 April - June 2003
A Taste of Reality
by Kimberla Lawson Roby
In A TASTE OF REALITY, Kimberla Lawson Roby's fifth novel, she tells an engaging story about one woman's awakening, evolution and hopeful restitution. Anise Miller has had her share of bitter pills to swallow. It is because of her race and gender that she is passed over for a managerial position in her company, one that is given to a lesser-qualified white male. Her husband is indifferent to her feelings because he has issues with African Americans crying racism. However, her husband has issues with African Americans in general, mainly because he sees himself as something different. Anise's job issues and her husband's overall attitude has drained her emotionally. Her sanity is kept in check largely because of the relationship she has with her mother.
Seven months later when the same job is again vacant Anise is certain this time the position is hers, so she waits. Her non-combative presence brings to mind the saying, `it's not the size of the person in the fight, but the size of the fight in the person,' and you wonder if Anise will have enough of a fighting spirit should the need to do battle present itself. Thus, Anise is forced to face her reality when: 1) She has to swallow yet another helping of covert racism in corporate America; 2) An unexpected relevation at home brings her to an abrupt standstill, and 3) She faces a potential relationship that for her has always been taboo. Anise seems in a continuous non-plussed state, until she realizes that she is the master of her fate. And finally she draws from her inner strength, takes a real look at her own biases and takes charge of her life.
Kimberla Lawson Roby skilled at developing good characters remains true to form. She captures a woman at war with her feelings and she evokes an emotional vortex in Anise which forces her to give full attention to this cross-road in her life. There were moments when you wanted to push the story along, but given Ms. Roby's writing skills and a readers particular taste, this may not be a negative. This story of willpower and stamina should have universal appeal, it is a story worth reading. That should bring back the memory of certain smells associated with that experience, or evoke certain smells every time it snows in the future. Perhaps, they make a steamy hot cup of chocolate, hot mulled cider, or hot buttered rum to drink during snowstorms. You get the idea. The readers should read your story or novel and imagine themselves there or have memories of similar situations that should be evoked. Why? Because the action is so visual and descriptive, whereas the descriptive analysis is so essential to the plot of your story. -- Reviewed by aNN Brown
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