Crystal Smith Paul

Did You Hear about Kitty Karr?

Lindsay

Often people seemed disappointed or puzzled to discover Elise was just Black and not biracial. Her explanation always began with “somewhere down the line,” and every time she veered down that path, the inquirer’s eyes would glaze over. They wanted her to validate the banana- pudding hue of her skin, her light eyes, and her hair that grew like a weed down her back, as if these qualities weren’t possible within the Black race. Slavery and its attendant sexual violence wasn’t what they wanted to be reminded of.

But something about his presence bothered her. It felt like an unavoidable iceberg, not a life raft.

“We always have a choice; we only say we don’t to soothe our conscience from what we’re capable of.”

Elyse’s chapters weren’t as interesting as Kitty’s and I thought the “twist” was pretty predictable but Kitty’s chapters were pretty captivating and it was a well written, interesting story. 

Antonia Murabito

Elise and her sisters inherit the estate of the famous actress Kitty Karr. But why? As the women dig into Kitty’s past, secrets begin to unravel.

I loved this layered, complex story. Kitty was such a wonderfully rich character. The plight of black people in the 1950s came alive in this story. My biggest issue is the large cast of characters with similar names. This made following the story confusing at times, but the beauty of the story outweighs this problem.

Cheri McElroy

Elise and her sisters inherit the estate of the famous actress Kitty Karr. But why? As the women dig into Kitty’s past, secrets begin to unravel.

I loved this layered, complex story. Kitty was such a wonderfully rich character. The plight of black people in the 1950s came alive in this story. My biggest issue is the large cast of characters with similar names. This made following the story confusing at times, but the beauty of the story outweighs this problem.

Did You Hear about Kitty Karr?

Reviews

Highlights