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axmed's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
this book was so good! i always try to find a mystery novel without copaganda and so glad i came across this series! i just hope that in the following novels the story is less about white ppl, which is of course understandable in the context of the setting of this first novel. the calls with Blanche's mom and bestie were great. so were her memories of her childhood, her nephew and niece, friends, etc. hopefully there will be more of her being with and around Black people in the rest of the series.
some of my fave passages:
But Cousin Murphy and Night Girl gave Blanche a sense of herself as special, as wondrous, and as powerful, all because of the part of her so many people despised, a part of her that she'd always known was directly connected to the heart of who she was.
[..]
Nate hooked his thumbs in the straps of his overalls. “I worked for her daddy and her daddy's daddy. Outlived both them suckers.” Nate chortled a vicious little laugh and headed for the back door. “I was looking forward to going to Miz Em's funeral, too,”
[..]
She wasn't against stealing from this sort. A lot of what they owned really belonged to people like her, who were grossly and routinely underpaid, who worked in the factories and mills and made the money for the big boys. She just didn't believe in taking big risks for nickels and dimes.
[..]
Blanche hissed some broken Swahili and Yoruba phrases she'd picked up at the Freedom Library in Harlem and told the boy it was a curse that would render his penis as slim and sticky as a lizard's tongue. The look on his face and the way he clutched his crotch lifted her spirits considerably. Nina Simone's version of “I Put a Spell on You” came rolling out of her mouth in a deep, off-key grumble.
[..]
All through Blanche's New York years, through the year in which Blanche had lived in California as a grownup runaway, through Ardell's crazy marriage and religious conversion (and unconversion), they'd supported and encouraged each other with an intensity and constancy that had often made their men jealous and suspicious.
[..]
Blanche was unimpressed by the tears, and Grace's Mammy-save-me eyes.
some of my fave passages:
But Cousin Murphy and Night Girl gave Blanche a sense of herself as special, as wondrous, and as powerful, all because of the part of her so many people despised, a part of her that she'd always known was directly connected to the heart of who she was.
[..]
Nate hooked his thumbs in the straps of his overalls. “I worked for her daddy and her daddy's daddy. Outlived both them suckers.” Nate chortled a vicious little laugh and headed for the back door. “I was looking forward to going to Miz Em's funeral, too,”
[..]
She wasn't against stealing from this sort. A lot of what they owned really belonged to people like her, who were grossly and routinely underpaid, who worked in the factories and mills and made the money for the big boys. She just didn't believe in taking big risks for nickels and dimes.
[..]
Blanche hissed some broken Swahili and Yoruba phrases she'd picked up at the Freedom Library in Harlem and told the boy it was a curse that would render his penis as slim and sticky as a lizard's tongue. The look on his face and the way he clutched his crotch lifted her spirits considerably. Nina Simone's version of “I Put a Spell on You” came rolling out of her mouth in a deep, off-key grumble.
[..]
All through Blanche's New York years, through the year in which Blanche had lived in California as a grownup runaway, through Ardell's crazy marriage and religious conversion (and unconversion), they'd supported and encouraged each other with an intensity and constancy that had often made their men jealous and suspicious.
[..]
Blanche was unimpressed by the tears, and Grace's Mammy-save-me eyes.
lauraborkpower's review against another edition
3.0
I'd really give this 2.5 stars.
It's enjoyable, but not great. A fun cozy mystery with a likeable character. My biggest complaint is that the elements of the murder came a bit too easily--discovered more by word-of-mouth via the underground network of domestic workers and other Black folks unseen by the Southern white society of the story. I loved the idea of this network, but would have preferred if Blanche had discovered more concrete clues herself.
I'll read another in the series for sure.
It's enjoyable, but not great. A fun cozy mystery with a likeable character. My biggest complaint is that the elements of the murder came a bit too easily--discovered more by word-of-mouth via the underground network of domestic workers and other Black folks unseen by the Southern white society of the story. I loved the idea of this network, but would have preferred if Blanche had discovered more concrete clues herself.
I'll read another in the series for sure.
prettypious's review against another edition
3.0
More like a 3.5. I liked the character Blanche a lot and the story was interesting but the genre was a little unclear to me. I think it’s supposed to be a mystery or a crime novel but if so, that’s not apparent until more than halfway through. The first part of the book was more about character development, which I guess makes sense cause it’s a series but this set up made the book feel way longer than it needed to be. I’m going to read the second book in the series before I make a final decision on whether I liked this book or not and then I’ll update but for now I will say it kept me entertained and I liked the main protagonist.
miareneem's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Incredible read.
sssnoo's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I wanted a loads of fun light mystery and Blanche on the Lam delivered. I’ll be back for mor eof the series. The audio narration was excellent.
queerbooklover03's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Smart, witty, & with a perceptive main character who sees straight through the bullshit of everyone around her, this is a book that I will definitely be coming to again just to get to see through Blanche's eyes again.
zoefruitcake's review against another edition
3.0
Read this as part of the 2016 Read Harder Challenge as the 'first book in a series by a person of colour' and enjoyed it very much. Blanche is a very likeable character even when I struggled to understand why she acted the way she did some of the time
beanpod's review against another edition
4.0
A fun, fast read. I heard about it through the New York Times, or maybe through the list of best the best mystery books of all time. Now I can’t believe I hadn’t ever heard of Neely, and her amazing heroine Blanche, before!
I read more about Neely. An activist who didn’t write her first Blanche mystery until she was in her 50’s, there is so much in that slim book that I loved. Blanche’s examination of the tilted dynamics between black employees and their white employers, who feign interest and caring, yet display otherwise so subtly. The careful way Blanch slides along doing the work to find out what really is going on, all the while understanding how much people underestimate her. I loved her internal dialog - Blanche is not a hero, she’s complex and flawed.
I loved it so much I’m going right to book #2
I read more about Neely. An activist who didn’t write her first Blanche mystery until she was in her 50’s, there is so much in that slim book that I loved. Blanche’s examination of the tilted dynamics between black employees and their white employers, who feign interest and caring, yet display otherwise so subtly. The careful way Blanch slides along doing the work to find out what really is going on, all the while understanding how much people underestimate her. I loved her internal dialog - Blanche is not a hero, she’s complex and flawed.
I loved it so much I’m going right to book #2
notartgarfunkel's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5