Baby Brother's Blues

Pearl, Thank you for bringing Blue Hamilton back to your readers who craved more of this fine chocolate man with the ocean in his eyes and the smooth velvet in his voice. You have not only given us a West End neighborhood where women and children are safe, but a hero whose life's mission is to keep it that way. We can not question Blue's loyalties, though we must question those of some of your other colorful characters. This vibrant novel is your best since 'What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day!' Also recommended: 'Standing at the Scratch Line' by Guy Johnson 'Railroaded' by Whitfield Grant 'Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do' by Pearl Cleage

Baby Brother's Blues is the continuation of a story about Blue Hamilton, a local man of influence. He is the behind-the-scenes enforcer and real estate mogul who has created an oasis of safety and crime-free family living in the heart of urban Atlanta. The West End, an area he unobtrusively controls, is an approximate 10 square block area of African-Americans of mixed incomes living in the heart of a modern city, replete with problems and dysfunction. He has created a buffer zone, in which the elderly walk the streets all hours of the night without fear, women can find refuge from violent partners, and children can grow up to become young professionals, returning to give back to the community. He is married to a gentle but powerful woman, Regina, whom he loves fiercely, and who loves him with a completeness tinged with quiet desperation. Desperation because, in addition to Blue's social philanthropy, she understands that his benevolence requires him to demand and oversee an orderly existence that sometimes takes him beyond the boundaries of the law. Blue attributes his powerful presence to his past lives as a just but firm ruler of a great kingdom, crime boss, and ruthless businessman. He feels that he shirked his earlier responsibilities as a leader, and feels that he has been chosen by fate to provide leadership for his people, and is doing so by carving out the safe haven of West End. He is accompanied by the ever-present and faithful General, who stands as his lieutenant and enforcer. Blue's aunt, Abbie, a seer, understands and encourages Blue's compulsion, and serves as his psychic guidepost. The story describes the entwined lives of the characters that Blue touches, his fingerprint, faint but present in all their lives. The climactic ending, perhaps more than any other element of the story reinforces Blue's understanding of his purpose in [this] life. The book is written in a simple but flowing style. The individual story lines move rapidly from once scene to the next, but never with too much dispatch. Although there are many characters who make significant appearances, they are never confusing, and never crowd each other. The book is obviously contemporary, with references to recent events, and in spite of that, there is a warm cocoon of mysticism that envelopes the story. The writing is sharp and crisp, exemplary of Ms. Cleage's books, and conveys the story with maximum impact and minimum drag. I found the book highly readable, and while the book is presented as having a somewhat mystical vector, I did not find the references jarring or disturbing. Ultimately, the main character is not a person, or even a place; I'd have to classify it as a motive, best described by Blue's description of himself as a "truly free man." I really enjoyed this novel. I congratulate Ms. Cleage on creating a mood of mystery and suspense that lingers long after the last page. Although I began at the third book in the Blue Hamilton series, it

BABY BROTHER'S BLUES is about politics, crooked cops, secret lives, and sweet love; and is enhanced by the author's touch of paranormal. Blue Hamilton, with his deep brown complexion, startling blue eyes and clairvoyant spirit is something of an enigma; this current life is his fourth reincarnation. A God-father of sorts in Atlanta's West End community, he has kept crime almost non-existent. He specifically protects women from the violence of husbands and boyfriends. West End almost feels like an urban oasis. Blue's connection to the 'shakers and movers' in Atlanta's political arena quiets the lingering question about whether he operates within the law. Displaying his sensitive nature, he takes special measures to keep his personal life separate from his business life. At home he and his wife Regina share an intimate, unshakable bond. On the streets, Blue's partner is his trusted, longtime associate, General. There is an array of eclectic characters, each with their own unique story, who struggle with issues of conscience and consequence. One such character is a young gangster wannabee and con man nicknamed Baby Brother. Running from Uncle Sam, Baby Brother travels to Atlanta where he meets a young architect who is trying to find himself, a young exotic dancer who is trying to lose herself, and a job working for Blue. Then everything changes, Regina is pregnant and wants Blue to alter his lifestyle. General, who has kept a secret from Blue for 20 years, becomes obsessed with the young dancer. And the up and coming architect finds himself caught in an explosive situation. Baby Brother, feeling that his ship has finally docked, ignites the seeds of change that will affect all of these people in profound and startling ways, and somebody will die. BABY BROTHER'S BLUES, which covers the gamut of human emotions, is a brilliantly weaved tapestry, interlocking lives, family, and friendship; Cleage skillfully tells this riveting story with the right blend of covert drama, candor and passion. It highlights her luminary talent. Reviewed by aNN of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

I just finished Baby Brother's Blues, Pearl Cleage's new novel, which will be released at the end of next month. The copy I have is an early copy from the publisher-no images on the cover, not a hint of what to expect. The blurb on the back said that it was a continuation of the story of Regina and Blue, the lovers from Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do. However, this is not a sequel. While Pearl's earlier novels can be loosely classified as "contemporary romances"-though I call them "Trojan Horse Romances", owing to the political messages she slips in- Baby Brother's Blues is more of a noir thriller. Maybe she has made a new genre, "Trojan Horse Thriller." You don't have to read many pages to know that you are reading something very different than what Pearl usually writes. For one thing, it is in the third-person point of view, and the opening character is a man: Baby Brother, the title character. But I wouldn't say that he is the main character. As crazy as this may sound, this is a book that doesn't really have a main character. Instead, this is a novel about a community. General wisdom says that the protagonist is the character to whom the story happens. Well, the events in this powerful and serious novel don't happen to any one person. The community, the city, the neighborhood, Atlanta's West End-this is the main character. The novel's cast includes Blue Hamilton, the self-appointed Emperor of the West End, his right-hand man General, and General's lover Brandi (who works as a stripper at Montre's). Precious Hargrove, the righteous sister-politician is back, along with her son Kwame who has a terrible secret. Baby Brother, a Iraq War deserter with a rap sheet and bad attitude, is our guide through an underground world of down-low brothers and other parts of Atlanta that most people don't talk about. While most of the characters live in the West End which has been made safe by Blue Hamilton's rule, this book is extremely gritty. There are crooked cops and strange bedfellows, betrayal and revenge, murder and suicide. The violence is not for the faint-hearted, but it is though Pearl is saying, "It hurts you to read about it, but there are people LIVING this life!" Usually, when I get one of Pearl's books in the mail, I make some tea, grab some animal crackers and gobble it up in a single sitting. But this is a book that makes you slow down and take your time. You have to ponder it, read every word, because it's not a story that goes where you think it's going. The characters are many, but fully drawn and haunting. The choices they make aren't easy and the consequences are not always pretty. But even through the ugliness and corruption, Pearl Cleage's optimism still shines through. As always, she writes with a big heart and gives the reader hope that self-love, black-on-black love is what we need if we are going to make it through these terrible times. Regina and Blue are expecting a baby and you feel like their love that has endured lifet