Contemporary Fiction
304 pages
Rating: out of 5
Interracial dating, drug abuse and lesbianism run rampant in SISTER
GIRLS, the novel written by Essence best-selling author Angel M.
Hunter. These four distressed sistahs have their problems cut out for
them in this cookie-cutter plot that comes out a little flat.
Crystal, Susie, Elsie own the New Jersey law firm where Jewell works as
a secretary. Although not exactly enemies, the ladies aren't really that
familiar with one another outside of work. But each has her own
problems that eventually leads them to create a fast friendship.
Crystal is the former rape victim still holding on to the pain of that unfortunate act. Her nights are
sleepless, and when she does lay down, her nightmares begin. By all appearances, she seems put
together, but her pain leads to destructive behavior like drinking and dating a married man.
Hard-nosed Susie knows she has a drug problem, but doesn't know how to stop. It's all she can do to
make it through the day without a hit. But when her fiancé returns with a marriage proposal, she
knows she has to give up the white horse.
Elsie, the more easy-going of the four, is trying her best not to move in with her lesbian lover,
Summer. It's not that Elsie doesn't love Summer, it's just that she loves her privacy better. And now
that Summer's daughter has come to stay with her permanently, she definitely doesn't want to step
into a ready-made family. Her decision is made all the more complicated when her ex, Jenay, returns to
town.
And single-mother Jewell finds herself uncomfortably dating a white man for the first time. But does
her discomfort come from being with him or the fact that she still has feelings for her baby daddy?
Hunter's characters and problems were the center of this sordid tale, but they didn't exactly shine.
Although you could easily relate to their problems, the women seemed one dimensional. And the
ending leaves you hanging at the end. You could tell Hunter left it open for a sequel, but I wanted a
better conclusion than what I got.
Sister Girls is an easy read, one you could probably finish in a few hours on a lazy afternoon.
Reviewed June 2006
