Book Thoughts: The Turner House by Angela Flournoy

The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One of the books that you read, and like it, but because you liked it and wanted more from it, it leaves a bit of disappointment in your mind upon finishing it.

The Turner House shares the tale of the Turner family, consisting of patriarch Francis and his wife Viola, and their 13 children, who all grow up in their house on Yarrow Street in Detroit. The general narrative of the book is in 2008, when the family, after Francis has already died and Viola is in struggling health and now living with the eldest son, Charles or "Cha-Cha," must come together and decide what to do with the house on Yarrow Street. Having worked with families in this setting, I can attest that I believe the author's portrayal of all the emotion involved in that decision, and how different children approach the issue, is very realistic.

While that narrative moves the book forward, the book really isn't about plot; its about the family - what it means to have family, the various relationships within a family, and what it means to belong. While there are 13 kids, the two most central in this book are the oldest - Cha-Cha, and the youngest, Lelah. Cha-Cha, who is recovering from an accident, which be believes might have been caused by a "haint," struggles with understanding that belief, while trying to coordinate the care for his mother, Viola, and make a decision about the house with some sort of consensus from the family. Lelah struggles with a gambling addiction, and must face how that impacts the relationship with her daughter and grandson, as well as her family.

Flournoy's writing and pacing are strong, and as a reader, you become easily invested in the characters, particularly Cha-Cha and Lelah, but the plight of this large family as a whole. Flournoy sprinkles in some history from the very beginning of Francis and Viola's relationship, which I think speaks to how happenstance family can be, but how those happenstance occurrences can lead to such strong emotional ties for future generations.

Yet, because of how much you come to know about Cha-Cha's and Lelah's struggles, in particular, its difficult to have a book end with certain things unresolved. Obviously, its the book the author wanted to write, but the book leaves more questions unanswered then answered, which can be a little frustrating.

That said, it was an enjoyable book to read and discuss with others, and is worth a read.

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