Article contributed by Laura Glassman
Saving Ruby King tells the story of Ruby King, a Black girl living on the South Side of Chicago, and the people who surround her. At the outset of the story, her mother, Alice, has been found murdered, though it is not entirely clear who killed her. Ruby is left to live with her father, Lebanon, a man who has long been abusive towards her and Alice. Ruby’s best friend, Layla, worries that living with Lebanon will push Ruby towards depression and potentially even suicide, and her instinct is to try to protect Ruby. We hear Ruby, Layla, Ruby’s dad, and Layla’s dad’s perspectives, as well as the narrative voice of the church that they attend and where Layla’s father works.
Layla is a true friend to Ruby, and looks out for her as she is deeply worried that she could be in harm’s way living alone with Lebanon. We come to understand Layla’s unsteady relationship with her father, a man with his own complicated history, and with her mother, who was a friend to Alice. We also learn how fiercely she can look out for her friend. As such, this book is a testament to good friendship. Layla’s sections of the novel are among the most compelling.
Through Lebanon’s story, we learn how cycles of trauma and dysfunction occur and how trauma can continue through generations. Lebanon wanted to be loved by his mother and she was abusive towards him. In turn, he became abusive towards Alice and Ruby. One remarkable aspect of the book is how we come to understand Lebanon as a complex man despite the obviously horrible way he treated Alice and Ruby. Part of the skills of Catherine Adel West’s writing comes from the way she shows Lebanon’s complexity in spite of all that he has done wrong. It is hard to be truly sympathetic to a man who was abusive, but Catherine Adel West writes his segments in such a way that readers will at least find some degree of understanding him and his circumstances, if not feel sympathy.
One of the great strengths of the novel is that Catherine Adel West has beautifully gotten inside the head of each of her characters, showing great empathy through her writing to each one of them. Readers in turn will feel understanding and sympathy towards each of them. As well, the voice of the church is a valuable addition to the book, as it is the voice of someone (or rather, something) that has watched over the community for decades. The voice of the church is one of the most unique and compelling features of the book.
One aspect of the novel that makes it unique is that Saving Ruby King it’s not just a story about Ruby, her family and friends, and social issues in a Black community in Chicago, but also in that it is a mystery of sorts about who was responsible for Alice King’s death. Readers will be curious to know the backstory of various characters and to understand how Alice lost her life. Readers will be glued to the pages as they will learn more about more what happened as the story proceeds.
Saving Ruby King is filled with rich passages that describe the life of the Black community in this neighbourhood in Chicago and the social issues that impact them. These issues range from gentrification, to generational trauma, and to police violence that disproportionately impacts the Black community. Interspersed between passages about each of the central characters are their thoughts about their community and what their lives are like as Black citizens of Chicago. There are many truly memorable passages throughout the book describing the obstacles that members of Ruby’s community face as a low-income, Black community in Chicago. As such, this is an extremely timely and important read.
However compelling the story, the book is somewhat uneven in terms of the different perspectives that are portrayed. Some of the characters perspectives were extremely compelling, others were not quite as interesting to read. Highlights of the book include the church’s narrative, and Layla and Lebanon’s perspectives. Layla’s father’s perspective and even Ruby’s own perspective fall a bit short of the others in terms of their power. Certainly different readers will form their own opinion about the various perspectives, but overall the stories do not feel equal in terms of how engaging each character’s voice is.
Saving Ruby King is far more than just a story of a girl and her friend and family; it is a powerful story about a community. It is about the way a shocking and tragic event impacts the members of that community. It is about the things that community has had to cope with over time. It is also about the role of the church in the community and how it brings people together and what happens inside its walls.
What is perhaps most compelling about this novel is the way it combines the stories of the unique characters and their perspectives with insightful passages about social issues impacting the local Black community. Catherine Adel West has masterfully combined each of these elements to create a powerful and engaging story.
Saving Ruby King is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Set in the South Side of Chicago, an epic, enthralling story of a young woman determined to protect her best friend while a long-buried secret threatens to unravel both their families.
Family. Faith. Secrets. Everything in this world comes full circle.
When Ruby King’s mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it means she’ll be living alone with her violent father. The only person who understands the gravity of her situation is Ruby’s best friend, Layla. Their closeness is tested when Layla’s father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what are his true motives? And what is the price for turning a blind eye?
In a relentless quest to save Ruby, Layla comes to discover the murky loyalties and dark secrets tying their families together for three generations. A crucial pilgrimage through the racially divided landscape of Chicago, Saving Ruby King traces the way trauma is passed down through generations and the ways in which communities can come together to create sanctuary.
Saving Ruby King is an emotional and revelatory story of race, family secrets, faith and redemption. This is an unforgettable debut novel from an exciting new voice in fiction and a powerful testament that history doesn’t determine the present, and that the bonds of friendship can forever shape the future.
