Real Life of an MSW

Charles Lilly’s stunning artwork graces the cover of Terry McMillian’s debut novel Mama (1987, fiction, 260 pages), reminding me you can’t judge a book by its cover. I am a McMillian fan and was thrilled to delve into her debut fictional work inspired by McMillan’s upbringing in Michigan. The novel tells the story of a Black woman (Mama) by the name of Mildred Peacock, a funny, broken, feisty heroine who raises five children alone after she divorces her alcoholic husband. She is a survivor who’ll do anything to keep her family together. In Mildred’s world, men come and go as quickly as her paychecks, but her five children are her dream, her hope, and her future.  In saying that, nothing “happens” in the book. I stopped reading at the start of chapter eight. As the main protagonist says, “I feel like I’m in a rerun…” I too felt that way because there is no central plot line. If I had to create one it might be something like “Impoverished Black family struggles through the effects of generational poverty and dysfunctional relationships.” Has anyone finished this book?  What were your thoughts? Have you read and enjoyed any of McMillian’s books?