Dollbaby

 

From Goodreads:

When Ibby Bell’s father dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1964, her mother unceremoniously deposits Ibby with her eccentric grandmother Fannie and throws in her father’s urn for good measure. Fannie’s New Orleans house is like no place Ibby has ever been — and Fannie, who has a tendency to end up in the local asylum — is like no one she has ever met. Fortunately, Fannie’s black cook, Queenie, and her smart-mouthed daughter, Dollbaby, take it upon themselves to initiate Ibby into the ways of the South, both its grand traditions and its darkest secret.

For Fannie’s own family history is fraught with tragedy, hidden behind the closed rooms in her ornate Uptown mansion. It will take Ibby’s arrival to begin to unlock the mysteries there. And it will take Queenie and Dollbaby’s hard-won wisdom to show Ibby that family can sometimes be found in the least expected places.

 

From Me:

Everyone knows I just read this book on a long car trip--thanks Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!

(I do like to post pics on car trips---isn't everyone interested in what I'm reading, drinking, and driving by?)

 

I liked it!

The title was a bit confusing to me while I was reading it, but the ending brought it all together for me. (oops--that could be a mini-spoiler)

I wish it had gone into a bit more of Dollbaby and her civil rights involvement (or protests).

The novel touched on a lot of issues of the 1960's --  just touched, didn't dig deep-- but then the story was more a coming of age story about Ibby and her grandmother and their relationships with Queenie and Dollbaby.

 

I loved all the food references.

3 stars from me.  (3.5 if they offered it)

It was good and I enjoyed it.  I think you will too.

An easy read.