Glorious

Glorious follows Easter Venetta Bartlett, a Black woman born in Georgia, who flees to New York City in the early 1900s. Her journey takes her from the rural South to the cultural explosion of the Harlem Renaissance. The novel tracks Easter's path as she pursues her dreams of becoming a writer in Harlem, where she encounters both opportunity and hardship. Her story intersects with historical events and figures of the era, from World War I through the Great Depression. Rain Jeffers, an established Harlem Renaissance writer, becomes a key figure in Easter's life as their paths cross. The two women navigate the complex social and artistic landscape of 1920s Harlem. The narrative examines themes of artistic expression, racial identity, and the quest for personal freedom against historical barriers. Through Easter's story, McFadden creates a portrait of both individual determination and collective cultural awakening during a transformative period in American history.

Readers describe Glorious as a moving historical fiction that brings 1910s-1920s Harlem to life through lyrical prose and vivid period details. Readers praised: - The immersive portrayal of the Harlem Renaissance era - Complex character development of protagonist Easter Venetta Bartlett - McFadden's poetic writing style and imagery - Integration of real historical figures into the narrative Common criticisms: - Some found the pacing uneven, especially in later chapters - A few readers wanted more resolution to certain plot threads - Several noted the violence and trauma could be overwhelming Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (100+ ratings) "The prose reads like music," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. Another noted: "McFadden captures both the glory and pain of the era without romanticizing." Multiple Amazon reviewers mentioned being emotionally impacted by Easter's journey but feeling the ending left questions unanswered.

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🌟 Glorious is set during the Harlem Renaissance, but was inspired by the life of Madam C.J. Walker, the first self-made female millionaire in America 🌟 Author Bernice L. McFadden wrote the first draft of Glorious in just 30 days during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) 🌟 The novel's protagonist, Easter Venetta Bartlett, shares similar experiences with many real African American writers of the 1920s who had their work stolen or published under white pseudonyms 🌟 McFadden spent years researching the brutal race riots of 1918 in Georgia to accurately depict the historical events that shape the novel's early chapters 🌟 The book's journey to publication took nearly ten years, with McFadden facing multiple rejections before Akashic Books finally released it in 2010