November 27, 2018
I used to be a huge bookworm when I was younger. I would read all the time and constantly be looking for new books dive into. Over time I’ve started to read less and less, but Sing, Unburied, Sing might have sparked my love for books all over again.
Sing, Unburied, Sing is Jesmyn Ward’s third novel, which centers around a family’s interesting dynamics in Bois Sauvage, Mississippi. The story is told from multiple characters’ points of view, and has themes of family, death, and racism throughout.
The main character is a thirteen year-old boy named Jojo. He lives with his mother, Leonie, his younger sister, Kayla, his grandmother, Mam, and his grandfather, Pop. The story begins on Jojo’s thirteenth birthday, and takes place over the course of a few days. Although the main action of the novel only happens within a few days, the narrative goes back in time at multiple points to tell stories of Jojo’s family before he was even born. Ghosts from the past help move the story in the present forward with interconnecting stories that span decades. I won’t go into any more detail because the plot of the novel is so interesting that I feel like I would be doing a disservice to future readers by revealing too much.
The theme of family is very strong throughout this novel. Members of the family have very strong bonds with one another like Mam and Pop or Jojo and Kayla. There are even strong connections between family members that aren’t alive at the same time. This is very apparent in this passage from the book where Kayla is sick, and Leonie gives her homemade medicine that Jojo knows she shouldn’t be giving to Kayla: “I lay there until I can't no more, and then I carry Kayla into the bathroom and stick my finger down her throat and make her throw up. She fights me, hitting at my arms, crying against my hand, sobbing but not making no words, but I do it three times, make her vomit over my hand, hot as her little body, three times, all of it red and smelling sweet, until I'm crying and she's shrieking. I turn off the light and go back into the room and wipe her with my shirt and lay in the bed with her, scared that Leonie's going to walk in and find all that red throw-up in the bathroom, find out I made Kayla throw up Leonie's potion. But nobody comes.” Jojo acts as Kayla’s real parent throughout the story because Leonie is not interested in being a mom. Jojo loves Kayla more than anything and this passage from the book shows the measures Jojo is willing to go to so Kayla is safe.
Singing is also a huge part of the novel. It works as a symbol and a metaphor throughout the story that represents multiple things. The biggest being that everybody has a song to sing. According to Mam and Pop, the song of the world resides in everything on Earth including people who have passed away. Singing is shown early in the novel, and comes full circle by the end.
Ultimately, Sing, Unburied, Sing is a great read that does a great job of navigating the dynamics of this unique family’s relationships. The lyrical writing makes the novel even more enjoyable to read throughout. Although I couldn’t personally relate to any of the characters, I truly enjoyed reading the story and seeing the events that take place from different perspectives. If you’re ever looking for an interesting read, I would definitely recommend giving Sing, Unburied, Sing a chance.
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