This might be one of the worst books I've ever read. Vernon seems to be trying to write like Toni Morrison, but Vernon's story gets bogged down in an abundance of metaphors, many of which don't make sense, colloquial language, which seems authentic only in its use of cliches, and graphic language. Some of plot elements are too similar to those in other works of literature, especially those of Morrison. For example, the men stealing Maddy's grandmother's milk is straight out of Morrison's Beloved. I can see what Vernon was trying to do with this novel, but I don't think it was very successful at all. ( )