The Darkest Child

The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips has been on my TBR list for quite some time, and I'm sorry I didn't read it sooner. Phillips is an excellent storyteller and delivers an emotional read I thoroughly enjoyed. I listened to it on Audible and had a hard time taking a break. Small-town Georgia in the '60s provides the perfect setting for 13-year-old Tangy Mae's story. And although this book is fiction, there's a realness that is palpable. A determined Tangy Mae is desperate to escape her abusive family situation but is faced with several obstacles. First, she lives in poverty and is surrounded by racism with little opportunity. Secondly, her mother tells her she has no value and uses her for personal gain. And most importantly, she is considered the least desirable child because her skin color is the darkest of all the children.

Throughout the book, her mother inflicts emotional and physical harm to all the children with cruelty and harshness. Still, Tangy Mae forges on. This book is difficult to read at times, but I highly recommend you do. Racism, mental illness, and abuse are a few of the topics visited in this book which will give a Book Club a lot to discuss. It would make a great Book Club choice