A Book A Week

Do you remember the moment you lost your childhood innocence? For some people, that passage into adulthood is a vague series of events that slowly change them from childhood to adulthood. For others, there is a defining moment in their life when their childhood was irrevocably ripped away. In her debut novel Last Summer on State Street, author Toya Wolfe explores that coming-of-age journey through the lens of poverty in America. Her poignant exploration of girlhood within the projects of Chicago proved to be as moving as it is enthralling. 

The year is 1999. Young Fe Fe lives with her protective mother and older brother in one of the many Robert Taylor Homes in Chicago. There is no denying that this is a community stricken by poverty, but for Fe Fe, this is the only home she knows. That summer, she and her two best friends play in the streets, a blissful time filled with double-dutch and laughter. This innocence isn't to last. The new millennium is upon them, and Fe Fe's life is about to change forever. 

The change comes first with the introduction of a new friend Tonya. Fe Fe's mother scolds her for visiting Tonya's home, making the girl promise to never set foot in that building again. Fe Fe doesn't understand this new rule. She's visited her other friends' homes. What is so different about Tonya? One night, there is a commotion around the building. Police enter Fe Fe's home and arrest her older brother. He stays behind bars for only one night, but he is forever different. He is not the same brother he was before. Finally, Chicago's Housing Authority announces that Fe Fe's building is the next one set to be demolished and redeveloped. This will be her last summer in this place. With all the changes around her, this may be her last summer of childhood too. 

Last Summer on State Street is a dazzling coming-of-age story that reflects upon the impact of place, community, and family. Toya Wolfe writes the novel from the perspective of her young main character. By only describing the events that unfold from this child's perspective, we witness her transition from the innocence of youth to the harsh realizations that come with maturity. At just a hair over 200 pages, the novel unfolds at a brisk pace, moving from scene to scene with an urgency that builds with each turning page. The journey depicted here is constructed in layers, simultaneously illustrating the personal growth of the main character, the distortion of a family and friend group, and the radical alterations to the fabric of a community. The heavy subject matter stays grounded through deliberate prose and a perspective that I immediately empathized with. All told, Last Summer on State Street is a remarkable debut novel from a skilled new voice in literary fiction. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 26)

Imagine for a moment that you are a 19-year-old student who has just written your debut novel. You've accomplished what few at your age could dream of, but you're just getting started. The esteemed publisher Alfred A. Knopf picks up your work and begins producing a sizeable first run in hardcover. Pretty great, right? As if things couldn't be going any better you get a call from none other than the queen herself, Oprah Winfrey. She tells you that she's read your book and wants it to be the next pick in her famous book club, all but assuring your debut novel will be a best seller. It may sound too good to be true, but this is the whirlwind reality of author Leila Mottley whose debut novel Nightcrawling was released back in June. I've had a publisher-provided copy of the book on my stack for a while now, so I finally cracked it open to read. 

At only 17, life for Kiara has already been a challenge. Her father is out of the picture, and her mother is currently incarcerated at a psychiatric correctional facility. This has left Kiara and her elder brother Marcus responsible for keeping their lives together. Money is tight. Marcus spends his days chasing his dreams of being the next great rap superstar, making no other effort to have any income. Their East Oakland apartment luxuriously named The Regal-Hi is anything but luxurious. No, Kiara knows that she lives in poverty. She's resorted to crashing funerals just to have a shot of eating a free meal. 

In addition to her tumultuous attempt to keep her own family afloat, Kiara has taken a neighboring boy under her wing. His mother has been tightly wound into the grips of addiction, often leaving her son alone for days on end. She has little time to mother the boy, let alone keep a job or pay the rent. Kiara diligently does her best to shield the child from the reality of his strife, allowing the boy to stay at her apartment and doing everything she can to keep him on the straight and narrow. Then comes the devastating news that her landlord is hiking up the rent. With the impending due date hovering over her shoulders, Kiara must find a way to make ends meet. 

What does a high school student do to bear the weight of an entire family? It happens quickly at first, almost as if it were just a dream. Kiara first has a chance encounter with a man at a bar. He initiates contact, following her out of the establishment. He says that he knows why she is there and what she wants. Kiara is afraid to admit to herself that she knows exactly what he means, but desperation can be quite the motivator. She's disgusted with herself in the aftermath. She never would have thought that she would sell out her body like she did, but she can't deny that the money she made will help her situation. What goes from a "just this once" occurrence soon grows, placing Kiara and her entire family into a precarious underworld of crime and agony. 

It is hard to comprehend that Nightcrawling is a debut novel. Mottley has crafted a narrative that is fully realized, vivid, and emotionally complex. It is a masterwork of literature akin to the best writing from the most seasoned and celebrated authors. I kept having to remind myself that this brilliant writing came from such a new voice. Mottley derived the inspiration for the book from a true story of a young girl who was physically and mentally taken advantage of by a group of corrupt police officers. She takes the crumbs of this premise and weaves it into a sobering portrait of poverty in America. The harshness of the reality depicted is balanced by the relationships between the protagonist and other characters. The dark and explicitly adult problems and scenarios that Kiara encounters are juxtaposed against the subtle reminders that she is still a child. This isn't an easy read from a content perspective, but Mottley's writing soars off of the pages, keeping a brisk pace through even the most gut-wrenching passages. Nightcrawling is a phenomenal debut from a promising author who is worthy of all of the hype and praise that she has already received. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2022, 34)