Publisher's Weekly Review
This debut novel of longing for family, love, and acceptance finds some interesting territory before settling too early into inevitability. Davidia Jones, a nerdy child of poverty, is abused by her alcoholic mother and despicable father and is the subject of merciless taunting at her high school. But it's the "Molly Ringwald Ending" that guides this fragile 15-year-old when she bolts town with a lesbian trucker named Mama Jane and lands a gig as a '40s-style chanteuse in L.A. With a little Hollywood stardust, she redefines herself and begins living the life she's dreamed of-until James, the rich golden boy she had a crush on back home, walks into her nightclub. Not knowing their connected past, James promptly goes gaga for the overhauled Davie, whose need for sweet revenge adds a welcome dark edge to an otherwise predictable trajectory toward self-empowerment. New Agey embellishments (an "atonement list") seem like a misstep for a spirited heroine stuck in a middling narrative. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
A debut tragicomic romance about a woman's dark past catching up to her.Glamorous Los Angeles lounge singer Davie Jones grew up Davidia Jones in a poor, abusive, fatherless family in small-town Mississippi. Beaten into literal silence by her prostitute mother, Davie becomes the invisible girl. When the rich Farell family comes to town, Davie falls in love with the Farell heir, James. When his sister, the cartoonishly evil Veronica, finds out, she pulls a prank that proves to be the last straw for Davie, who packs up and runs away. Years later, James and the now successful, charming and vocal Davie cross paths again, and this time, James falls madly in love with her, though the author seems better at describing their steamy sex life than their emotional connection. Veronica reappears and threatens the careful, delicate faade Davie has built for herself since high school. The more frivolous scenes are offset by some surprisingly sober moments. The verbal and physical abuse from Davie's mother and the school bullying Davie is subjected to are potent and well rendered. Equally touching are the meaningful relationships she forms in L.A. with a truck driver-turned-savior Mama Jones and the gruff nightclub owner, Nickyeasily the most enjoyable member of the cast of characters. Davie and the story take their inspiration from the classic '80s hit Sixteen Candles, but sometimes the parallels go too far. The narrative would have more impact if it didn't dismiss every disturbing moment with a scene straight out of a romantic comedy. The love object, James, is as thick as cardboard and twice as boring. Davie is by turns heroic and psychotic, but the simple fact that she is a survivor is enough to keep readers rooting for her, though sometimes only barely. The pacing is steady and having the narrative jump back in time once or twice keeps the plot moving and the fairly shocking revelations coming. Uneven but spottily entertaining.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Carter's captivating debut follows Davie Jones, an African American girl growing up in the 1980s in the small town of Glass, Mississippi. Scorned by her mother and classmates, Davie eventually stops speaking and takes refuge in the movies of Molly Ringwald, which promise happy endings for even the most downtrodden social outcast. Davie finds her dream guy in hunky James Farrell, a high-school football star who moves to Glass with his wealthy family. But her dreams are dashed when she incurs the ire of James' cruel sister, Veronica, after Veronica catches her father visiting Davie's promiscuous mother. Veronica then plays a mean prank that sends Davie running away from Glass for good, all the way to Los Angeles. There she finds her voice, both literally and figuratively, earning a living as a lounge singer. Davie is content with her life until James crashes back into it, causing demons from her past to bubble to the surface. With all the charm of a clever romantic comedy and peopled by appealing, memorable characters, Carter's first novel is a winner on all fronts.--Huntley, Kristine Copyright 2010 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Davidia Jones was nicknamed Monkey Night by the kids in her Mississippi hometown because she was "ugly like a monkey and black as night." Treated cruelly at school and abused by her mother, Davidia stopped talking while still in kindergarten, remaining mute until age 15. She escapes into reading, doing homework, and watching Molly Ringwald movies, especially her favorite, Sixteen Candles. Davidia dreamily imagines her own life with a Molly Ringwald ending: the handsome rich boy in town falls in love with her, despite their vastly different statuses in the high school hierarchy. But her actual story is poured out here-from running away from home as a teenager to being forced in adulthood to confront the tormentors from her past and reexamine her first love. VERDICT With a likable narrator who goes from doormat to diva while staying true to herself, this well-written debut by a promising author has enough romance, drama, and revenge fantasy to satisfy not only fans of John Hughes's classic 1984 film but also readers who enjoy coming-of-age tales, chick lit with some substance, and African American fiction.-Laurie A. Cavanaugh, Brockton P.L., MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
