A really fun book with a great premise. I really enjoyed the concept of the “returned” and the world Bob created. I thought it was a great way to set the story in the present while still allowing us to hear the story directly from Harriet.

Where this book fell flat for me was Darnell. I loved Harriet and the Freemans, and I wanted to hear more from them. Both past and present Darnell were insecure and annoying, he didn’t display enough growth or intellect to make me believe that Harriet would’ve picked him to tell her story. The story surrounding Darnell got really repetitive, and I kept wishing that we were hearing more from Harriet or Odessa or Moses.

I think the flaws in pacing and characterization can be chalked up to this being Bob’s first book, and the knowledge gained from this book was well worth it. Overall, it was a really enjoyable book and listening to the audiobook was a great experience.

And to Bob: drop the rest of the album soon or else