Book Summary and Reviews of The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray

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Linda Miller

The Care and Feeding of Hungry Girls
All families have some form of dysfunction but this family was in a dysfunctional state for a long time. The parents died and Althea the oldest was charged with the duty of looking after her brother and sisters. Althea marries and her husband agreed to help raise her siblings. They became persons who were looked up to in the community owning a restaurant and doing work within the community. For some reason they do something very illegal in their business and are sent to jail. Althea now has to rely upon the help of her now grown siblings to raise her children while in jail.

The book is told from the point of Althea and her sisters, alternating chapters. I think the dysfuntion in the family came from each sibling looking for something to fill the hunger left in their lives from the dysfuntion of their own family growing up and losing their parents and now the hunger has also been passed on to Althea's daughters. Each person in the book is looking for what they think will fill the void in them often making very poor choices.

Di Wolter

Loved this book!
Once I started reading, it was a book I couldn't put down. Loved the complex characters, the pacing of the story, the surprises, and the ending! Different in many ways from any book I've read previously. Bravo, Ms. Gray! Keep writing!

Jennie R. (Highland, CA)

Congratulations to Ms. Gray on this debut!
What an excellent read. The female characters in this novel were so well drawn...I had a mental image of each one in my head as I read this novel. So real, so compelling, so complicated and juicy and messy. Just like a real family. Completely believable and relatable for most readers I think. Interesting look at relationships between mothers, daughters, siblings and lovers and how fragile they can be. Just enough tension and heart. I can't wait to read what the talented Anissa Gray gives us in her next book.

Louise E. (Ocean View, DE)

Coming Together
I was drawn right into the story because I wanted to know why Althea and her husband were in jail. Even though The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls story was told from Althea and her two sisters' points of view, it was easy to follow. Although the sisters haven't always gotten along they came together to take care of Althea's daughters, Kim and Baby Vi. Along the way you find out their family history and that despite the hardships growing up they still love and support each other. It was interesting because after a while I realized that the title was more than just one sister having an eating disorder, there were other types of hunger they experienced. I was rooting for the sisters and the daughters to resolve some of their issues and they did. I was particularly glad that the aunts were able to help Kim. It's a very interesting story and there is much to discuss for a book club.

Martha D. (Hillsboro, OR)

A story of sisters
There's something about the dynamics between sisters that is always full of drama. The story was layered and fascinating, I was immediately drawn in and invested in their outcome. A well written and deeply moving novel. I look forward to future books from this author.

Lois P. (Hillsborough, NC)

The Complex Lives of Women
I was instantly taken into the complex lives of the women in the Butler Family. In this book we see how they have suffered, sacrificed, celebrated and unified to survive and to tend to the needs of the family's female heirs, Little Vi and Kim. Set in rural Michigan, this African American family is very real as they strive to succeed in a world where life is tough.

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