Nappily Ever After

December 4, 2000
African-American advertising agency executive Venus Johnston has had enough. Enough of the painful, expensive hours spent relaxing her "good" hair and enough of her four-year relationship with medical intern Clint Fairchild, which has lasted too long without a ring. She shaves her hair to a quarter-inch stubble, tells Clint to pack his bags and spends the rest of Thomas's empowering debut novel building a new life to match the new woman she's become. Clint, on the rebound, meets beautiful, longhaired and marriage-ready Kandi Treboe and proposes on an impulse, despite evidence that he's not over Venus. Meanwhile, Venus confronts issues of sexual harassment and racism in her predominantly white Washington, D.C., firm, where she begins to receive threatening notes. The crisis at work fuels Venus's fears that she's not strong enough to survive her new freedom. Has she made a mistake by abandoning the security of her boyfriend and her long, straight hair? Kandi develops into a complex character, with her own set of concerns and a sense of humor about the lovers' triangle. Her perspective provides an interesting counterpoint to Venus's obsession with the consuming culture surrounding black women's hair. Clint's confusion over his choice between the two women is treated honestly, and Venus's discovery that she has moved to new psychological territory carries emotional weight. This exploration of an African-American woman's journey to self-acceptance is not without flaws (spotty writing and loose ends tied up too fast), but Thomas refuses to let her characters slide into stereotype, and she keeps the pace fast and funny.

Not only has the author chosen the perfect title for her charming work, she's also created an unusual love story from diverse perspectives. When Venus's romance with Clint crumbles, she decides to cut off her long, gorgeous locks. This act symbolizes so much related to the self- image of black women that it's a radical act. Narrator Lisa RenÄe Pitts is outstanding as the story's primary character, and she absolutely shines portraying the older relatives. Her delivery of the slightly raunchy banter between three old guys is sheer fun, and her depictions of the mother-daughter exchanges are priceless. The topics of sexual harassment, living up to family expectations, and the lives of black Americans are genuine and relevant. Valuable life lessons are offered without being preachy and should appeal to a wide audience. S.G.B. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine