United States
![Catherine Adel West - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B083PZTZKZ.jpg)
The Two Lives of Sara: A Novel
Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Ms. Magazine, The Root, Popsugar, Bustle, and many more!
"An utterly absorbing and dazzling novel about the stories we tell to stay alive and the secrets we keep to protect ourselves." - Nancy Jooyoun Kim, New York Times Bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina Lee
In 1960s Memphis, a young mother finds refuge in a boardinghouse where family encompasses more than just blood and hidden truths can bury you or set you free.
Sara King has nothing, save for her secrets and the baby in her belly, as she boards the bus to Memphis, hoping to outrun her past in Chicago. She is welcomed with open arms by Mama Sugar, a kindly matriarch and owner of the popular boardinghouse The Scarlet Poplar.
Like many cities in early 1960s America, Memphis is still segregated, but change is in the air. News spreads of the Freedom Riders. Across the country, people like Martin Luther King Jr. are leading the fight for equal rights. Black literature and music provide the stories and soundtrack for these turbulent and hopeful times, and Sara finds herself drawn in by conversations of education, politics and a brighter tomorrow with Jonas, a local schoolteacher. Romance blooms between them, but secrets from Mama Sugar's past threaten their newfound happiness and lead Sara to make decisions that will reshape the rest of their lives.
With a charismatic cast of characters, The Two Lives of Sara is an emotional and unforgettable story of hope, the limitations of resilience and unexpected love.
"An utterly absorbing and dazzling novel about the stories we tell to stay alive and the secrets we keep to protect ourselves." - Nancy Jooyoun Kim, New York Times Bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina Lee
In 1960s Memphis, a young mother finds refuge in a boardinghouse where family encompasses more than just blood and hidden truths can bury you or set you free.
Sara King has nothing, save for her secrets and the baby in her belly, as she boards the bus to Memphis, hoping to outrun her past in Chicago. She is welcomed with open arms by Mama Sugar, a kindly matriarch and owner of the popular boardinghouse The Scarlet Poplar.
Like many cities in early 1960s America, Memphis is still segregated, but change is in the air. News spreads of the Freedom Riders. Across the country, people like Martin Luther King Jr. are leading the fight for equal rights. Black literature and music provide the stories and soundtrack for these turbulent and hopeful times, and Sara finds herself drawn in by conversations of education, politics and a brighter tomorrow with Jonas, a local schoolteacher. Romance blooms between them, but secrets from Mama Sugar's past threaten their newfound happiness and lead Sara to make decisions that will reshape the rest of their lives.
With a charismatic cast of characters, The Two Lives of Sara is an emotional and unforgettable story of hope, the limitations of resilience and unexpected love.
Editorial Reviews
"Focusing on the interplay between generations as she did in her debut (Saving Ruby King) West writes with charming precision and intention. Every character is a beautiful, relatable complication. Both masterfully suspenseful and certain to tug at the reader's heartstrings, The Two Lives of Sara solidifies West as a literary force."-Booklist, Starred Review
"In this utterly absorbing and dazzling novel about the stories we tell to stay alive and the secrets we keep to protect ourselves, Catherine Adel West explores the intricacies of family and community as well as the realities of migration, reinvention, and loss. The Two Lives of Sara also celebrates everyday forms of resistance in a racist and divided country and the balm that love, food, and art can still provide. I couldn't put this exquisite book down." -Nancy Jooyoun Kim, New York Times Bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina Lee
"This heartfelt novel about a survivor trying to build a new life among a found family cuts deep. Catherine Adel West has woven a rich story filled with warmth, faith, and hope while also incisively exploring the limits of resilience." -Maisy Card, author of These Ghosts are Family
"I'm in awe of Catherine Adel West's storytelling and her ability to capture the reader's attention from the first page. She magically delves into the many facets of family, friendship and community. The Two Lives of Sara is a wondrous journey that combines everything I adore in a story-resilient Black women, hope, and love!" -Jamise Harper, co-author of Bibliophile: Diverse Spines and founder of the Diverse Spines book community
"A heartfelt story of family, community, and the secrets that won't turn us loose. Through complex characters, exquisite detail, and rich language, West explores the impossible choices we make to protect those we love. A stunning journey of a mother's love and sacrifice." -Nancy Johnson, author of The Kindest Lie
"The Two Lives...
"In this utterly absorbing and dazzling novel about the stories we tell to stay alive and the secrets we keep to protect ourselves, Catherine Adel West explores the intricacies of family and community as well as the realities of migration, reinvention, and loss. The Two Lives of Sara also celebrates everyday forms of resistance in a racist and divided country and the balm that love, food, and art can still provide. I couldn't put this exquisite book down." -Nancy Jooyoun Kim, New York Times Bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina Lee
"This heartfelt novel about a survivor trying to build a new life among a found family cuts deep. Catherine Adel West has woven a rich story filled with warmth, faith, and hope while also incisively exploring the limits of resilience." -Maisy Card, author of These Ghosts are Family
"I'm in awe of Catherine Adel West's storytelling and her ability to capture the reader's attention from the first page. She magically delves into the many facets of family, friendship and community. The Two Lives of Sara is a wondrous journey that combines everything I adore in a story-resilient Black women, hope, and love!" -Jamise Harper, co-author of Bibliophile: Diverse Spines and founder of the Diverse Spines book community
"A heartfelt story of family, community, and the secrets that won't turn us loose. Through complex characters, exquisite detail, and rich language, West explores the impossible choices we make to protect those we love. A stunning journey of a mother's love and sacrifice." -Nancy Johnson, author of The Kindest Lie
"The Two Lives...
Readers Top Reviews
SQLouise S. Ander
The book was just heart-breaking. I so wanted Sara to find happiness. She had it for a while but it left her life. There are some really good people in her life who offer her hope and happiness but she just cannot stay with them. Painful memories.
J. CowardSQLouise
More than just words on a page, this book will stay with me for a long time. A beautifully written book , haunting at times. A tale of a strong woman and the choices she makes. We’re they right or wrong? Can we outrun our past? Can we accept unconditional love? Read it to see - you will be glad you did.
Diking77J. Coward
I spent my reading hours with this book feeling something different with every page and chapter. I fell in love with the female characters. I was hopeful and disappointed, again and again. Ms. West is a unique and, yes, an intense author. She isn’t going to let you get comfortable. But she won’t let you forget her book either — ever.
Diking77J. Cow
I really enjoyed this novel. West did an amazing job of painting a time period and detailing an important era in Black history, while still portraying the intimacy of a family and community wrestling with the themes we all want — hoping for a better life, protecting our children, moving past hurt and longing for love. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!
Montclairmomreade
Just now read some other reviews of the book and realized that others who read West's first novel had more insights to Sara King than I had going in cold. While I am now eager to read Saving Ruby King, I will say it didn't matter in the least. The Two Lives of Sara is a powerful, wonderfully moving story which stands well on its own. Well-written with richly drawn characters and relationships that felt real and visceral. I loved the way West draws the world of the Memphis community Sara finds herself embraced by. I was also drawn in by Sara's backstory, hinted at and revealed through letters and memories. While there is much hope and beauty in the story, heartbreak is never far removed. A beautiful, bittersweet tale that will stay with you long after you have read the final page. Highly recommended.
