets revealed. Some parts were easy to figure out and a bit predictable, but the characters—especially Leia, are well drawn and they kept me entertained and engaged until the end. There are funny moments in the book that I genuinely chuckled out loud at parts. I loved that Leia is a nerd and imperfect, I love that her perfect sister isn't as perfect as she appears, and her grandmother and Wattie could easily have stolen the book if Leia and Rachel weren't rendered so realistically.
The author portrays race and social class relationships in the south, both past and present, though I found Leia's nativity about racism still existing a bit of a character flaw, especially at the age of 38. Endings are always the big issue with me, but I liked how it ended. While neatly tied up, it was not unrealistic and more importantly it wasn't rushed. I only gave it 4 stars because while I really enjoyed it, it did not leave me totally wanting more and regretting that it was ending.
”The South I'd been born into was all sweet tea and decency and Jesus, and it was a real, true place. I had grown up inside it, because my family lived there.”

”The second South was always present, though, and in it decency was a thin, green cover over the rancid soil of our dark history. They were both always present, both truly present in every square inch.”

I always love Joshilyn Jackson's books when I first start them. Her story ideas are always great, and this one is no exception. However, I always find myself getting bored and sometimes rolling my eyes about halfway through. And this time I figured out that it's because the morals that she chooses to convey are always forced. But I always keep on reading because I want to find out how it ends, so I can't say that I don't like them. Because the ending is usually very good.

This book is an average story that I can't decide if I'm glad I read or if I wasted my time on.

I loved this book. The characters are developed in a way that make you want to know more and the story is told in a way that had me gasping at one point and laughing more than once. Beyond the story there is a point that is made so well about race and privilege and the South. Great book.

Joshilyn Jackson is an amazing storyteller and beautiful writer. You don't always find both skills in the same author but her books just blow me away. As in, “read it in less than 24 hours, don't look up and don't let anyone interrupt you” type of good. As for the plot, I think it's best to discover it for yourself but I will say that it includes sweet tea, superheroes of all types, over-sexed bunnies and the funniest/saddest scene I've ever read that was set in a Baptist church.

Why Joshilyn Jackson isn't more respected as one of the most notable authors of the past 10 years is one of the best examples I know of Why The World Isn't Fair.

At first, I thought this might be a girly beach read, but found that this novel goes far deeper than that. The story made me have a difficult time putting the book down, and the quality of Jackson's writing had me loving every bit of it. I loved her characters – they were well developed and spot on.

The themes of family and race are really well done. I think Jackson did an amazing job of capturing the spectrum of family relationships that we all have in our lives, and the book made me think about my own relationships.

I recommend The Almost Sisters to anyone who enjoys great fiction that explores family relationships and race, and how those themes shape who we are as sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, husbands, wives – all kinds of family. Even the hidden kinds.

For my full review, visit http://www.literaryquicksand.com/2017/07/review-almost-sisters/