A Black Southern family drama that deals as much in tenderness and humor as it does in brutality, Addie E. Citchens’s Dominion reveals the many sinister ways in which we are shaped by fear and patriarchy.
As I started reading, I quickly realised the synopsis did not do it justice — it was not what I expected. And how happy I was to uncover its twists and turns.
This is a fast, compelling and engaging read, cleverly written from the POV of two women, each with her own authentic voice.
Set in a small town in southern Minessota called Dominion, the story follows a family led by a Reverend highly respected by the community, his wife and their five grown-up children—all independent, except for one: Wonderboy, a 17-year-old angel who still lives with his parents.
On the other hand, there’s Diamond, a poor 17-year-old girl who lives with her adoptive mother. Rejected by her birth mother and separated from her siblings, she had endured a hard life—until she finally finds love with Wonderboy.
Same community, same church, yet two different worlds apart divided of money, respect and appearances. Appearances that will soon turn their lives upside down.
I truly admire how the story evolves from blindness to realisation. Two women—one young one older—finding their way through the structures of patriarchy.
The ending was unexpected and satisfying. However, I would have liked that the character's change of heart that led to it, was developed a little further, it felt rushed.
I found the wordplay between the town’s name and the concept of patriarchal male dominance to be quite clever.
For a debut novel, congratulations—I look forward to seeing what more she will share with the world.
“That was so forever ago; a tune snuck into my mind, a bit about time slipping, slipping into the future.”
Expected for Aug 19 2025, this is a honest personal opinion. I’d like to thank Farrar Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for this post.
Rating: 🟊🟊🟊🟊⯪
No comments:
Post a Comment