"If damned if you do and damned if you don't were a people, those people would be Black." ~ 79%
On September 27, 1967, award-winning author and creative writing teacher Bernice L. McFadden died at the age of two years old. She was resuscitated and rescued from a flaming car wreckage. In this new memoir, she chronicles her life from that moment to when she published her first novel, Sugar. Heavily influenced by Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, Bernice writes with care about her descendants, self and offspring.
Firstborn Girls is a true story of mother-daughter bonds, generational trauma, inherited family secrets and fierce love. Bernice takes us from the very beginning of her angelcestors to motherhood. The setting spans from Detroit to Brooklyn to Barbados. It is moreso a family history in novel format than a personal memoir, yet it beautifully defines the woman Bernice L. McFadden has become based on her family's past. It celebrates Black families while acknowledging historical events, much like a handmade quilt passed down through generations.
I recommend Firstborn Girls for fans of literature and memoirs.
Happy Early Pub Day, Bernice L. McFadden! Firstborn Girls will be available Tuesday, March 4.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie
Title: Firstborn Girls
Author: Bernice L. McFadden
Published: March 2025
Pages: 400
Edition: Galley
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤
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