Mustard Seed

This story will have you transported back to the era of slavery and the unimaginable suffering slaves endured for so many years. Words fail me to express the impact that this beautifully written, yet heartbreaking, story had on me as I read the accounts of the inhumane injustices that were allowed during that time. Although the actual description of physical mistreatment of slaves was excluded, the author was very effective in expressing through the characters how the destruction of the human spirit that slavery fostered was much more permanent. There is also included an uplifting element of the ability of the human spirit to rise above the suffering through sheer human will and faith which brings the reader to an elevated level of admiration for the people who lived the life of a slave and the years of oppression that followed after the 13th Amendment and Emancipation Proclamation were passed and lived to tell about it. Definitely worth reading so we never forget!

Firstly I must admit that 'Yellow Crocus' is one of my favourite books from a lifetime of being an avid reader. I smiled and cried with Mattie and Lisbeth, as they formed a loving and complicated relationship in a time of great cruelty and injustice in the American South. They had become like dear friends by time I finished reading that book. Perhaps, my expectations were too high when I began this sequel. It is a story covering a much larger landscape and highlighting far more characters. Sometimes the long list of landowners and slaves became confusing; especially as some shared the same name or had several different names. It is beautifully written, as only Laila Ibrahim can write; but I missed the intimacy of the previous novel. The historical setting, at a time when America was supposed to be a Union and all slaves freed, was drawn with stark realism. Laws can be promulgated, but the implementation of those laws rely on the adherence of the public officials and leaders. I did not realize that even after the abolition of slavery some landowners in the South still kept men and women in conditions of cruel slavery. I learned a great deal about the plight of the black and coloured population in the Southern States from this book. I was horrified by their treatment and sickened by a situation of children left hopelessly adrift with no means of uniting with their families. This story was fascinating and appealed to me intellectually; whereas Yellow Crocus moved me emotionally. I would definitely recommend reading the latter before reading this book. The relationship between Mattie and Lisbeth requires understanding to avoid reader confusion.

Ms. Laila, If you see this - I want you to know that I started to worry about my lack of emotional connection when reading. I have held many books that pulled at my heartstrings, but wouldn’t evoke my expected reaction. I was worried that I’ve become desensitized to humanity. Was it the constant trauma exposure through media?! I panicked. Then I fall in love with Mattie and Lisbeth’s relationship…this story had me sob crying. As a black woman who is deeply rooted in my identity, I thank you. In the climate of our country today, politically and economically, I cried. I cried for my ancestors and I cried for my elders. I cried for the future of my people…as our fight as a race is never-ending and it breaks my heart. I am the audience you were looking to touch. Thank you!

I actually read the first 3 books out of sequence 3,1, 2 and it still ended up being a wonderful read!

Well written but not easy to follow at the beginning until you get familiar with the names ofvthe protagonists. Suspense and deep emotions are expressed with clarity and vividly. Hard to put down before the ending.

I AM THERE. It’s difficult for me to describe my feelings right now, what is possessing my mind as I begin this novel. The characters, good or not-so-good, have in a few moments become intimate friends. And I am THERE, in 1868 America, experiencing the inner lives of former slaves, their children and families, and the inner lives of honest and caring people with no slavery background but life-forming connections. ALTERNATING FIRST PERSON, THIRD PERSON narration blends into an easy flow, keeping me present with the characters. I've rarely felt so much a part of folks like these and cheering for them, even praying for them. I know that sounds weird since they're fictitious; and if not fictional, they're no longer living. But yes, they are living in today's world and folks. CARING ABOUT THE CHARACTERS. Jordan Freedman, 19 years old, is a teacher in a racially diverse one-room elementary school. Her family'a heritage is being slaves. You got to love her and sympathize with her devotion to her students: “God, help me to be a worthy guide for these hearts, souls, and minds. Amen.” Lisbeth, 30-years-old, was born into the privileged class in the antebellum South fo slave-owners. Her beloved nurse from babyhood is Mattie, Jordan’s mother. All these women develop a bond deeper than just being friends. But that bond is tested when Lisbeth returns to her former home, a plantation in Virginia. There she faces smothering animosity from her Confederate family who feel she betrayed them by marrying an abolitionist. TENSE AND TENDER PLOT. So too Jordan and her mother Mattie return to their former home. They want to save their family who still are being oppressed by their former owners and other whites. Will young Jordan and Mattie be able to bring some liberation for their beloved family? This is both a tense and tender novel as both families seek to come to terms with the past and free themselves from lingering hatred and present fractures. The author writes from her in-depth research plus her own background as founder and director of Woolsey Children’s School. Both her heart and experience enrich this amazing story she shares. I’m sure this book's people will invade my emotions for many years to come, as it likely will yours. I look forward to reading more books by this very human and skilled author.

I was anxious to read the Mustard Seed because the author Laila Ibrahim had written the Yellow Crocus, one of BEST novels that I had ever read. I still highly recommend it to individuals. This particular novel was not her best. Though she had a list of characters listed in the front of the book, in my opinion there were too many and about a third were insignificant. While reading, I often had to refer to her character list. Having to do this, often lost my train of thought and I had to go back and read the page before. The story itself was interesting and informative considering the novel was placed 3 years post Civil War. I was very surprised that "slavery" was still living and thriving in the south. Ibrahim had a great story to tell but could have done it with less characters.

Mattie and Lisbeth cross paths again which leads to bridging the past to the present. There are so many twists that kept me up to finish this exciting and heartwarming journey.