There was so much to love about this book! Everything in the story was alive! The author turned the buildings, music, plants, time—the entire city of Harlem into essential characters in this story, which was so beautifully done. I finished this book with a smile and a sense of relief despite the heartbreak and devastation that came with it. I love that every character played a role and showed up to do that every time, but they weren’t only there for Ricki’s or Ezra’s benefit; they had their own issues and goals that we got to be a part of. They took up the right amount of space, added so much to the story, and gave just enough for you to adore them. I couldn’t get enough of Ms. Della and Tuesday; I love that they found peace and purpose. 

As much as I loved this story, it wasn’t as epic as I expected it to be (according to the GP). However, that’s not a bad thing and it didn’t make me like the story less. The backstory, for one, wasn’t what I expected but it put things into perspective so I wasn’t mad at it. It was dark and magical and so damn sad. Toward the end though when Ricki & Ezra were sitting around waiting for the curse to do its thing was absolutely ridiculous, I didn’t know whether to laugh, gape, or cry. Still, this is the kind of story that’s written for the screen and I mean that in the best way.