Zenobia, Pearline's childhood friend, has returned from the bruising big city in desperate need of rest and recuperation. Finally there is Pearline's grandmother Vennie, an elderly, spirited cleaning lady with a quick wit and tired feet. Abby and the three women attend the same unnamed church, where an unnamed pastor preaches the sermon and Abby does nearly everything else. Joyce Carol Thomas writes with confidence about matters of faith, endowing the many church scenes with a sweet, graceful touch. Some draw up their shoulders, while others tattoo the floor with high heels.
Heads weave back and forth.
Arms box with invisible worries. . . . They swoon and dance until sometimes their sleek shoes fly right off their feet, and their glorious feathered, flowered, and fur hats slide off their heads. Her gradually assembled depictions of Zenobia, Pearline and Vennie are all more convincing and distinct than her portrayal of Abby. This is partly because their speech rings with the kind of detail that gives a character color and personality, with expressions that belong uniquely to them and mannerisms that are both peculiar and genuine. Unfortunately, wise counsel makes for hollow dialogue.