54. This Bitter Earth

by Bernice L. McFadden (276 pgs)

Set in the rural south in the 1940's and 50's and told from the point of view of a series of African American women and a couple of African American men. This is the sequel to a book I haven't read and I felt that I was missing something because of that. All the same, the plot is exceptionally convoluted and it doesn't become absolutely clear what's going on until the end. The characters are rich and memorable. The only complaint I have is that the shifts in point of view are often unmarked and that can be confusing at times. It's a hard book, but an enjoyable one.