The Dry Grass of August

I really enjoyed The Dry Grass of August, although “enjoyed” feels like a strange word for a book that made me so angry and sad at times.

The story is told through thirteen-year-old Jubie, who is growing up in the South during the 1950s. Her family may look perfectly normal from the outside, but behind closed doors there are plenty of problems. The one person Jubie can always count on is Mary, the Black woman who works for the family but is really so much more than that. She loves those children, takes care of them, and honestly feels more like a mother to Jubie than her own mother does at times.

When the family takes a road trip through the South, Jubie starts seeing the world differently. She begins to understand just how differently Mary is treated and how dangerous simply existing can be for her. Seeing all of this through Jubie’s young and somewhat innocent eyes made it even more heartbreaking.

This one definitely made me mad. There were so many times I wanted to reach into the book and shake some of these people. Mary was easily my favorite character, and I loved her relationship with Jubie.

It was a little slow in places, but I didn’t mind it too much because I became really invested in the characters. This is one of those books that sneaks up on you. You know something bad is coming, but you're still not prepared when it does.

Sad, frustrating, heartbreaking, and beautifully written. Definitely not a light read, but one I’m glad I picked up.