I felt so much sympathy for Ruby in this book... Her mother is murdered and she's left with her abusive father. Luckily her friend Layla is there to protect and "save" her, hence the title of the book. It is a family saga that spans many decades (but is set in modern day Chicago) and includes themes of race, friendship, and trauma. There were several mysteries and secrets revealed throughout the novel, with a "twist" that I liked and didn't see it coming. My only complaint is that there are a lot of characters and points of view presented, which was a little hard to follow.

I received this book as part of my ticket to an event with The Girly Book Club. This may not have been the type of book I would typically pick up on my own, but I am so glad I was introduced to it.

I love generational stories and this book did not disappoint. Though the topics were often heavy, the stories presented were powerful and meaningful. The author did a wonderful job of conveying the difficult life of Ruby and the unique challenges she faced.

I highly recommend this book and would suggest it to any of my bookish friends.

3.5! I had a hard time getting into this book and feeling invested for about the first half, but after the halfway mark it all started to click into place and I was hooked! Beautifully written and constructed.

A huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Recommended for those who loved Americanah, The Hate You Give and All American Boys.

This is a riveting debut that examines the intersection of race, class and religion in South Chicago.

Layla and Ruby are best friends -- even though Layla is the pastor's daughter and Ruby's life has been defined by domestic violence and its aftermath. They seem to represent opposite ends of the spectrum in their neighborhood, but both are struggling to find answers and escape the invisible cages that confine them. The closer they come to finding answers, the greater the role of the physical church plays in their lives. It represents the solid foundation of their friendship as they grapple with issues of faith and forgiveness.

This story takes a hard look at the racial division in this country, and exposes the underlying oppression that has created it. Layla and Ruby confront obstacles beyond their control, and cope with a heritage of trauma that shadow every step the take.

This story is a slowly-evolving, gut-wrenching examination of friendship, loyalty and race.

I really really liked it. I love any book that criticizes the US justice system/police but this was especially powerful. I think it could have been a bit shorter-- I felt like I got tired of it by the end, whereas I'd have loved to leave wanting more. But overall, really great!

I read this book in a time fraught with discussion of racism, which made it extra poignant. I strongly recommended it as an Own Voices work, as those in the community were hit with an onslaught of anti-racist syllabi, and while those were well-intended, we truly need to support works of fiction like this one.

What a deep and moving tale. Love the multiple POV and this is a rich and wonderful mystery novel that is layered and fantastic.

Saving Ruby King, the debut novel by Catherine Adel West has the makings of a strong powerful and emotional statement. However, with the multiple narrators and the nonlinear timeline, I find myself lost. The issues taken up in this book are important, relevant, and considerable. Unfortunately, for most of the book, the emotions and the grasp of those issues seems just out of reach. (Trigger warning: This book includes the topics of abuse, murder, violence, domestic violence, and incest.)

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2020/12/saving-ruby-king.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

I put this book off for a long time, and I wish I had read it sooner. Beautifully written and seamlessly woven together. A must read!

The premise seemed promising, but I wasn't able to get into this book. A few chapters in when the POV switched to that of the church building, I just lost it.

I got this title from attending a Girly Book Club event and I can't believe I waited so long to read it. This book was every bit worth the title of one of the most anticipated books of the year and did not disappoint. It was everything I needed to read and more and I cannot wait to read more from this incredible author.

Emotional, powerful - a timely must-read that will make any reader think beyond the pages.

Saving Ruby King is one of those books that everyone should read just to understand some of the issues going on behind closed doors.

Being brought up in a fmaily that went to church a lot, the belief that church officials were above sin allowed so much corruption into the church go unchecked ultimately causing rampant mistrust and the loss of a community figure.

SRK is heartbreaking, a true narrative gut punch that will keep you reeling through each chapter. With hidden lives, deep family secrets, and brutal truths, Catherine Adel West tells a dark and twisted tale of survival.

this was a great debut novel, the characters were great and I really enjoyed getting to know this world and story. I look forward to more from the author.

West gives an honest and nuanced portrayal of Chicago, the Black church and the complexity of family in this novel. The point of view shifts each chapter, focused on different community members that ripple outwards from the death of Alice King, a church member, mother and victim of domestic abuse. The key to this book’s success and readability is West’s characterization, providing a background and emotional depth to each character’s actions, such as Lebanon, Alice’s husband with a record and history of trauma. The bruised heart of the narrative is Ruby, tumbling her way through grief and adolescence. This story soft peels back the petals of the mystery of Alice’s death while examining the motivations behind who protects each other in a community.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I was not able to get into the story at this time so will not be leaving a full review.

Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West is an exceptional debut novel. It's a story of multigenerational family trauma on Chicago's South Side. It's timely, relevant, and raw. This is a story about the redemptive power of friendship, even in the darkest times.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

The story of Ruby King is powerful and delves into some heavy themes including generational abuse including domestic violence, murder and child abuse.⁣⁣
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The author weaves a⁣ complicated and connected story that takes place in a Black neighborhood on Chicago's South Side among several families that live in the neighborhood and attend the same church. ⁣⁣

This was a beautiful, complex, painful read.

There is so much honesty in this story- the trauma of Ruby losing her mother to a senseless murder on Chicago's South side and having it reduced down to a statistical likelihood and not considered a matter that deserved justice purely because it happened in a predominantly Black neighborhood was appropriate to the current climate, infuriating, and heart-wrenching all at the same time.

Catherine Adel West's writing is sumptuous, poetic, and her narrative, even when switching between character perspectives is some of the most beautiful I have read. Ever.

Everyone should read this gorgeous standout debut novel.

Saving Ruby King tells the story of Ruby King, a Black girl living on the South Side of Chicago, and the people who surround her. At the outset of the story, her mother, Alice, has been found murdered, though it is not entirely clear who killed her. Ruby is left to live with her father, Lebanon, a man who has long been abusive towards her and Alice. Ruby’s best friend, Layla, worries that living with Lebanon will push Ruby towards depression and potentially even suicide, and her instinct is to try to protect Ruby. We hear Ruby, Layla, Ruby’s dad, and Layla’s dad’s perspectives, as well as the narrative voice of the church that they attend and where Layla’s father works.

Layla is a true friend to Ruby, and looks out for her as she is deeply worried that she could be in harm’s way living alone with Lebanon. We come to understand Layla’s unsteady relationship with her father, a man with his own complicated history, and with her mother, who was a friend to Alice. We also learn how fiercely she can look out for her friend. As such, this book is a testament to good friendship. Layla’s sections of the novel are among the most compelling.

Through Lebanon’s story, we learn how cycles of trauma and dysfunction occur and how trauma can continue through generations. Lebanon wanted to be loved by his mother and she was abusive towards him. In turn, he became abusive towards Alice and Ruby. One remarkable aspect of the book is how we come to understand Lebanon as a complex man despite the obviously horrible way he treated Alice and Ruby. Part of the skills of Catherine Adel West’s writing comes from the way she shows Lebanon’s complexity in spite of all that he has done wrong. It is hard to be truly sympathetic to a man who was abusive, but Catherine Adel West writes his segments in such a way that readers will at least find some degree of understanding him and his circumstances, if not feel sympathy.

One of the great strengths of the novel is that Catherine Adel West has beautifully gotten inside the head of each of her characters, showing great empathy through her writing to each one of them. Readers in turn will feel understanding and sympathy towards each of them. As well, the voice of the church is a valuable addition to the book, as it is the voice of someone (or rather, something) that has watched over the community for decades. The voice of the church is one of the most unique and compelling features of the book.

One aspect of the novel that makes it unique is that Saving Ruby King it's not just a story about Ruby, her family and friends, and social issues in a Black community in Chicago, but also in that it is a mystery of sorts about who was responsible for Alice King’s death. Readers will be curious to know the backstory of various characters and to understand how Alice lost her life. Readers will be glued to the pages as they will learn more about more what happened as the story proceeds.

Saving Ruby King is filled with rich passages that describe the life of the Black community in this neighbourhood in Chicago and the social issues that impact them. These issues range from gentrification, to generational trauma, and to police violence that disproportionately impacts the Black community. Interspersed between passages about each of the central characters are their thoughts about their community and what their lives are like as Black citizens of Chicago. There are many truly memorable passages throughout the book describing the obstacles that members of Ruby’s community face as a low-income, Black community in Chicago. As such, this is an extremely timely and important read.

However compelling the story, the book is somewhat uneven in terms of the different perspectives that are portrayed. Some of the characters perspectives were extremely compelling, others were not quite as interesting to read. Highlights of the book include the church’s narrative, and Layla and Lebanon’s perspectives. Layla’s father’s perspective and even Ruby’s own perspective fall a bit short of the others in terms of their power. Certainly different readers will form their own opinion about the various perspectives, but overall the stories do not feel equal in terms of how engaging each character’s voice is.

Saving Ruby King is far more than just a story of a girl and her friend and family; it is a powerful story about a community. It is about the way a shocking and tragic event impacts the members of that community. It is about the things that community has had to cope with over time. It is also about the role of the church in the community and how it brings people together and what happens inside its walls.

What is perhaps most compelling about this novel is the way it combines the stories of the unique characters and their perspectives with insightful passages about social issues impacting the local Black community. Catherine Adel West has masterfully combined each of these elements to create a powerful and engaging story.

An interesting split point-of-view read looking at the ways our history defines us, even when we don't know our full personal history. One of the most interesting parts was having a point-of-view from an inanimate object (a church) that certainly played a role as a character in the lives of all the other characters.