- Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones was released in May 2011
- Publisher: Algonquin Books
- 352 Pages
'Silver Sparrow' by Tayari Jones - Book Review
From Tayari Jones comes Silver Sparrow, a novel with an intriguing premise: James Witherspoon has two families. One is public, the other a secret. His first wife, Laverne, and their daughter Chaurisse are unaware that he spends every Wednesday evening with his secret family - Gwyn, whom he married about 10 years after Laverne, and their daughter Dana, who was born around the same time as Chaurisse. Gwyn and Dana know about Laverne and Chaurisse but take pains to stay away from them, surveying them occasionally from afar (and without James' knowledge) but never actually meeting. But this kind of secret can only be kept for so long. Eventually the teenage girls became friends, one knowing and the other unsuspecting. The surprise is that it takes almost 18 years before James Witherspoon was found out.
Told from the perspective of Chaurisse and Dana, Silver Sparrow explores the possibility and practicality of loving two wives and two daughters simultaneously, and the heartbreak, longing and jealously that will inevitably awaken from such a situation. It covers themes of deception, friendship and loyalty as well. James' best friend, Raleigh, who has never married, is very close to James and both of his families, knowing all along and helping James in his deception.
Though there's not a lot of action, the novel is a quick read. The setting is Atlanta in the 1980s, though much of the story is dedicated to character development and the history and origins of these two families. The story is sad all around, but you won't need tissues nearby when reading. Jones' writing is compulsive and easy to read, and is a good choice for those who don't need a lot of fast-paced action in their fiction.
'Silver Sparrow' by Tayari Jones - Book Club Discussion Questions
- Chaurisse calls Dana "silver" and there were several references to sparrows throughout the novel - that in the Bible, God is said to care for the sparrows and even more for people. Why, then, is the novel titled Silver Sparrow?
- Who do you think sent the threatening postcard to the Witherspoons' home?
- Who did you pity more - Dana or Chaurisse? Gwyn or Laverne? Why?
- What was Raleigh's role throughout the story? Is he culpable in any way?
- Why do you think Gwyn decided to turn Raleigh's offer of marriage down? Was it the right decision, in your opinion?
- Why did Gwyn eventually decide to confront Laverne with the truth? Why did it take almost 18 years?
