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A review by lit_vibrations
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul
4.0
In this enthralling debut the author tells an unforgettable multigenerational story surrounding a daughter, family of sisters, and the life of Hollywood star Kitty Karr. After Kitty passes away she leaves behind a huge fortune for the St.John sisters and a few untold secrets that could destroy the lives and reputations of those around them. Throughout the book we’re given a dual timeline with multiple POVs between the past and present were we discover who Kitty Karr truly was.
The beginning of the book was definitely a slow burn but as you immerse deeper into the novel things start to pick up. I found the past timeline and the transition of Mary becoming Kitty to be the most fascinating. I think once I realized Mary and Kitty were the same person I was hooked. Elise’s perspective tied both timelines together and gave us a better understanding of all the characters involved and why Kitty lived her life the way she had.
I enjoyed the author’s depiction of what it’s like for an individual to get away with racial passing and to experience a certain type of privilege they couldn’t afford to lose. While based on a fictional character I felt the book gave a raw and realistic portrait of how racial passing was once such a prominent thing for many mixed race Americans and the lengths they’d go to keep the truth hidden. Kitty’s mother knew she’d have more advantages passing off as white so she sent her away in hopes of having a better life. For many during the pre-civil war era passing was an opportunity to slip virtually unnoticed into a dominant society of privilege, wealth, and power.
Overall, this was a pretty decent read the writing was really captivating. My only downside with the novel was the fact it started off so slow, not all of the characters were developed, it could’ve been a few chapters shorter, and I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending. I felt like we were left with a few unanswered questions but nonetheless it was a great book and I recommend it’s worth reading. Special thanks to the author & henryholtbooks for my finished copy!!!
The beginning of the book was definitely a slow burn but as you immerse deeper into the novel things start to pick up. I found the past timeline and the transition of Mary becoming Kitty to be the most fascinating. I think once I realized Mary and Kitty were the same person I was hooked. Elise’s perspective tied both timelines together and gave us a better understanding of all the characters involved and why Kitty lived her life the way she had.
I enjoyed the author’s depiction of what it’s like for an individual to get away with racial passing and to experience a certain type of privilege they couldn’t afford to lose. While based on a fictional character I felt the book gave a raw and realistic portrait of how racial passing was once such a prominent thing for many mixed race Americans and the lengths they’d go to keep the truth hidden. Kitty’s mother knew she’d have more advantages passing off as white so she sent her away in hopes of having a better life. For many during the pre-civil war era passing was an opportunity to slip virtually unnoticed into a dominant society of privilege, wealth, and power.
Overall, this was a pretty decent read the writing was really captivating. My only downside with the novel was the fact it started off so slow, not all of the characters were developed, it could’ve been a few chapters shorter, and I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending. I felt like we were left with a few unanswered questions but nonetheless it was a great book and I recommend it’s worth reading. Special thanks to the author & henryholtbooks for my finished copy!!!