The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson is an emotional experience that stays with you. I really enjoyed how Johnson navigated exploring the different realities of motherhood specifically from the Black experience in the 1950s. A sure-fire page turner guranteed to make you tear up.
What’s It About?
Told in dual timelines we follow Ruby Pearsall in Philadelphia and Eleanor Quarles in D.C. Ruby is a young teenage girl who’s struggling to make it through an educational program aimed to help lower income Black students go to college. Yet, the odds seem to be against her from trouble with her mother over her boyfriend and now a forbidden romance that leads to a surprise pregnancy. Ruby, is left struggling to determine her next steps so she can make her dreams of becoming an opthamalogist come true.
Meanwhile, Eleanor is attending the prestigious Howard University. Her mother’s hard work and sacrifice financed her entry into college. But, she’s burning the candle at both ends to stay afloat and keep up with the finacial cost. She meets the charming and wealthy William Pride a premed student from a prestigious family. Through a chance encounter love blossoms. And, as they prepare for marriage she learns that she’s not what his mother has envisioned for her son at all coming from a poor family with no high society background. Eleanor hopes that once they start their family and are blessed with a baby things will change between her and her in-laws. But gaining acceptance is more difficult than she imagined.
Book Details 📖
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Fiction, African American, Adult Fiction
Where To Buy: Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble
Add To TBR: Goodreads, StoryGraph
The Key Players 🌺
Ruby Pearsall- An intelligent 15 year-old girl that’s working hard to go places and break the cycle of poverty in her family by becoming the first in her generation to attend college. But life has other plans for Ruby.
Shimmy- a sweet young Jewish boy who meets Ruby and becomes smitten with her. They develop a fledgling friendship that blooms into something more. However, the realities of society, race and class create struggles for their relationship.
Eleanor Quarles- a young Black woman who earns a scholarship to Howard University and with the help of her mother’s financial acumen is able to earn a decent savings to help get her through her first year of college. While brilliant, with a bright personality she feels uncomfortable rubbing elbows with the Black and wealthy upper class.
William Pride- Eleanor’s handsome and successful husband who fell head over heels for Eleanor’s elegant beauty, intelligence and ambition. However, he finds himself struggling between her and his family as he tries to get them to accept his wife.
Tropes & Representation 💫
Coming-of-Age under pressure:
Both Ruby and Eleanor are trying to elevate themselves and achieve better oppurtunities for their life via education. Yet, they’re fighting against a society that limits Black women’s choices and ability to access resources and tools to advance in life.
Star-crossed lovers / forbidden love:
Ruby’s and Shimmy’s romance is troubled from the start due to racial differences, religion, and societal tension regarding interracial relationships. Eleanor and William’s relationship also faces backlash due to classism and elitism within the Black community.
Secret Pregnancy/Hidden Motherhood:
This novel explores homes for wayward girls and how young unwed mothers were treated as they faced shame, secrecy and had their autonomy and choices ripped away from them.
Fish out of Water:
Eleanor a low-class country girl is trust into Black high society when she marries into the Pride family. She struggles feeling welcome and feeling confident in herself and her identity.
Black Women’s Voices:
This novel highlights the realities of Black women in the 1950s.
Intersectionality of race, class and gender:
This novel displays classism and colorism in the Black community. It also does an excellent job of illustrating how wealth and status creates oppurtunties and connections.
Historical Black elite society:
Eleanor’s entry into the world of D.C.’s “blue vein” elite gives insight into intra-racial class divides and respectability politics in mid-century Black America.
Let’s Talk About It
I wasn’t prepared for how deep Johnson was going to take me in this novel. Her ability to write such a multi-layered novel ripe with culturally releavant themes that we can still learn from and unpack today was exceptional. While there wasn’t a shortage of themes and ideas in this novel there are a few that really stood out to me.
The first being motherhood which one could argue is the foundation of this novel. Johnson showcases two different journeys and realities regarding motherhood. Through these women you realize that motherhood isn’t as simple as it seems. The truth is it can be a complex and frustrating experience wrought with dissappointment, sacrifice, and grief.
Next up there’s the theme of race, class and internalized racism. You see how White America views race and the prevelance of racial tensions and struggles of interracial couples in the 50’s with Ruby and Shimmy’s romance. Yet, Johnson also shows how internalized racism and intra-racial tensions were also prevalent during this time as she explores Eleanor and William’s relationship.
Lastly, there’s the disturbing price that the characters must pay as their stories are rife with secrets and silence. How this will impact them into the future.
Writing Style
Johnson’s writing style was brilliant and captivating. The transitions between the dual POV felt natural and seamless never confusing. Each character had a distinct voice yet they both shared parallels and similarity that aligned with the novel’s core themes.
Her prose was beautiful not because it was flowery and lyrical necessarily. But more because she knew how to write with raw emotion and was able to pull you into each character’s story where you could feel and empathize with them. Her words carried weight and meaning making it impossible for you to not feel moved by them.
And when it comes to setting and atmosphere pure perfection. She nailed the language, the vibe, the reality and the mood of each character and their reality. With intentional wording and rich descriptions that allow you to slide into the novel.
Plot Development
The plotting for this story felt real and relatable. It was the perfect blend of character-driven elements and plot based action that moved the story along at a steady pace. Each twist and turn this story made felt like an emotional gut punch as Johnson drew you deeper into the conflict of both character’s worlds.
I particularly enjoyed how she manipulated my emotions creating a sense of calm while underneath there’s a storm brewing and you’re left wondering what could possibly happen now?
Another important piece of this plot is how Ruby and Eleanor’s stories were parallel to each other. While details were different they were similar in the ways that count creating cohesion and making the story more realistic.
Characters
These characters while flawed and imperfect were also real and their journeys and eventual arcs made sense in respect to their unique situations.
Ruby’s fierce and determined to rise above and achieve her dreams. While she understands the ways of the world she was born into she still holds some hope that maybe life will surprise her and things won’t turn out the way she suspects. My favorite qualities about Ruby was her ambition even when the odds were stacked against her, her hope for a better world, and her courage to do the hard things.
While determined Eleanor was a bit more insecure and struggled with her identity and place in William’s family. Her lack of confidence in herself and ability to trust and communicate effectively with her husband led her to struggle emotionally and mentally.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly are the supporting characters. Eleanor’s mother in law, the Mother Superior at the Home for Wayward Girls, Ruby’s mother and aunt, and Shimmy’s mother. They all mirrored some aspect of society and the systems that were created to keep women in their place by policing their bodies and choices.
Is It For You?
If you’re a fan of Historical Fiction that prioritizes amplyfing the voices of Black women you’re going to love this. As long as you’re not averse to talk about motherhood and pregnancy you’ll enjoy exploring the complex themes of this heartwrenching novel. I do advise you to check your trigger warnings as there are some scenes and topics explored regarding childbirth and pregnancy that may be triggering for some.
Final Thoughts
I had an emotional but good time reading this novel. I empathized with both characters and shared in their highs and lows. Johnson’s writing was exquisite and a pleasure to read from. I’m eager to explore more of her backlist and enjoy more of her works.
