Yellow Crocus

Author: Laila Ibrahim
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Amazon Publishing, 2014
Pages: 248
Rating; Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Moments after Lisbeth is born, she’s taken from her mother and handed over to an enslaved wet nurse, Mattie, a young mother separated from her own infant son in order to care for her tiny charge. Thus begins an intense relationship that will shape both of their lives for decades to come. Though Lisbeth leads a life of privilege, she finds nothing but loneliness in the company of her overwhelmed mother and her distant, slave-owning father. As she grows older, Mattie becomes more like family to Lisbeth than her own kin and the girl’s visits to the slaves’ quarters—and their lively and loving community—bring them closer together than ever. But can two women in such disparate circumstances form a bond like theirs without consequence? This deeply moving tale of unlikely love traces the journey of these very different women as each searches for freedom and dignity.

Review: This novel has gotten rave reviews, and it lived up to the hype. It may have been predictable at times, but I was sucked into the characters' world. They felt very much alive to me. The ending was a neatly wrapped package and quite unlikely, I think, in real life, but sometimes you need a warm-fuzzy, feel-good book. All-in-all, I loved it.