Babylon Sisters [Paperback]

Sometimes it feels like it is SO HARD hard to find a good black book, with writing and characters that not only entertain you, but also make you proud. Finally, I found (another) one! If you remember any of her other works, especially my favorite, WHAT LOOKS LIKE CRAZY ON AN ORDINARY DAY, then you already no that Pearl Cleage tells a compassionate, intelligent story. BABYLON SISTERS is no exception.

Babylon Sisters is the story of thirty-eight-year-old Catherine Sanderson, a strong black woman who's making a difference in this world. She's a woman who has dedicated her life to improving her community by working with immigrant women and helping them find jobs and housing in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. She has also raised a beautiful, intelligent daughter all on her own, and seventeen-year-old Phoebe Sanderson is finishing her senior year at a fancy, private boarding school and is all but headed to Smith College.

But Catherine's peaceful, organized life is due for a few interruptions. In order to pay for Phoebe's expensive college tuition, Catherine takes on a job with a new client - the reknowned, eccentric black millionaire named Miss Ezola Mandeville. (Emphasis on the "Miss.") But Miss Mandeville, who runs a house-keeping business, appears to be involved through an unsavory business partner in a forced-prostitution ring with immigrant women. Catherine can't figure out exactly what they're up to, or even whether Miss Mandeville is actually knows what her partner is doing to her well-reputed business.

At the same time, Phoebe has become ever more curious about the identity of her father, whom she has never met. In fact, BJ Johnson, the only man Catherine has ever loved, does not even know that he has a daughter. When BJ suddenly comes to Atlanta, Catherine is faced with the challenge of confessing to him that he has a seventeen-year-old daughter. To makes matters more complicated, BJ, a veteran newspaper reporter, knows more about Atlanta's forced-prostitution ring than he's letting on. When the savvy criminals realize that Catherine and her friends know too much, the close-knit group is faced with more than family drama. All of their lives are in danger.

This novel has everything-good writing and a good story. Smart, intriguing, real characters. And it deals with real issues - poverty, the exploitation of women and children, money, power, greed, secrecy, love and trust. I love Catherine, and I especially love it that she is the kind of strong black women who really is real. She has taken care of herself and her family, and using her brains and her financial assets to do things that matter. No designer clothes or jacuzzis, but a superb education and exposure to the many different cultures of the world for herself and her daughter. And this book is about empowered women, and women empowering women, hence the title, "Babylon Sisters." (If you don't get the title now, you'll understand it better as you read the book.) This book is one of the best black fiction novels that I've read all year. Read and enjoy!

Pearl Cleage returns to the literary scene with her latest book, BABYLON SISTERS, an endearing story about a single mother named Catherine Sanderson. Cat, as she is affectionately called, has been raising her daughter Phoebe alone since day one and has always been there for her. She home-schooled Phoebe, then later sent her to an exclusive private school. As her daughter nears graduation and prepares for college things seem to be great between them - except for the secret that Cat has been carrying for years, the identity of Phoebe's father. When Phoebe takes drastic measures to learn his identity, Cat must face the fact that the truth will be revealed and also deal with the pain that led to the secrets in the first place.

Cat owns and operates a consulting business, which she named, Babylon Sisters. Through Babylon Sisters, she has helped countless young immigrant women and saved them from wolves in sheep's clothing. These women often found themselves living in substandard housing with exorbitant rent, being overworked and underpaid, and even forced into prostitution, but failed to notify authorities for fear of deportation. Cat became a voice for these women, not only helping them get out of their particular situation, but also serving as a spokeswoman for their cause. In anticipation of college tuition bills, she realizes she must get a job working for someone else so that she can continue to make ends meet. When one of her speaking engagements results in a meeting with Miss Mandeville, a community icon with a thriving business, Cat believes her prayers have been answered. But things are not always as they seem.

This is one of those books that was completely satisfying. Cat narrated the story, but her voice immediately drew me into the plot. I could relate to her insecurities, her good intentions and even her stubbornness. The pacing of the story was superb and there were plenty of surprises. These twists not only added tension, but sometimes they added suspense while others provided humor and irony. I always find it difficult to review a book I really, really enjoyed for fear I won't do it justice, and this is the case with BABYLON SISTERS. The story touched me on so many levels, as a mother, as a daughter, as a woman in a relationship...and the list goes on. I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay

of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

This was a wonderful story. Cleage always packs a big punch with her novels. Covering some serious topics and sprinkle love in the mix. Cleage novels are always an outstanding book club selection.

Voted Best Fiction/Best Book Club Discussion/ Best Book Of The Year.

Mahogany Media Review

Albany, N.Y.