The House of Eve. Sadeqa Johnson. 2023. Simon & Schuster. 384 pages. [Source: Public library.]
In her latest release, Sadeqa Johnson skillfully weaves together the lives of two women, seemingly worlds apart, whose paths eventually cross, leaving both forever changed. The resulting story is one that explores the lengths one will go to for acceptance and the pursuit of their happiness.
It’s 1949. In Philadelphia, 15-year-old Ruby fights nonstop obstacles to obtain a prestigious scholarship that she knows are her only path out of poverty. In Washington, D.C., Eleanor is a focused undergraduate at Howard University who’s determined to make the most of her opportunity in a city far from home. Both find themselves in tempted by relationships that threaten to derail the carefully laid plans they’ve created for themselves.
Ruby finds herself getting close to a neighborhood Jewish boy whose family isn’t as open-minded toward her as he is. Eleanor faces a similar situation, with a med student who comes from the “right” family with the “right” background, something she doesn’t share. For both, the book explores how they navigate their environments in their attempts to create stability and a sense of belong for themselves.
Johnson has a way with historical fiction, no doubt. I found myself frequently sidetracked by looking up parks, businesses, and other locations she references in both Philadelphia and D.C. It’s clear that she is careful in her research and selection of places to include to enhance the story. In doing so, she adds a richness that brings the story more fully to life. As someone who loves a good Google Earth binge, I appreciated being able to truly see places the characters called home.
One thing I noticed while reading The House of Eve is that I wasn’t as emotionally connected to the characters as I had been with Yellow Wife. Obviously the two are vastly different, but the way the characters and their experiences were portrayed left me more detached, despite experiences that are truly traumatizing. Ruby and Eleanor’s experiences are no less difficult, but Johnson’s writing in the previous book was more evocative. For me, this was likely a result of being able to predict some of the plot early on, which left me reading with a bit of confirmation bias. It doesn’t take away from the story in general, but can’t be ignored.
Overall, I enjoyed The House of Eve. It’s clear that despite being historical fiction, it is very true to reality. It left me with so many questions and pining for a sequel. I do think the book would have benefited from a content warning based on its central plot, which I imagine would be very difficult for some readers. Despite that, this is a quality book that deserves to be added to your TBR pile.
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