Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones


Silver Sparrow is one of the most unique and creative stories to hit shelves this year. The daughter of a polygamist, Dana Yarboro is convinced she is second best. Forced to live a secret life much less posh than her half sister, Dana watches her father’s other daughter from the distance and examines the “silver girls” whose lives seem so perfect.

She becomes obsessed with learning more about this other family, the real family, and as the novel draws readers through well-crafted scenes, full characters develop that will stick with you long after you close the book. Of course the two girls meet, despite their father’s efforts to keep Dana and her mother hidden from his other family, and that’s when Tayari Jones masterfully weaves the stories together to form a masterpiece.

Do the characters grow and learn from their poor choices? No, not really. But that only proves to make the ending more realistic. Some may find the story a bit unbelievable, but for those who believe truth is stranger than fiction, this is the read for you. Plus it’s set in Atlanta during the 1980s, which is interesting in itself.  Ultimately, this novel explores  how a man’s treatment of his family can define a girl’s worth, and it opens an endless field of discussion questions for book groups looking for a good read.

 

 

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