People Person

People Person is Candice Carty-Williams second novel following behind the success of her internationally acclaimed award-winning debut novel "Queenie"-which I had the pleasure of reading about 4 years ago. Since I had already had a dose of William's writing capabilities my expectations for "People Person" were astronomically high but I must say that she DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Williams used her characterization skills to allow the reader a glimpse into the thought process and over all development of the characters throughout the book. This story follows the lives of five half-siblings Nakisha, Danny, Lizzie, Dimple, and Prynce who share one person in common, their emotionally avoidant and physically absent father- Jamaican born Cyril Pennington. These siblings lives become intertwined twice, the first time after almost a decade their father decides it is time for them to meet, with the intentions to prevent an incestous incident from occurring as they grew older. All five siblings meet again after many years, but this time not at the request of Cyril Pennington but following a tragedy that occurs in one of their homes. The author does an excellent job of portraying how family loyalty has no bounds as the Pennington siblings prove their commitment time and time again to one another throughout the novel, regardless of the fact that they have only met one time and don't know anything about one another. I loved the way Williams also exposes that although they all may have had the painful experience of growing up without a father- she exposes how the absence of Cyril Pennington had an effect on each of them from their temperaments, attachment styles within personal relationships, their decision-making process when under stress, and the way they relate to themselves.