Redwood Court is a family saga about a black family in South Carolina, covering three decades of family life. Weesie and Teeta move into Redwood Court soon after the Korean War. Segregation is still a given, with Jim Crow laws in place. Weesie is determined to make the neighborhood a caring community, where everyone is looked after.
The story is told from multiple POVs. At times, it was hard to keep up with who was related to whom. (Dameron was smart to include a list of characters at the beginning of the book.). The book eventually moves on to be primarily from Mika’s PoV in the 1990s.
This isn’t a fast paced story or one in which a lot happens. The strength of the book relies on the beautiful writing. It’s a character rich story of the American Dream. It’s a story where it’s the small intimate events that matter most - taking a dying man out to fish, the breaking of a jewelry box. But what really drew me to the book was the love between the family members. It left me with a real feeling of warmth.
There’s an underlying theme of genealogy - of not being able to trace back generations white people take for granted. It was this theme that consistently hit home for me.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.netgalley62 s10 comments Sherwood SmithAuthor 152 books37.5k Read

This is a gorgeously written saga covering three generations of a Black family living in South Carolina. The narrator is Mika, the youngest daughter. Though during the course of the book the narrative voice experiments with POV, and style, in particular when looking through the eyes of the older characters, especially the grandparents, Teeta and Weesie.

Dameron writes powerfully, bringing these characters to life. Threaded with compassion, and anger, and humor, the narrative skillfully imbues everyone with complexity. I'm far too ignorant about the Black experience to presume any judgments; I finished this book, after a two day nearly non-stop read, feeling as if I'd recognize the characters if I met them on the street, or even heard their voices. I was left with a sharp sense that we need more voices this in mainstream literature.family-saga historical-novel history-american ...more21 s3 comments Judy1,278 30

This debut novel is the story of a black working-class family in South Carolina - their history, their relationships, their neighborhood, and their dreams told through several points of view, but mostly through young Mika's eyes in the 1990s.

Description:
“Mika, you sit at our feet all these hours and days, hearing us tell our tales. You have all these stories inside all the stories everyone in our family knows and all the stories everyone in our family tells. You write ’em in your books and show everyone who we are.”

So begins award-winning poet DéLana R. A. Dameron’s debut novel, Redwood Court . The baby of the family, Mika Tabor spends much of her time in the care of loved ones, listening to their stories and witnessing their struggles. On Redwood Court, the cul-de-sac in the all-Black working-class suburb of Columbia, South Carolina, where her grandparents live, Mika learns important lessons from the people who raise her exhausted parents, who work long hours at multiple jobs while still making sure their kids experience the adventure of family vacations; her older sister, who in a house filled with Motown would rather listen to Alanis Morrisette; her retired grandparents, children of Jim Crow, who realized their own vision of success when they bought their house on the Court in the 1960s, imagining it filled with future generations; and the many neighbors who hold tight to the community they’ve built, committed to fostering joy and love in an America so insistent on seeing Black people stumble and fall.

With visceral clarity and powerful prose, Dameron reveals the devastation of being made to feel invisible and the transformative power of being seen. Redwood Court is a celebration of extraordinary, ordinary people striving to achieve their own American dreams.

My thoughts:
I thought Weesie was phenomenal the way she tried to pull the neighborhood community together and make sure everyone was included and felt cared for. The neighborhood was friendly and looked after their families, who were close, and I really d that. It was sad the family couldn't trace their roots which was a result of slavery where so many were disbursed and didn't know their families. However, this is not a book about slavery, but of the love of a family and their day to day lives. The characters in the story are central and drive the plot. The writing is beautiful and I enjoyed reading it.

Thanks to Random House, The Dial Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.18 s Jinny292 13

Read for Reese's Book Club.

Um, I think this book wasn't for me. I wasn't into it at all. It was an all-vibes-no-plot kind of book and I just don't really that type of novel. I can totally understand if others enjoy this coming-of-age, family saga type story, but I really need a plot for enjoyment, and this one didn't have one. It's not you, it's me. Anyway, two stars for "it was alright".fiction historical reese-book-club14 s3 comments Holly R W399 62

The novel is about a black family living in Columbia, South Carolina. When the book opens, we are introduced to Weesie (Louise) and Teeta (James). They meet each other at a booth in an open air market where Teeter is selling fruits and vegetables. After a courtship which is complicated by Teeta's serving in the Korean War, the couple marry and start a family. They also build a home on a cul-de-sac street called "Redwood Court."

Readers will come to know all three generations of their family, including Weesie and Teeta, their children and grandchildren. In the first part of the story, different characters narrate from their own points of view. As the story moves on however, the focus is on Mika, their youngest granddaughter.

Through the years, the family will experience both joys and sorrows. Weesie and Teeta's daughter will become pregnant at age 13. And, their son will have challenges with the law. How the family responds to and surmounts these problems becomes part of the story.

I enjoyed the novel over-all, but had some problems with it. Reading it felt seeing a collage of events - they were mentioned, but not fully explored. Chapters seemed vignettes or short stories. Some resonated with me and some did not.

Additional Note: One of my favorite chapters involve the family taking an ill Teeta for a day of fishing in the country, a past-time that he loved. I read this on the 2nd anniversary of my father's death. Dad too, was a fisherman. This lovely chapter brought back all kinds of nice memories for me.


3.5 starsamerican-south debut family ...more13 s7 comments Kasa Cotugno2,489 526

This is a very gentle book, a sweet coming-of-age of a young girl and her middle class black family in Charleston, South Carolina. Mika is the primary narrator, but others have their say, in explaining their familial history and how they came to be living there, to the best of their knowledge. Beginning with a school assignment in which she is to present an artifact explaining her ancestry, Mika goes back over what is known and what is supposed in order to present as accurate a picture as possible. Un so many histories of black families, there are really no secrets, no dramas, but loving affection and support. And this is what sets it apart. arc culture-african-american era-late-20th-century ...more13 s1 comment Antonnet Botha64 1 follower

I enjoyed parts of this story but felt it didn't push through. A lot of great themes and stories were introduced but not followed through.
Overall well written and interesting but left me asking why certain pieces were not explored further10 s Chrissie1,078 69

4.5 stars

In DéLana R. A. Dameron's novel, Redwood Court, Mika Tabor's tale begins with a family tree assignment — something particularly difficult to both explore and encapsulate in the same way or to the same degree as her white classmates. So the unfurling of Mika's beautifully rich tapestry of matriarchal generations begins with the idea of filling out the tree with stories, rather than simply names, branching the idea of the tree outwards instead of focusing on the typical upwards angle.

Although the overall style moved the entry point a little later, once I found the rhythms of her writing, I settled in comfortably for the remainder of the journey. The account through Mika's youth reads an engrossing collection of short stories, or family stories...the kind you share and recount endlessly at reunions, weddings, and funerals. And with each new addition, I was reminded of Don Draper’s carousel — a deeply moving nostalgia slideshow.

On a personal point, I absolutely adored the complete exploration of the Columbia I both knew and didn't...the first mention of Two Notch Road sent me squealing. I still have family in that area, and I cannot tell you how many times that was the exit off the interstate that meant I was near my destination. This was one of the best representations of that area and life there during the 90s, that I have read.

The title comes from the all-Black working-class suburb where Mika's grandparents settled in the 1960s and established a strong connective extended family whose ties held each other together and built each other up. Though not totally absent from any story about a Black family (particularly in the South and covering the 50s through the early 00s), instead of focusing on Black pain and Black trauma, Redwood Court presents a beautifully perfect account of youth surrounded by love and full of joy. Having found this superb new Southern voice, I will absolutely read what Dameron writes next.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.2024 4-stars netgalley ...more9 s thebrunettebookjunkie509 17

Redwood Court has my heart. As an 80's born baby and a child of the 90s, I felt I understood Mika so much. I'm a white woman, so obviously, my life and struggles are different from Mika's but so similar as well. I was very close to my maternal grandparents. We spent every Friday after school there until after dinner. On Saturdays, we went over as soon as we were done with lunch, and most of the time, either my brother or I spent the night on Friday or Saturday nights. On Sundays, we had Sunday lunch with them after church and didn't go home until evening. My granddaddy d to take us for rides and see people he knew or go sit at the creek in similar ways to Mika's Teeta. My mom's brother was constantly involved with drugs and in trouble with the law and similarly was locked up when my granddaddy passed. The beginning of Redwood Court focuses a lot of Mika and Teeta's relationship, and boy, did that leave me with an ache over the loss of my grandaddy. Currently, my other granddaddy isn't doing well, and I live so far away from my family that I got a huge case of homesickness. Redwood Court highlights the culture of the 90s, and it was a nostalgic walk through that time period, especially with in home computers, internet at home, burning cds, and y2k. Redwood Court made me feel a lot of things. I laughed and cried through much of it, but maybe nostalgia is what shone through the most. It was a trip down memory lane from my own childhood. The good ole days. The ending felt abrupt in that I wasn't ready for it to be over. I wanted more of Mika's story. I want to know if she ever dates Roger and what happens after she graduates high school. I'll miss Weesie and Mika and the rest. They felt family.7 s Becky657 146

I received this book from Penguin Random House to give a fair & honest review.

I family sagas & I also coming of age books & this was both. The era of the story, mainly from the 60's -90's was a time filled with many changes & especially in the black community. Most of the story takes place in Columbia, SC & mostly in the neighborhood of Redwood Court. There are many characters, mostly family members near & far & also friends, neighbors etc. At times it was very hard to keep up with everyone even with a list of characters in the front of the book.

What I had the hardest part with was which person & POV the story was being told by. This dramatically slowed my reading down & is the reason I gave it a 3 star VS a 4 star. Overall there were parts I really d.arc-netgalley books-bought-acquired-2023 books-read-in-2023 ...more7 s Tilly265 13

There were some truly lovely moments in this debut novel, scenes of fierce family love that moved me deeply. Through slice of life chapters that read self-contained short stories, DéLana R.A. Dameron explored multiple generations of a Southern Black family coming of age, finding their places in the world, and celebrating the thriving community they made on Redwood Court. While there were some very powerful chapters, overall I found the novel a little too disjointed for me to feel familiar with the characters, especially as the narration often switched partway through a chapter. I also felt a bit aimless while reading; though plot was not the main goal of the story, I did wonder where exactly the stories were leading, and I’m not sure the ending was entirely satisfying for me.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!arc women-authors5 s Christyn9

2.5

Beautiful writing style, but the lack of a true plot or any conflict made it difficult to really get into. There were several moments where I thought ok maybe we are going to go deeper but then there was an abrupt shift and on to a new narrative. Definitely felt more a memoir or collection of short stories than a fiction novel. 5 s Shannon5,559 311

A moving debut that follows three generations of the Tabors - a working class African American family proudly inhabiting a house in Redwood Court, a South Carolina suburban cul-de-sac firmly rooted in community.

Told mainly from the youngest daughter, Mika's eyes, but also including other family member's perspectives and written with beautiful prose, this story shines in the ordinary insights into everyday African American life spanning the 1960s to early 1990s.

Amazing on audio performed by a full cast of narrators, this is a new favorite Reese Book Club pick for me - perfect for Black History Month and fans of authors Jacqueline Woodson or Kai Harris. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!bipoc-books debuts historical-fiction ...more4 s Meredith SchorrAuthor 15 books888

I'm a really big fan of family saga-type books with timelines spanning several generations. I really loved that aspect of this book. It was definitely more character driven than plot but with a great "slice of life" type story. I also d that it was told in the POV of multiple characters but mostly by Mika, who starts out a young girl and is 16 by the end. Her innocent observations about life and her relatives on Redwood Court were so sweet and poignant and her relationship with her grandpa (Teeta) brought tears to my eyes at certain moments! The only thing that would have made the read more enjoyable to me is if there was more dialogue and less being told what happened as if in a diary. That said, I would definitely read more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
netgalley4 s Abby Elliott84 3

Took me a bit to get into, but beautiful story covering 3 generations of a southern black family in the 1990s. A story of the love and ties of family. You really fall in love with the character and I love how she wove the story all together. Wasn’t my favorite book ever, but I finished the book wanting more.4 s desiree98

This book starts with a character list which kind of shocked me because it’s not a massive book but then the first conversation is about family trees so I found that to be clever and made me ready to jump in and read. The storylines were good - part 1 jumps between family members but sometimes it was hard to follow who was narrating and when. Part 1 was a good way to tie everyone together, but part 2 is where I felt it breakdown. This is supposed to be a coming of age story for Mika (and it was!) but it was just so plotless and aimless at times. It was a very detailed day to day of Mika’s experiences which could sometimes be very mundane, but I think when the experiences were important - whether family related or to Mika’s specific experiences as a young black girl - they were told very well! Mika’s narration also switches randomly from singular to third person through part 2 which was jarring. 3 s Carla Grossi33 1 follower

saddly, I have to stop reading this, it´s too slow, too boring, it got me into a reading slump and I can´t keep on trying, I read 9% of the book in 18 days, and it´s not even 300 pages long. 3 s Rhi Fenton14

This book was difficult to follow. It was also kind of bland. 3 s simslibraryx226 9

Really struggled with this one.
I didn’t it at all because I didn’t feel connected, I think personally it was written in a way that didn’t flow so therefore I didn’t connect.
I did enjoy the last 50-80 pages because I did find a connection with Mika and felt that connected with me because of the way it flowed. The first Reese’s book club pick of the year that I didn’t enjoy!

OOPS! 3 s Monica Hills1,005 29

A powerful novel about a black family living in the 1990s. I was also a child in the 90s so this novel captured my attention. The novel is primarily told from the point of view of Mika, who is the youngest grandchild, but other members of the family also share their stories. The beginning was a little confusing for me because the point of view shifted and so did the timelines but once I got going I was hooked. Mika's story was so different from the childhood that I experienced and it really opened my eyes to her struggles and her victories. It also really brought home for me just how difficult life still is for black families. This novel was not set during the Civil Rights era but during the same time I was growing up. White privilege is a real thing and I think it is so important to read books this because it really brings home how much harder life is for others. I recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys reading about strong characters, and coming of age novels!

Thank you to Dial Press/Random House and to NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.3 s Kimberly773 29

"Redwood Court" is a charming but powerful novel about a black family living in 1990s South Carolina. Told mostly from the view of the youngest daughter Mika, this novel is both a coming-of-age story and a family drama. Its characters grapple with real-world trials and the characters are vibrantly alive and realistic. At times achingly intimate, this portrait of a family completely captivated me and its characters will stick with me for some time. The author's writing style is perfect for the tone of the book; this book is very well-written, especially for a debut. I think this book will be popular with book clubs.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced copy of this lovely book.arcs netgalley3 s Mia Lampley11

This book captured the cultural imprint of the black family in America, past and present.

There were deep truths, regarding our culture and life experiences, as a black person in America, that resonated with me. But, it was difficult to stay connected to the various story lines throughout the book. Many of the story lines felt unresolved to a point. I found myself left “hanging on”, wondering what happened at “the end”.

Overall, the author did a great job of relaying the importance of community and togetherness in a world of systemic racism, inequity, adversity!3 s Sherry Moyer235

“May I always feel this big love.” This is Mika’s final thought in Redwood Court, as she stands in front of everyone who loves her, dressed up for her 16th birthday, making her wish, thinking of her beloved grandfather, Teeta.

The baby of the family, Mika, introduces the book by looking for a family heirloom to take to school for a project. From there, in a series of vignettes, we follow Mika, a precocious young Black girl as she spends her time bouncing around in the care of those who love her, listening to their stories, sharing their grief, learning truths about the world around her.

Her favorite is Teeta, but there are also her overworked parents, longing to make enough to give their children pieces of the American dream, her eager to leave older sister, and the strong, busybody matriarch, Weesie.

Beginning with stories in the 60s when Weesie and Teeta buy the house of their dreams, imagining generations to come filling the rooms, and ends shortly after the Y2K scare when Mika becomes a woman of her own. In between are so many stories, shared by voices rich and generous.

I don’t always love short stories but these were charming and I especially loved Teeta and Mika, and the end of the book when Mika was older. There’s a lesson here on the value of being seen in world that wants to leave you unseen, and it’s worth reading.

Thanks to Goodreads and Dial Books for the ARC to read and review. Available February 6, 2024.2 s Natalie Park872

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House/Dial Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. The title of the book is where the main character's grandparents live in Columbia, SC. Through Mika's eyes we see the three generations of her family as well as the neighbors on Redwood Court. Her grandparents lived through Jim Crow and were able to buy the house in the 60s, a dream of leaving something for their family. Also, you see how the neighbors of Redwood Court care for one another through hardships. Mika's family is composed of all different types of ordinary people working hard to make a good life for their families, dealing with racism and bias, the unfairness of law enforcement and the carceral system, and Mika blossoming into a young woman in her teenage years. The author creates a beautiful picture of the characters and the place in which they live but the story didn't come together at the end, as if the tone changed and the storyline was heading in a different direction.2 s Ash650 5

DNF 16%
I don't the way the story is set going back and forth between the different characters and it's just very confusing for me. I my stories linear; what I read so far was entertaining though.audiobook2 s Debbie Mann580 62

Heartwarming story set in South Carolina covering three generations of a black family. Redwood Court is the street grandparents Weesie and Teeta live on. They are the glue to their family. Beautifully told.2 s Mikaela23

3.5 ?? V wholesome 2 s Taury695 190

Redwood Court by DéLana RA Dameron is a poignant and lyrical exploration of personal and collective memory. Dameron's evocative poetry delves into themes of displacement, home, and identity, capturing the intricate details of everyday life while probing deeper existential questions. Her writing is both intimate and expansive, offering readers a deeply resonant experience that lingers long after the final page. With its rich imagery and emotional depth, "Redwood Court" stands out as a compelling testament to the power of poetry in articulating the human experience.202410 s Julia Holmes101 1 follower

A really solid debut novel, a beautifully woven story. 20242 s Natalie Odom Pough40 2

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