Did You Hear about Kitty Karr?: A Novel

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compound to attend a memorial service for former film star Kitty Karr Tate, their beloved elderly next-door neighbor. Paul’s sprawling multigenerational debut hits the ground running with a peek at the complicated family life of an iconic, privacy-seeking clan of Hollywood stars: the St. But what she discovers in one of Kitty’s journals rocks her world harder than any other brewing scandal could—and between a cheating fiancé and the fallout from a controversial social media post, there are plenty. The premise is that actress Kitty Karr (Tate) passes away and wills her fortuned estate to the Black St.

For instance, at one point, it took me a beat too long to realize the character Sarah was Elise’s mother! Spanning multiple generations, the story focuses on White actress and celebrity icon of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Kitty Karr. In Paul’s appealing if overlong debut, a Black Hollywood family reckons with a surprising and complicated past.There were many things about this book that caused me to pause in ponder weather I wanted to continue reading it for one thing why would you make an affluent family the pot smokers I thought that was so odd and then when Hazel gave Mary all that money to go away and live as a white woman that’s the first time I really considered to stop reading the book for one thing Hazel didn’t know Mary would become a famous actress so she is essentially giving her daughter up to go live a life with strangers is it a life with no family but as a white person is much better than a life with family and being around those you love. From segregation, to passing, to the Black lives matter movement, the author really shined in the thematic elements of the novel. But suffice it to say the novel presents many thought provoking conversations on race and the experiences of Black women in America, both past and present. By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. The tributes were numerous, and her films and decade-long-running television show shot to the top of digital sales.

My apologies to Reese, but I’m not a fan of the author’s narrative structure and storytelling techniques. Kitty quit acting in her early fifties and, aside from a few rare public appearances, hadn’t been photographed in more than twenty years.An ambitious novel, illuminating the complexities of racial identity, particularly what it means to be Black in Hollywood no matter the era. Public conspiracy theories had exploded after news leaked that Kitty bequeathed her entire fortune—about six hundred million dollars—to Elise and her sisters, Giovanni and Noele. is a sprawling page-turner set against the backdrop of the Hollywood machine, an insightful and nuanced look at the inheritances of family, race, and gender—and the choices some women make to break free of them. I received this book from NetGalley and a publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

John sisters are hard to relate to, and having them already millionaires who weren't truly affected by Kitty's gift made me want to care less about them. A multigenerational saga that traverses the Jim Crow South, the glamour of old Hollywood, and the seductive draw of present-day showbiz as secrets split a family tree into Black, white, and something in between. Kitty Karr is an iconoclastic, complicated, and fascinating woman, whose legacy is as relevant as ever today. Elise could mimic emotions she didn’t feel on command but had no ability to express the ones that were true.Visitors likened it to a giant dream catcher, fitting considering that what and who lay behind its presence mirrored the collected, albeit programmed, wants of many. Startled to find the sixteen-seat conference table full, they didn’t break stride as they took the two remaining seats. Crystal Smith Paul attended Spelman College and UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television and received her master’s in journalism from NYU. Though a bit clunky, the dramatic story and hefty subject matter would make a fine adaptation to the silver screen. This author has given readers an extremely interesting storyline that can be discussed for quite some time.