Mother of Pearl

By: Melinda Haynes

Narrated by: Nana Visitor

Twenty-eight-year-old Even Grade is a Black man who was orphaned as a child. 15-year-old Valuable Korner is a White girl who might as well have been orphaned. Petal, Mississippi, circa 1956, seems an unlikely spot for these two to connect, but a friendship forged across race lines is just one of many miracles waiting to happen in this small Southern town.

Their paths cross through Joody Two Sun, a seer with amazing powers. Forming something that resembles a family, they discover priceless things they never had: unconditional love, human connection, and enduring commitment.

©2000 Melinda Haynes (P)1999 Phoenix Books

Worth enduring a slow start!

Thoughtful story of the Deep South of the 1950’s. Contrary to some other listeners, I enjoyed the “storytelling” style of the narrator. There were some abrupt transitions from one chapter to the next that cut off a word or two ( bad editing).

Favorite book of all time.

I read this book at least once a year and every time there is something new about it that jumps out. Listening to it was wonderful. I enjoyed it immensely. The only thing negative was that sometimes at the end of the chapter they would cut off the end last couple of words of a sentence before moving on to the next chapter.

Hard to put down....er, hard to hit

I thought that this was an EXCELLENT listen! I enjoyed the character development, the plot - everything about this book. I was sad when it ended. May we look forward to a sequel?

Fantastic book, terrible audio file

Great book, true that the actor doesn't differentiate great between characters, but not impossible. The real problem is the chapters aren't lined up with the recording and it cuts out unknown lengths of book when the audible chapter changes

Transfixed

Great story told by a wonderful narrator! She brought the story together with her inflections and drawl taking the reader to the various scenes throughout the story..

One of my all-time favorites 💜

I have read this book so many times, but listening to it so artfully performed made it come to life in a whole new way for me. My one and only complaint about this audiobook is that it is choppy between chapters and it seems as if sections might even have been skipped.

Very poignant !

So we’ll written and read! I enjoyed it a lot…almost makes you feel like you are there!

literally exquisite

a feast of delicate a raw prose. i suppose it helps if you have spent time in the south, as the pace of the story matches the pace of the world down there, life takes its time. it ripens into a heady sweetness i felt in every mental bite of this delicious book. Bravo!!!

I loved this book.

I loved the this glimpse into another era and another culture. I loved the characters in it. I savored the descriptive writing, the surprising metaphors, the down-home way of looking at things. I was mighty sorry when it ended.

Hypnotically Beautiful

A first class wordsmith with a true understanding of human nature. Eloquent and heartbreakingly beautiful.