When a Sistah’s Fed Up is Dr. Monica Frazier Anderson’s third book and first novel. If this book is any indication of her future as a novelist, consider that future to be very bright.
When a Sistah’s is the story of the first African American female mayor of Ulysses, Texas, Faith Henry. Married to her college sweetheart, Preston, the mayor is up for re-election. Everything is going fine. She thinks. And then things start to unravel and she finds herself not trusting anyone. Things would have been better if Preston was not so insecure, refusing to stand by his wife’s side as the “First Man.” Or so she thought.
And he, well they say there’s nothing like a woman’s vengeance, so get a glimpse of Preston in action. Dr. Anderson has crafted an intriguing tale, with well-developed characters and plenty of suspense.
It appears that once you start trusting one character, something else happens to confuse things. The Mayor certainly has her hands full as she tries to deal with the snakes down at City Hall and try to keep her family together. There are her two children, who both have issues. One a spoiled, self-centered whiner and the other, coming of age young man.
Talk about reality. Dr. Anderson provides a clear picture of the American family, in public and private. And the picture is not always pretty.
But in the end, the mayor makes some decisions that put her needs and desires in the forefront, instead of on the back burner. Women will cheer her decisions, maybe. And the male chauvinist will have much to say about Faith’s actions. But when all is said and done, who and what matters?
Reviewed by Cheryl Smith, Dallas Weekly, December 7 – 13, 2005
