A gripping tale of a young black girl struggling with her identity - her mother trying to encourage her to be herself. Definitely a tear jerker!

The heroine of this novel is truly beaten down by her birth status over and over she loses but holds her triumph in her camelia white skin, her gypsy heart and her only child. Finding joy in the little things in life is all that keeps her going. This book takes a harsh look at class value, Self worth, and the treatment and expectations of women in the the early part of the century. It teaches one to look at the bright side of life no matter how tarnishd it may be. It also made me feel lucky to be in this era where it is much harder to be pushed under by other's prejudices. It is a life lesson to remember so it can't happen in our society again!