~ Kommentary by Kritter ~

Leaving Atlanta

Last night I completed the book Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones. It's based on the Atlanta child murders between 1979-80 when approximately 20 African-American children were "snatched" and killed. It's told from the perspective of three 5th graders who lose two classmates during the course of the book. Each student is in a different socio-economic group and has different types of families. The book does a good job of bringing us into each of the narrator's lives and minds. However, the ending was unfulfilling, probably on purpose. I do recommend the book, it was refreshingly different. Although I read a lot of historical fiction, I've never read anything like this. This is Tayari Jones's first novel.