Red at the Bone

A Novel

By: Jacqueline Woodson

Narrated by: Jacqueline Woodson, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Peter Francis James, Shayna Small, Bahni Turpin

Named one of the Most Anticipated Books of 2019 by LitHub and The Millions.

Called one of the Top 10 Literary Fiction titles of Fall by Publishers Weekly.

An extraordinary new novel about the influence of history on a contemporary family, from the New York Times-bestselling and National Book Award-winning author of Another Brooklyn and Brown Girl Dreaming.

Two families from different social classes are joined together by an unexpected pregnancy and the child that it produces. Moving forward and backward in time, with the power of poetry and the emotional richness of a narrative ten times its length, Jacqueline Woodson's extraordinary new novel uncovers the role that history and community have played in the experiences, decisions, and relationships of these families, and in the life of this child.

As the book opens in 2001, it is the evening of sixteen-year-old Melody's coming of age ceremony in her grandparents' Brooklyn brownstone. Watched lovingly by her relatives and friends, making her entrance to the soundtrack of Prince, she wears a special custom-made dress. But the event is not without poignancy. Sixteen years earlier, that very dress was measured and sewn for a different wearer: Melody's mother, for her own ceremony-- a celebration that ultimately never took place.

Unfurling the history of Melody's parents and grandparents to show how they all arrived at this moment, Woodson considers not just their ambitions and successes but also the costs, the tolls they've paid for striving to overcome expectations and escape the pull of history. As it explores sexual desire and identity, ambition, gentrification, education, class and status, and the life-altering facts of parenthood, Red at the Bone most strikingly looks at the ways in which young people must so often make long-lasting decisions about their lives--even before they have begun to figure out who they are and what they want to be.

Read by Jacqueline Woodson, with Quincy Tyler Bernstine (Sabe), Peter Francis James (Po’Boy), Shayna Small (Iris), and Bahni Turpin (Melody)

More please!

I wanted to hear more! More about what happened when. When her child lived, loved and experienced age.

A Little History

I love it that actual African American history is weaved into this story in a realistic way. The trauma of our story continues to impact our lives even if the event is forgotten.

Another Wonderful Woodson Novel

Ms. Woodson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I have yet to read a bad or disappointing book by her. This book is no exception. Great story of the trials and tribulations of one extended family. I look forward to her next one.

Disconnection and Realization

What a sad story. Everyone was imprisoned in one way or another. I felt for the young Father. Loving someone who will never love you back is exhausting. What a selfish Mom..whew! This book was extremely sad. It felt unfinished in places, the symbolism at times was powerful and at others dragged the story.

Powerful book

I loved the narrative is so poetic. It’s great how loss, motherhood, identity and family relationships are intertwined in the story.