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Book Review of Letters from My Sister

Letters from My Sister
VolunteerVal avatar reviewed on + 645 more book reviews


"You goin' need strength. You goin' need courage. Some questions got hard answers. Bring no comfort. Only pain. But Almighty say truth make you free. You seek truth. That good. But you goin' pay a price for y' freedom."
- Valerie Fraser Luesse, Letters from My Sister

The stunning cover of Letters from My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse stopped me in my tracks, and the story it contains is equally compelling. It was inspired by the author's maternal grandmother and the important relationships in her life.

In 1911 Alabama, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock have a close bond in their family of many brothers. As Emmy prepares to marry her true love, Callie's unsure how her future will unfold. A guest to the Bullock farm and the nefarious actions of another launch a series of events that result in separation, grief, and unanswered questions, and one sister questions the acts of the other. Will she have the strength to seek answers?

This novel has it all - history, mystery, family drama, romance, faith, and a strong sense of Southern atmosphere. This complex plot unspools slowly, and readers experience a broad range of emotions on the journey. I was fully immersed in its time and place although I expected letters to be a larger component of the plot. Ms. Luesse continues to be one of my go-to authors for Southern historical fiction.

In a podcast interview, I learned that the (white) author took great care in creating a key Black character, using a sensitivity reader to ensure the writing was respectful. I appreciated this as racism and the impacts of slavery are part of the story.

Thank you to Revell and NetGalley for the review copy of this novel.