A Top Ten Finalist for Best Historical Novel, Goodreads Choice Awards, and a LibraryReads and Okra PickA big-hearted coming-of-age debut set in civil rights-era New Orleans—a novel of Southern eccentricity and secrets When Ibby Bell’s father dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1964, her mother unceremoniously deposits Ibby with her eccentric grandmother Fannie and throws in her father’s urn for … throws in her father’s urn for good measure. Fannie’s New Orleans house is like no place Ibby has ever been—and Fannie, who has a tendency to end up in the local asylum—is like no one she has ever met. Fortunately, Fannie’s black cook, Queenie, and her smart-mouthed daughter, Dollbaby, take it upon themselves to initiate Ibby into the ways of the South, both its grand traditions and its darkest secrets.
For Fannie’s own family history is fraught with tragedy, hidden behind the closed rooms in her ornate Uptown mansion. It will take Ibby’s arrival to begin to unlock the mysteries there. And it will take Queenie and Dollbaby’s hard-won wisdom to show Ibby that family can sometimes be found in the least expected places.
For fans of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and The Help, Dollbaby brings to life the charm and unrest of 1960s New Orleans through the eyes of a young girl learning to understand race for the first time.
By turns uplifting and funny, poignant and full of verve, Dollbaby is a novel readers will take to their hearts.
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Very different views of a difficult time and how different areas adapted. Also how one family persevered
Surprise ending
Loved it
Great ending!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were so realistic, that I really miss them now that I have finished reading the book.
Loved this. Little slow in beginning but once characters are all introduced I was in love. The people and home set a mood you can wallow in and soak up. The people are as familiar and as unique as you could ask for. After I finished the book I reread it again with my new knowledge. Absolutely a first rate read!
Loved every page, every character!
I enjoyed reading this book and getting a better understanding of what it was like in the south in the ‘60s. The characters were very likable.
Great characters, great read, you’ll love it!
Loved this book
gave up on it ..not well written as a true voice of the south
it is a good read
I loved, loved, loved this book.
This book was good in that I liked the character development and the unexpected ending. It wasn’t much of a page-turner for me but was somewhat entertaining.
A very readable book with redemptive characters. A good view of the times.
One of the best books read in a long time!
I loved the characters in this book. They were very original, funny and someone I would have loved to know. Great book about the South and especially New Orleans.
One of the better books I have read!
I liked this as a light read. Kept me intrigued ‘til the end.
Nice story about the south and how quirky a family can be. After reading I looked for another by this author.