Book Review: 

There are certain stories that are sad and disturbing: perhaps because they are all too honest in their portrayal of real life.  In Ruby, Cynthia Bond manages to incorporate elements that are sad and disturbing, while never once faltering from the beauty contained within the rich characterizations and lush prose.  Stylistically, Bond’s writing puts me in mind of early works by Toni Morrison, particularly Beloved, for the stark realities couched in evocative writing that manages to remain intrinsically hopeful, despite the despair.

Ruby is not a story for the squeamish or faint of heart, nor for those who cannot face the often harsh realities that humans can, and do, inflict on one another.  Children are often victimized and molested, set in the south, it should go without saying that racism and lynching are present. Misogyny, evangelicalism and substance abuse, as well as rape and slavery are all presented with varying levels of detail and description, and may cause some readers great discomfort.   Read more