The story unfolds like a hot breeze skating past, with a warm, vibrant setting steeped in the decades it passes through, and filled with emotions, both sharp and dully under the surface.

Memphis is an ode to Memphis women, passion, love and life. Written from multiple points of view it jumps between the characters and different decades which helps the reader feel a lot closer to each narrator. I was rooting for every single female character in this book! And it's so beautifully written! I could picture everything clearly in my head and I felt like I was a part of the story. Something about this book makes you want to live your life to the fullest and do everything with a passion! It's a phenomenal debut novel and I can't wait for Stringfellow to write more amazing books!

This book isn’t one I’d generally pick up, but I honestly really enjoyed it. I ended up listening to the audiobook which I really enjoyed, and the narration captured my attention pretty much instantly too. I like how this book had a non-linear timeline changing between the women of multiple generations, and even though I didn’t exactly know which generation I was following at all times, I still enjoyed it. This book honestly enthralled me from the start and I found the narration and writing really easy to follow. We begin in 1995 and travel back through time, flicking between each narrative. Although this could be a little confusing, I almost felt like the intertwining of the characters and reflection of their stories on one another could have been purposeful. The writing in this book was beautiful, and the way the experiences of these women was portrayed almost brought me to tears in places. This book explores many difficult topics including rape (off the page), lynching (off the page), domestic abuse and racism. In my opinion, these topics were handled well and reflected throughout the story. The relationships between the family members/women were beautiful to read about and are very central to the story. This book feels as though it aims to encapsulate a Southern Black female experience, and I liked how it focused on this one central city. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, although it was very bleak and difficult to read in places. I also appreciated the fact the acknowledgements were included in the audiobook, because listening to them honestly brought tears to my eyes and added another layer to the story for me. ★★★★ 4 out of 5 stars -Beth May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Thank you to the publishers for this review copy. Tara is I believe a poet and this novel is certainly written beautifully. Absolutely capturing the atmosphere of the time periods. The timeline in the novel goes backwards and forwards, so a touch of concentration is required as you read. The family within the novel will totally capture your heart and different moments in time will resonate with you as you read. It really addresses some of the issues, obstacles and strengths people have faced and found in the face of racism in recent times. Happy to recommend on to others. Will be happy to read whatever Tara writes next.

No-holds-barred tale of the history - and generational trauma - of an extended family and the titular city that serves as the physical and spiritual setting of this sweeping narrative. Not always an easy read but beautifully written and told, even at its most unflinching,