A Kind of Freedom

A Novel

By: Margaret Wilkerson Sexton

Narrated by: Kevin Kenerly, Bahni Turpin, Adenrele Ojo

Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Evelyn is a Creole woman who comes of age in New Orleans at the height of World War II. Her family inhabits the upper echelon of black society, and when she falls for no-name Renard, she is forced to choose between her life of privilege and the man she loves.

In 1982, Evelyn's daughter Jackie is a frazzled single mother grappling with her absent husband's drug addiction. Just as she comes to terms with his abandoning the family, he returns, ready to resume their old life. Jackie must decide if the promise of her husband is worth the near certainty that he will leave again.

Jackie's son T. C. loves the creative process of growing marijuana more than the weed itself. He finds something hypnotic about training the seedlings, testing the levels, trimming the leaves, and drying the buds. He was a square before Hurricane Katrina, but the New Orleans he knew didn't survive the storm, and in its wake he was changed too. Now, fresh out of a four-month stint for possession with the intent to distribute, he decides to start over - until an old friend convinces him to stake his new beginning on one last deal.

For Evelyn, Jim Crow is an ongoing reality, and in its wake, new threats spring up to haunt her descendants. A Kind of Freedom is an urgent novel that explores the legacy of racial disparity in the South through a poignant and redemptive family history.

©2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2017 Margaret Wilkerson Sexton

To real to be considered fiction

Excellent work of fiction of the realities of life, being and becoming family. The struggle to hold onto life and each other in the face of adversity. Perhaps I struggled with reading this because it came so close to home.

left me hanging

I'm usually not a fan of the back and forth of multiple storylines but Margaret made the changes effortlessly, even with the drastic years in-between. Although they we're years apart, she showed that things didn't change much. Parents have and show their favoritism, their disappointment and have struggles they don't talk about. I hate how the book ended, I felt like it could have keep going, told us how things worked out. Overall, great read. #Book43of2020 #bookworm #whatsnext

Confusing

I had to go to the book to try to understand how the characters were connected. The dates were helpful but I wished to know before near the end of the book who Alisha was and that Jackie was Evelyn’s child. And what happened to Ruby? Listening to this novel was frustrating. Perhaps it is a better read than audio .

Beautiful

Loved it! You will not be disappointed.
I enjoyed the back and forth. and the ending.

Honest

This book felt as if it could have been a memoir. Relatable characters. Really good performance. Left me wondering the fate of the latest generation.

Multiple POV

I read “Their Eyes Were Watching God” immediately before “A Kind of Freedom” and here, the language is less poetic, characters less developed, depth of feeling not there. I am not a fan of POV hopping. I prefer to get inside one character, which is not this novel; I felt confused and frustrated as the story hopped generations and personalities.

Still, there is much to like about this story: family relationships; dating angst; competition among siblings all contribute to a thoughtful tale worth being told.

Made me miss my home and how I'd grown up.

This book made me miss the home I've been separated from for 13 years. If you love NOLA, you will love this book.

I wonder

The story is told from 3 generations point of view. They bounce back and forth between the characters. I kept thinking throughout... what does the time hops forward and then back do for the story? I know it builds some suspense... but that’s all I’ve come up with.

Really love the voice of the male actor who reads TC’s chapters.

A Kind of Freedom from what? A great story that fell into nowhere

I am so disappointed in this book. The characters were rich, the narration superb (I love Bahni Turpin) and the story had so much going for it. Until it didn’t. The ending was so abrupt that I was actually in disbelief to hear that I had reached the conclusion. I have so many unanswered questions that I thought would surely be answered and the story woven together eventually. What a waste of time. I feel so unfulfilled.

Great Story but.....

This book has a wonderful way of telling the story of multiple generations, but it left me hanging. I feel as if each character is unfinished business.