Red at the Bone – Jacqueline Woodson

‣ brooklyn

‣ family is hard

‣ black lit

‣ just like od heart wrenching 

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“If a body’s to be remembered, someone has to tell its story.”

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As a Brooklyn girl, I’d heard of Jacqueline Woodson, but, surprisingly, this is my first time reading her work. Jacqueline is an author of many accolades, and I’m sure Red at the Bone will be no exception. It was a quick, engrossing read; I finished it in a few hours this Monday. However, the brevity of the time I spent reading this novel does not reflect insubstantiality in regards to theme. As only an artful and elegant writer could do, Jacqueline weaves heavier subjects into the narrative. The resulting effect: the reader is not stunted by shock; they are moved so deeply and innately as to have room to process larger meaning. 

Red at the Bone is a story of generations. It is familiar enough to be within reach and refreshing enough to be worth reading. There is no central plot point—the characters live life, taking in its highs and lows, as we all do, and the summary of their stories shares insight into larger complexities of Black American life. The characters are tied together by the simple fact that they are a family, with roots intertwined and leading to the same trees. I didn’t love each character—in fact, I found some difficult to relate to—yet, I saw them all as deeply human. Jacqueline’s characters question love—its capabilities, its breadth. On top of the weight of their designated roles (father, daughter, girlfriend, husband), these characters carry with them the weight of being Black, and therefore the weight of Black history. 

I did personally like the parts of this novel that were homey for me. Like Iris, I’m a Brooklyn girl. Like Melody, I went to a Country Day School. Like Malcolm, I was in Prep for Prep. Like New Yorkers, I remember 9/11. But these things are not the reason why I loved this novel. Red at the Bone is a compassionate work; Jacqueline is a kind writer. Each character’s perspective allowed me to know them without judgement and hold them close. I see why this book has been making its rounds on #bookstagram, and I, as I’m sure many others, will be thinking of these characters for a very long time.