-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I read this book after attending a book group at church. It is close to home as I know what it is like to move into a neighborhood in transition. "
- Jean, 2/13/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Work book club choice... "
- Stacie, 2/8/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Great take on the other side of the fence of racial issues related to gentrification. Great book for discussion (though may be heated). "
- Andrea, 2/5/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I'd like to give this another half star. I'm still trying to update my book list since joining this site and remembered I had read this awhile ago. Since I can't remember details I have to assume that the book wasn't all that memorable for me...thus the 3 stars. "
- Maicie, 1/28/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" An excellent look at gentrification in an Atlanta society. This book deals with racism, and its detrimental effects on people who choose to succumb, as well as those who try to help. "
- Arshan, 1/21/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" As others have said in reviews, the setting and premise set this up to be a compelling read, but the characters, other than Barlowe, just aren't very believable. I do think that McCall captured the atmosphere of the neighborhood and the painful disintegration of the black community, like he's much better at describing the situation than writing a story. "
- Kate, 1/6/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Not one nice white person in his story? "
- Barbara, 1/3/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" An interesting story about two different races and how they view one another in an old historic neighborhood in Atlanta. "
- Lois, 1/3/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I wanted to love this story. Sadly, the characters were weakly drawn, there were parts that just didn't make sense with the story, and the dialogue was stilted. "
- Terri, 1/3/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" a look at a Atlanta black neighborhood, that is being taken over by "whites" in a current day setting. How the black think and try to deal with this invasion. Good "
- Vicki, 11/29/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I found this book to be interesting. "Them" depends on who you are. It was sad and unfortunate. I wish all people could live together but I'm not so sure they can. "
- Dotty, 11/10/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it either. It was actually kind of boring to me. Sandy drove me crazy. If the author was trying to write her as a kind empathetic characther working to bind racial ties he failed miserably b/c to me she came across as pathetic. "
- Wendy, 10/24/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I re-read this book for the Library discussion meeting. Somehow I was a lot more depressed by it the second reading. "
- Carol, 10/11/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" awful...poorly written "
- Savannah, 9/23/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Interesting turn of events. I like the alternate view of race relations and how "them" can be ANYBODY. "
- Carefree, 7/5/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Great topic - horrible book. Second book I have ever quit reading... "
- Margaret, 3/5/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" The story line caught my interest yet the characters were basically cut out stereotypes that didn't keep my interest. "
- Psalm, 1/1/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I found this book to be entertaining (being able to relate to the neighborhood references), thought-provoking (mildly), and funny (but I'm not sure it was supposed to be), though character development was unbelievable and shallow. The ending is ridiculous. "
- Nandita, 10/6/2012
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I could not get into this book... "
- Adrienna, 6/29/2012
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" (Audio) Loved the perspective in which this novel is narrated. Didn't hurt that the reader was excellent, too. "
- Karla, 4/19/2012
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" This book breaks down the topic of gentrification in a painful though thorough way. The reader is set up to empathize with all of the characters, seeing the humanity and pain of the past, present, and future. I love love love it and absolutely recommend this book. "
- Sandy, 8/6/2011
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Good story, but a little slow and scattered at times. I guess I was hoping for something more.... "
- Jessica, 5/9/2011
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Reminds me of some of the Walter Mosley tales that tell of unhappy men in large unban cities that are unsure of what they want to do with their lives and tend to dislike and distance everyone around them.
"
- H., 12/13/2010
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Interesting turn of events. I like the alternate view of race relations and how "them" can be ANYBODY.
"
- Carefree, 12/9/2010
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" (Audio) Loved the perspective in which this novel is narrated. Didn't hurt that the reader was excellent, too.
"
- Karla, 11/1/2010
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I found this book to be interesting. "Them" depends on who you are. It was sad and unfortunate. I wish all people could live together but I'm not so sure they can.
"
- Dotty, 10/7/2010
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I wanted to love this story. Sadly, the characters were weakly drawn, there were parts that just didn't make sense with the story, and the dialogue was stilted.
"
- Terri, 7/31/2010
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Decent...not as gritty o rin-depth as I expected from Nathan McCall, but it still hit all the key points.
"
- Kelly, 6/16/2010
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" This novel should be read by every American for empathy and understanding of where we are in America today, particularly since our president is black. Blacks need to understand them and whites need to understand us. "Them" is a perfect springboard for this conversation to begin.
"
- Toshana, 3/9/2010
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" The compelling story of the expected conflicts when white families begin moving into the the Old Fourth Ward, an historical African American area of Atlanta. Interesting reflections on race relations, as well as lots of local Atlanta references.
"
- Nancy, 11/4/2009
> Hide All