By Denise Turney
Two brothers enter a world of conflict as they struggle to smooth out the wrinkles in their relationship, wrinkles rooted in lies that reach back deeper than they think. When they were children, the brothers were insulated in the core of a loving family, mother and father married and living in the same home with them. This part of the story coupled with the close-knit and lively neighborhood the brothers grow up in may be reader favorites, especially for readers who grew up in the 1970s.
From the start of the story it is clear that the brothers, Clay and Anthony Taylor, Clay being older of the two, do not get along. In an opening scene, they are playing a game of basketball when they almost break out fighting. Neither brother can stomach losing to the other. The same vibe, the variance in their skin tone, that drives their competitive spirit, one against the other, creates all other discord they endure. Anthony is light skinned like their mother while Clay is dark skinned like their father. Neighbors and school teachers make comments about their skin tone and link their skin tone to their behavior, events that widen the breach in the brothers’ fragile relationship.
At a time when African Americans continue to strive to find peace with skin tone variance, From Noon Until Midnight may touch a sensitive nerve. It might also put light upon old hidden beliefs and propel readers to relinquish prejudices. The book is filled with action and engaging scenes that reflect real life events and keep readers turning the pages in order to discover what will become of the brothers after all is said and done.
One thing the brothers do have is common, other than their genes, is their love for their mother. After bonding with their mother for years throughout their childhood, the boys are faced with abrupt change.
They do love to be with women and exercise an insatiable appetite for one female after another. Clay’s preference is married women; Anthony prefers to fool around with single women.
Written in first person narrative that swings from Clay to Anthony’s viewpoint, From Noon Until Midnight pulls the reader into each brother’s personal life chapter by chapter. Timeline for the story is modern, so readers won’t need a history text to familiarize themselves with the events. The pace of the dialogue is taut; the language is authentic. Emphasis on skin tone is excessive at times. The characters are strong enough to stand on their own absent continuous reference to the difference in their complexion. From Noon Until Midnight is a good read that is weakened with the aforementioned excessive reference to the brothers complexion.
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Visit Denise online at
www.chistell.com. Read excerpts from Denise’s two new books online FREE by e-mailing soulfar@aol.com with “Request New Free Excerpts” in the subject line.
