Thursday, July 31, 2014

Dream4More Review: Anjuelle Floyd "When Drum Major Died"

When the Drum Major DiedWhen the Drum Major Died by Anjuelle Floyd

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Florina was previously and secretly married to a Vietnam soldier who died on the battlefield in 1966. She then remarried Redmond, a black surgeon, whom her parents approved of this union. However, it greatly bothered Florina for not telling anyone except her first husband's mother Melinda and unsure to share this previous marriage with her current husband Redmond. She meets an eccentric woman named Agnes once moving to Redmond's grandparents’ home. Shortly later, as the reader, I was able to see secrets between the married couple where they both had previous engagements such as Florina married to Ennis and Redmond dated Agnes. Yet I am waiting to see how the couple will either boldly tell one another about their past or previous relationships openly or keep each other guessing.

The only setback that I had with this novel (and previous work I've read by this author) is the redundancy of an important incident or episode of the character's inward secret kept being stated or re-said throughout the book. However Anjuelle Floyd taps into the inflection of the main character, intricately shares the psychological transitions of the character, and dysfunctional aspects of relationships when facing racism, prejudices, skin color complexities or inferior complexes, and other injustices.

Floyd also gently touched on the importance of education, its values and goals as a surgeon during the Civil Rights movement, and benefits of being the only Black surgeon in a small town of Poinsetta. Moreover, Redmond being a prominent figure in his community and well-educated didn’t have to marry someone of the same or similar status as others would expect like Agnes. Is education the ticket to a better life? The questions that kept being addressed or aforementioned in the novel, I was also waiting for the answer or some closure such as the significance of Redmond’s response to being with Agnes. Yet Agnes defined her meaning of the “love she had for him” and belief of “how he viewed her in reference to love” but was it enough for his wife, Florina.

Moreover, the novel itself took quite some time for me to complete and didn’t pick up for me until about 40% in the eBook version. But when it did, I couldn’t stop reading and desperately wanted questions unanswered to be answered. Although it had it slow pits because of character development and understanding the delicacy of the relationships between the characters, there were some valuable lessons taken from this read such as religious concepts, race during this era, Civil Rights Movement, and establishing relationships between married couples as well as others who play a part in making this union a success. How people married so quickly and loved so easily back then...I love a novel with historical aspects as well as relational bonds that can last a lifetime.

Love this line in the novel: “If only we could let go of each other and allow those whom we love be who they are, and we all become the people God wants u to be.”

Adrienna Turner
Dream4More Reviewer
www.dream4more.org
Sweet Dreams/Wooed Me Dream, 4.5 stars
Reviewed Kindle Version.



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Monday, February 3, 2014

Dream4More Review: I just came to dance by Susan Malone

I Just Came Here to Dance is literary fiction. The synopsis is what caught my interest. For me, the prologue read more like a first chapter. But as I read the first few chapters, there was very little that kept my attention. Paula Anne Fairbanks is married to Martin aka Marty, who no longer has no interest in and keeps fantasizing about that kiss with Taylor Jo who seems to be no-good-man. She has a young ten year old son named after her husband: Martin Douglass. Finally things come to a fold when she catches her husband in the adultery act, and moves in with Diana, known as the Sociable witch. But it seems to be rumors of the town since I didn't read anything that indicated she was such (a witch). And also, Mrs. Paula Anne is not so innocent herself.

Oddly I didn't really like this read in the beginning but some parts made me wonder how it will end. It picked up about midway. However, I did like Mama character (Paula Anne's mother). She was relatable to me. Overall, I am glad that things worked out for Paula Anne in the end.

Dream 4 More Reviews has received "I Just Came Here to Dance" by the author for a book review.

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Adrienna Turner
www.dream4more.org

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