Linden Hills by Gloria Naylor

 genre: fiction

For the Black community, finally getting a place in Linden Hills means that you've "made" it.  You have pride of place.  Your home is among those lucky ones who are going somewhere.  Of course, the is stratification within Linden Hills too, and in this sudivided neighborhood, THE house is at the bottom of the hill - at Luther Nedeed's home.  It was his family, generations ago, that had the vision for Linden Hills, and now that vision led to a kind of power that's subtle but distinct.  Getting your way in Linden Hills will require the oversight of a Nedeed.

I'm so torn.  I took me SO VERY LONG TO READ THIS.  I mean, over a MONTH.  It just did not ever capture me. I would listen to an audiobook or read my kindle book instead.  It never took hold of my mind or imagination and felt intentionally confusing.  I'm not saying it's not incredibly written  - or that there aren't really powerful ideas and some really creepy stuff here. I just never felt excited to pick it up and when I did, I would drift off.  That never happened when I read other books by Naylor, particularly Mama Day, which I loved.   There are big ideas here about status and pride and social networks.  It's similar to Brewster Place in that you follow lots of neighborhood characters in and out and a story is slowly sort of woven together but in the end, it just didn't feel cohesive for me.  I never got really invested in anyone at all.  I'm sad to only give two stars to a book by Gloria Naylor but this one just did not do it for me.