When I Get Free: A Novel

This book turned out to be better than I'd expected. Not only was it dealing with a serious topic. It also provided humor in the process which made the book even more interesting. Whether some of us wish to admit it or not. I believe that we all have those two little voices that are constantly battling each other to help us come to a decision. Most of all, I like the way the story ended. I think it was so beautiful how Gail and Tower manage to help one another after all.

First of all the prison life and afterlife portrayed in this book is right on point. The author captures the mindset of an ex-con perfectly. You can tell she did her research instead of relying on some glorified media version of events of prison and parole. The secondary characters were developed just enough for you to have feelings about them. You hated them or liked them but you weren't indifferent about most of them. The main character's father was probably my favorite character, he was hilarious.I will definitely check out past and future works by this author.

This was a great book, although I read the book a while back I wanted to list my recommendation to interested readers. The author really got into the mind of anonymous and told his story as if we were experiencing the events with him. He got caught up in the game, like so many others.

When does one become free? Is it when you are released from a 4x7 cell that you have called home for 10 years? Is it when your mind is able to release the locked-up mentality? Is it when you are able to be on your own and not have to report to a parole officer? These are the questions that Tower (Theodore) Evans is in search of in Cheryl Robinson's latest novel, When I Get Free. Tower is released from a prison in Oklahoma after serving ten years of a forty-year sentence for drug trafficking. Charges that may not have come about if he were also not the victim of racial profiling. While incarcerated Tower had a lot of time to sort out his life. Instead of focusing on seeking revenge against the other guys who were in the car, he completed the requirements for an associate degree, buffed himself up in the gym and survived. He returned home a changed man. A man whose paranoia is more pronounced and the mean and nice voices he hears are constantly in conflict. He no longer is the "big man", as he has to start from nothing. He has the support of his family who remained behind him during his years in prison. It is the women in Tower's life who are causing him the most problems. Mary, his probation officer, is the key to his freedom and until she decides to release him, he is not free. Gail is an aspiring writer he meets one rainy night. They become close friends as she tries to write a book about his experiences as a prisoner. Tonya is the woman he meets at church who will do anything for him, but he has nothing to give her in return. Lisa, his woman before he goes to prison and the mother of his child whereabouts are unknown. This fictional account of a real ex- convict's life is raw, gritty and intriguing. There are no holds barred as Tower graphically tells what goes on in prison. It is the best example of the survival of the fittest theory. Life away from prison is not easy and the trials of an ex-convict continue longer after they walk away from the prison. The author does an excellent job of taking the reader inside the prison and the mind of Tower. She also provides humor, shows strong family, and makes the reader feel some compassion toward Tower when it appears he is getting a raw deal. I would highly recommend this novel. If you have never been to prison reading this book will dissuade you from making the mistakes that can take you to one. It is not a pretty place. JeanetteAPOOO BookClub

Cheryl Robinson is a gifted writer, one of the best among contemporary African-American novelists on the scene today. In her second book, When I Get Free, she continues to showcase her outstanding ability to pen a viable story by using laugh-out-loud snappy dialogue, compelling plot twists, and heart-feeling, genuine characters. Tower Evans is young black male who has been released from an Oklahoma prison and is attempting to cope with the ironies of being set free. His re-entry into the world is tough, especially since he is still bound through having to report to a parole officer, and his constant reminders of life behind bars haunt him. In this novel, which was based on the true experiences of an ex-con, Cheryl uses graphic descriptions of prison life: what its like to enter the system, what prisoners do to try and survive, what the culture is like at its worst. The scene regarding solitary confinement was done so vividly, I felt like I was there in that jail cell, all by myself, trying to survive and I didn't like how that felt. This is just a credit to Cheryl's profound gift for writing, and I again commend her for offering readers an engaging novel with a unique writing voice, superb pacing, shocking scenes, and characters that draw you inside their fascinating world. Although I've only read the two books she's written thus far, Cheryl Robinson has quickly catapulted herself within the top 10 of my favorite writers today. Her book is highly recommended.