Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Dollbaby
A big-hearted coming-of-age debut set in civil rights-era New Orleans—a novel of Southern eccentricity and secrets
When Ibby Bell’s father dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1964, her mother unceremoniously deposits Ibby with her eccentric grandmother Fannie and throws in her father’s urn for good measure. Fannie’s New Orleans house is like no place Ibby has ever been—and Fannie, who has a tendency to end up in the local asylum—is like no one she has ever met. Fortunately, Fannie’s black cook, Queenie, and her smart-mouthed daughter, Dollbaby, take it upon themselves to initiate Ibby into the ways of the South, both its grand traditions and its darkest secrets.
For Fannie’s own family history is fraught with tragedy, hidden behind the closed rooms in her ornate Uptown mansion. It will take Ibby’s arrival to begin to unlock the mysteries there. And it will take Queenie and Dollbaby’s hard-won wisdom to show Ibby that family can sometimes be found in the least expected places.
For fans of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and The Help, Dollbaby brings to life the charm and unrest of 1960s New Orleans through the eyes of a young girl learning to understand race for the first time.
By turns uplifting and funny, poignant and full of verve, Dollbaby is a novel readers will take to their hearts.
The publisher has been kind enough to offer our readers one copy of Dollbaby. This giveaway is only open to US residents who are 18+ years of age.
The giveaway runs from 7/18-25. Winner will be notified via email on 7/24.
This book sounds like a really great read. I just love this genre. It completely transports you!
ReplyDeleteThis one is extremely well done. It's one of my 2014 favorites.
DeleteI live in Baton Rouge and love a good novel based in LA!
ReplyDeleteYou'll love this one. I've only been to New Orleans once, but I loved the imagery and culture that Laura conjures.
DeleteThis book is the kind of books we readers need more of! I'm going to read this before summer ends!! xo
ReplyDeleteI agree - I love well written, well researched historical fiction.
DeleteRacism isn't easy to understand at any age, but learning about it at a young age can affect you for a long time. Your review makes me want to check out the 60's in Louisiana and how this family functioned.
ReplyDeleteThanks for checking out my review. I've been inspired to research more about race relations in Louisiana during the time period after reading this one. It just made me crave more knowledge.
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