Let’s Read: The House of Eve

*A note about my reviews. I don’t give away plot or details. I never want to spoil a good book! Also I like to tell you something I loved and something to be aware of in each review I do.*

The House of Eve

By: Sadeqa Johnson

Told in a dual timeline format, The House of Eve takes us back during an era when being a woman and mother costs more than one might think. This historical fiction novel is set in the 1950’s where we meet Ruby in Philadelphia, and Eleanor in Washington D.C. Both women are fighting to meet expectations of what it looks like to be black women and achieve their goals in 1950’s America.

Ruby is a young high school girl living in poverty but with aspirations to be the first in her family to go to college. A love affair with an unexpected boy from her neighborhood threatens to derail all she has hoped for her future.

Eleanor is a smart young college woman who meets the man of her dreams at Howard University. But he is out of her league, and she must constantly strive to meet the expectations of his family and his world.

Sadeqa Johnson does a beautiful job weaving the stories alongside one another until they meet in a beautiful and heartbreaking finale.

 Something I loved: The back and forth of characters kept the story fresh. It only took a couple chapters before I was connected to both Ruby and Eleanor.

Something to be aware of: I think this story is an important topic in history that is often overlooked.

The story speaks about young women getting pregnant and not having the support or means to thrive. This is not talked about much, especially for black women at this time in America.