You Know Better
By Tina McElroy Ansa
William Morrow & Co. -April 2002
ISBN: 006019779X; Hardback
Fiction
African American

Reviewed by Sharon Hudson, Myshelf.com
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You Know Better is different from any of the other three works by Ms. Ansa. I found harder to get into than with her previous novels. It seemed to drag on, and the story was a bit discombobulated, but my determination was rewarded at the end.

Each of the main characters, Mrs. Lily Paine Pines, high school educator and prominent member of the Board of Education; Sandra Pines, her daughter and realtor; and LaShawndra Pines, Sandra's daughter and self-proclaimed no-account; were well-developed and the story was told from their three unique viewpoints. The minor characters were less developed, but each had a unique and fulfilling role in the story.

The setting is the small fictional town of Mulberry, GA. Mulberry is a typical small town where everyone knows everyone else, especially their business. Reputations are made and lost by the friendships forged with the biggest gossip in town. Try as Lily Paine Pines might, the reputation of the Pines is in a losing battle with LaShawndra.

Further, we find that Mulberry contains a remarkable contingent of ghosts. These prominent figures of the past are what made the story interesting to me. Their viewpoints added much-needed flavor to this work. The ghosts have the voice of reason when nobody human has the ability to think clearly, and it is these same ghosts who handle the overall problem in their own unique way. Lily, Sandra and LaShawndra each meet a person who helped them understand themselves and learn something in the meeting.

The title of the novel kept me reading, wondering how such a phrase related to the premise of the book. It finally became crystal clear during the epilogue. It was disappointing that it took so long, but this was primary motivation for me to continue reading. At this moment, the entire book came together before my eyes and the novel became more understandable and enjoyable in retrospect. If ever there was a case for reading the ending first, this is the one. If you're like me and have to finish every book you start, you won't be disappointed. The journey to the end might seem longer than usual, but it's worth it.

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