What The Bayou Saw by Patti Lacy
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications (March 24, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0825429374
ISBN-13: 978-0825429378
From Amazon.com:
Product Description
The past can’t stay buried forever Rising author Patti Lacy’s second novel exposes the life of Sally, set amid the shadows of prejudice in Louisiana. Since leaving her home in the South, Sally Stevens has held the secrets of her past at bay, smothering them in a sunny disposition and sugar-coated lies. No one, not even her husband, has heard the truth about her childhood. But when one of her students is violently raped, Sally’s memories quickly bubble to the surface unbidden, like a dead body in a bayou. As Sally’s story comes to light, the lies she’s told begin to catch up with her. And as her web of deceit unravels, she resolves to face the truth at last, whatever the consequences.
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This book was deep and moving! I could see a bunch of women reading this novel and then getting together for coffee and cookies while discussing it. Patti hits on some tough issues that we face here in America, which include bigotry and rape.
Sally suffered a traumatic childhood experience when she was twelve – which resulted in someone’s death. Her secret African-American friend, Ella, has also carried this secret. Both women have suffered greatly because of this incident, and Sally started lying as a youngster to cover up her forbidden friendship, and to hid the tragedy. Amidst the Hurricane Katrina disaster and the rape of one of Sally’s community college students, her memories are set free from her mind, making her stop and think about how her years of actions are affecting her life and the lives of others, including her husband’s! I think Sally lies so much that she no longer realizes that she’s doing it!
I don’t want to tell too much of the story by giving away too many details, but, I think you should run out and buy this book today if you haven’t already done so! You won’t be disappointed!
The book also made me pause and think about my own childhood. Sally moves into a new area when she’s around eleven or twelve, and I was ten when my family moved to a new area. It was strange, being the new Black kid in the neighborhood. People acted like I was a martian from outer space or something! When I graduated from high school, I was the only Black female in the class! Racism is something that I’ve experienced in my life and Patti touched upon this issue in a realistic way.
Great story! You should read it!