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Freedman/Johnson #3
Golden Poppies
From the bestselling author of Yellow Crocus and Mustard Seed comes the empowering novel of two generations of American women connected by the past and fighting for a brighter future.
It’s 1894. Jordan Wallace and Sadie Wagoner appear to have little in common. Jordan, a middle-aged black teacher, lives in segregated Chicago. Two thousand miles away, Sadie, the white wife of an ambitious German businessman, lives in more tolerant Oakland, California. But years ago, their families intertwined on a plantation in Virginia. There, Jordan’s and Sadie’s mothers developed a bond stronger than blood, despite the fact that one was enslaved and the other was the privileged daughter of the plantation’s owner.
With Jordan’s mother on her deathbed, Sadie leaves her disapproving husband to make the arduous train journey with her mother to Chicago. But the reunion between two families is soon fraught with personal and political challenges.
As the harsh realities of racial divides and the injustices of the Gilded Age conspire to hold them back, the women find they need each other more than ever. Their courage, their loyalty, and the ties that bind their families will be tested. Amid the tumult of a quickly changing nation, their destiny depends on what they’re willing to risk for liberation.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2020
9,332 people are currently reading
14k people want to read
About the author
Laila Ibrahim
9books2,132followersMy education and experience in multiracial, developmental psychology and attachment theory provide ample fodder for my novels. My passion for early childhood education, child birth and religious education are reflected in my writing.
I was the founder and director of Woolsey Children's School where I had first hand experience loving children that were not my own. There are scenes in Yellow Crocus that were largely influenced interactions I had with children from Woolsey.
As a birth doula I had the privilege of witnessing the intensity and joy of childbirth. You can see that my birth experiences are reflected in my novels.
Spiritual themes that cross over multiple religious traditions come directly from working as the Director of Children and Family Ministries at the First Unitarian Church in Oakland.
I live in a small co-housing community in Berkeley, California, with my wonderful wife, Rinda and our beloved dog, Hazel. Our young adult children are our pride and joy.
I'm very grateful to be a full time writer starting in 2015.
I was surprised when the writing bug bit me. The idea for the story came to me in 1998, I was with a group of people talking about Tiger Woods. Someone mentioned that he identifies as much as an Asian person as an African-American person. I thought to myself, "Of course he does, his mother is Asian. You form your core identity in relationship to your primary caregivers. It's a basic part of the attachment process."
Then the image of Lisbeth, a white baby, breastfeeding in the loving arms of Mattie, an enslaved wetnurse came to me in a flash. I thought about what it would be like for Lisbeth to dearly love Mattie and then be taught by society that she wasn't a full person. I wondered how it would feel for Mattie to be forced to abandon Samuel, her own child, in the slave Quarters. Then I imagined what the experience would be like for Miss Anne, the birth mother, to have her own child twist away from her to get into Mattie's arms. These characters started to haunt me. Various scenes popped into my head. Though I had never written anything, I was being called to tell this story. For my fortieth birthday, I began the personal marathon of writing my first novel. I hope you will come to love these characters as much as I have.
At face value Living Right seems like a big leap from Yellow Crocus, but it deals with the same themes: a caregiver loving across a huge societal barrier.
I LOVED returning to Mattie, Lisbeth and Jordan for Mustard Seed. The story of finding faith in hopeless times really resonates for me. I plan to return to their families' ongoing journey after I finish my current novel-Paper Wife.
Paper Wife focuses on Mei Ling, a young Chinese woman immigrating to San Francisco through Angel Island a in the early 1920's. Reactionary anti-immigration laws in the United States and warfare in China caused people desperate for survival to be misleading about their identities so they could be united with family and have access to work. Mei Ling yearns to have a life of integrity though it was built on a foundation of lies.
Golden Poppies returns to the Freedman and Johnson families. It was fascinating to bring them to California, to look at the suffrage movement, and to see how they could keep their connection strong in spite of the very different social worlds they occupied.
I'm feeling a tug to bring the descendants of these families to the 2000s. Scarlet Carnation gets us to World War 1. I'm just starting the World War 2 era novel.
I was the founder and director of Woolsey Children's School where I had first hand experience loving children that were not my own. There are scenes in Yellow Crocus that were largely influenced interactions I had with children from Woolsey.
As a birth doula I had the privilege of witnessing the intensity and joy of childbirth. You can see that my birth experiences are reflected in my novels.
Spiritual themes that cross over multiple religious traditions come directly from working as the Director of Children and Family Ministries at the First Unitarian Church in Oakland.
I live in a small co-housing community in Berkeley, California, with my wonderful wife, Rinda and our beloved dog, Hazel. Our young adult children are our pride and joy.
I'm very grateful to be a full time writer starting in 2015.
I was surprised when the writing bug bit me. The idea for the story came to me in 1998, I was with a group of people talking about Tiger Woods. Someone mentioned that he identifies as much as an Asian person as an African-American person. I thought to myself, "Of course he does, his mother is Asian. You form your core identity in relationship to your primary caregivers. It's a basic part of the attachment process."
Then the image of Lisbeth, a white baby, breastfeeding in the loving arms of Mattie, an enslaved wetnurse came to me in a flash. I thought about what it would be like for Lisbeth to dearly love Mattie and then be taught by society that she wasn't a full person. I wondered how it would feel for Mattie to be forced to abandon Samuel, her own child, in the slave Quarters. Then I imagined what the experience would be like for Miss Anne, the birth mother, to have her own child twist away from her to get into Mattie's arms. These characters started to haunt me. Various scenes popped into my head. Though I had never written anything, I was being called to tell this story. For my fortieth birthday, I began the personal marathon of writing my first novel. I hope you will come to love these characters as much as I have.
At face value Living Right seems like a big leap from Yellow Crocus, but it deals with the same themes: a caregiver loving across a huge societal barrier.
I LOVED returning to Mattie, Lisbeth and Jordan for Mustard Seed. The story of finding faith in hopeless times really resonates for me. I plan to return to their families' ongoing journey after I finish my current novel-Paper Wife.
Paper Wife focuses on Mei Ling, a young Chinese woman immigrating to San Francisco through Angel Island a in the early 1920's. Reactionary anti-immigration laws in the United States and warfare in China caused people desperate for survival to be misleading about their identities so they could be united with family and have access to work. Mei Ling yearns to have a life of integrity though it was built on a foundation of lies.
Golden Poppies returns to the Freedman and Johnson families. It was fascinating to bring them to California, to look at the suffrage movement, and to see how they could keep their connection strong in spite of the very different social worlds they occupied.
I'm feeling a tug to bring the descendants of these families to the 2000s. Scarlet Carnation gets us to World War 1. I'm just starting the World War 2 era novel.
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May 6, 2020These books are not listed as a series because they can stand alone, but this is the third book about Lisbeth and Mattie. You really should read them all. It's so worth it. The books are excellent and you get to know the history of the characters.
- Lisbeth is born into privilege and Mattie is her enslaved wet nurse
- 1868, continues Lisbeth & Mattie's stories
- 1894, the story continues with Lisbeth & Mattie's children
- Lisbeth is born into privilege and Mattie is her enslaved wet nurse
- 1868, continues Lisbeth & Mattie's stories
- 1894, the story continues with Lisbeth & Mattie's children
July 2, 2020
A brilliantly written book! When I first requested this from Lake Union I did not notice it was from a series. I followed along just fine but I know this would probably have been a 5 star book had I read the whole series and been wholeheartedly invested in the characters. This book follows two families. One black and one white. They have ties from a Plantation in Virginia but have now moved to Oakland, California. It is an emotional but inspiring story. The two family's bind was powerful and loving.
I will most certainly read, "The Yellow Crocus" and "Mustard Seed" by this author. I would like to kindly thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for granting me access to this Advanced Reader Copy.
I will most certainly read, "The Yellow Crocus" and "Mustard Seed" by this author. I would like to kindly thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for granting me access to this Advanced Reader Copy.
June 9, 2020
The ties that bind.
Golden Poppies lays out a patchwork quilt of different interlocking pieces that tell the story of the human experience. While the colors and patterns seem to compete for a dominance hierarchy, truth be told, one patch is no less valuable than the next in the scheme of things. Each patch gets ruffled in the winds of time. Each patch fades out over that same stretch of time exposed to all things that eventually erode the precious threads that hold us in place.
It's April of 1894 in Chicago as Jordan Wallace sits at the bedside of her dying mother, Mattie. A similar quilt covers her tiny figure worn by age and by the harshness of her life. Jordan's daughter, Naomi, is a trained nurse who hovers to the side. Nothing prepares you for "the letting go".
On the west coast in California, Lisbeth Johnson and her daughter, Sadie Wagoner, are boarding a Pullman train that will take them to Chicago and to that room where Mattie lays on her death bed. There's a history here between these two families. Mattie served as a wet nurse and slave on Fair Oaks Plantation where Lisbeth was raised with luxury. But there is a bond here that transcends circumstances, place, and time. Jordan and Naomi will eventually move to Sacramento where their life stories will intertwine once again.
I was not aware that this is the third book in this series. It does read as a standalone. I've already ordered the first two books. Laila Ibrahim takes us deeply into this storyline with America's leaning towards industrialization, urbanization, and creativity through invention. We'll experience the signposts of the quests for civil rights, the pursuit of women's suffrage, the eradication of child labor, the non-acceptance of domestic violence, and the freedoms of acceptance and the fulfillment of life to its fullest by all. Some attained. Some so terribly lacking even now.
Golden Poppies reads as fiction laced with familiar and unfamiliar names throughout this time in history. It makes me think of that quilt, once again, all sewn together in appealing sections on the front. But if you turn it gently to the backside, there's tangled threads and knotted pieces reflecting the setbacks, the struggles, and the successes and failures that occur as one generation either rises upward from the previous generation or sets it on the road to ruination. Only time will tell.
I received a copy of Golden Poppies through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Lake Union Publishers and to Laila Ibrahim for the opportunity.
Golden Poppies lays out a patchwork quilt of different interlocking pieces that tell the story of the human experience. While the colors and patterns seem to compete for a dominance hierarchy, truth be told, one patch is no less valuable than the next in the scheme of things. Each patch gets ruffled in the winds of time. Each patch fades out over that same stretch of time exposed to all things that eventually erode the precious threads that hold us in place.
It's April of 1894 in Chicago as Jordan Wallace sits at the bedside of her dying mother, Mattie. A similar quilt covers her tiny figure worn by age and by the harshness of her life. Jordan's daughter, Naomi, is a trained nurse who hovers to the side. Nothing prepares you for "the letting go".
On the west coast in California, Lisbeth Johnson and her daughter, Sadie Wagoner, are boarding a Pullman train that will take them to Chicago and to that room where Mattie lays on her death bed. There's a history here between these two families. Mattie served as a wet nurse and slave on Fair Oaks Plantation where Lisbeth was raised with luxury. But there is a bond here that transcends circumstances, place, and time. Jordan and Naomi will eventually move to Sacramento where their life stories will intertwine once again.
I was not aware that this is the third book in this series. It does read as a standalone. I've already ordered the first two books. Laila Ibrahim takes us deeply into this storyline with America's leaning towards industrialization, urbanization, and creativity through invention. We'll experience the signposts of the quests for civil rights, the pursuit of women's suffrage, the eradication of child labor, the non-acceptance of domestic violence, and the freedoms of acceptance and the fulfillment of life to its fullest by all. Some attained. Some so terribly lacking even now.
Golden Poppies reads as fiction laced with familiar and unfamiliar names throughout this time in history. It makes me think of that quilt, once again, all sewn together in appealing sections on the front. But if you turn it gently to the backside, there's tangled threads and knotted pieces reflecting the setbacks, the struggles, and the successes and failures that occur as one generation either rises upward from the previous generation or sets it on the road to ruination. Only time will tell.
I received a copy of Golden Poppies through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Lake Union Publishers and to Laila Ibrahim for the opportunity.
July 17, 2020
Mattie’s daughter Jordan, and her granddaughter Naomi continued to monitor Mattie as she slipped closer to death. When she expressed a wish to see Lisbeth once more, Jordan sent a letter with her son Malcolm who was a porter on the Pullman train that crossed coast to coast. When Lisbeth learned of her beloved Mattie’s ill-health, she and her daughter Sadie bought tickets and boarded the Pullman train to Chicago. Four days later they arrived and while Mattie lingered longer than they’d thought, they all stayed by her side until the end.
It was the 1890s and Sadie lived in Oakland, California with her husband Heinrich. Jordan and her two children also headed for Oakland once Mattie had passed on, a dream they’d been going to follow while Mattie was alive. The trip on the Pullman train had been delayed because of strikes, but eventually they all arrived, with Sadie returning with more than she’d taken...
Mattie and Lisbeth had a long history, now Jordan and Sadie had the same ties that bound them together. With trouble on the horizon for the families, along with the racial divide and political agendas, Sadie and Lisbeth would need Jordan and her family more than ever before.
Golden Poppies is the 3rd in the Yellow Crocus series by Laila Ibrahim and once again I loved it. I’d only read #1, when I saw Golden Poppies was due out, so I bought and read #2 before this one. A huge benefit I think, because without the years passing and the main characters growing from children through to middle and old age in this book, the benefit would not be achieved. The characters are so well defined with great depths � so much so that I feel I know them now. I’m really hoping there’ll be a book #4 as I’d love to continue reading about these people. Poignant and intriguing, I recommend the series highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
It was the 1890s and Sadie lived in Oakland, California with her husband Heinrich. Jordan and her two children also headed for Oakland once Mattie had passed on, a dream they’d been going to follow while Mattie was alive. The trip on the Pullman train had been delayed because of strikes, but eventually they all arrived, with Sadie returning with more than she’d taken...
Mattie and Lisbeth had a long history, now Jordan and Sadie had the same ties that bound them together. With trouble on the horizon for the families, along with the racial divide and political agendas, Sadie and Lisbeth would need Jordan and her family more than ever before.
Golden Poppies is the 3rd in the Yellow Crocus series by Laila Ibrahim and once again I loved it. I’d only read #1, when I saw Golden Poppies was due out, so I bought and read #2 before this one. A huge benefit I think, because without the years passing and the main characters growing from children through to middle and old age in this book, the benefit would not be achieved. The characters are so well defined with great depths � so much so that I feel I know them now. I’m really hoping there’ll be a book #4 as I’d love to continue reading about these people. Poignant and intriguing, I recommend the series highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2020
“Golden Poppies� by Laila Ibrahim is the perfect ending to the 3 part sequel of “Yellow Crocus�. Ibrahim is an incredible author and thanks to her explicit research I have acquired unforgettable knowledge as to the extreme tragic life’s the Negroes had to endure. With reading these 3 amazing books I laughed, cried and experienced joy...thank you Laila Ibrahim.
March 8, 2020
Such an amazing novel, and series! The Golden Poppies is the third in the Lizabeth and Mattie series. If you have not read Yellow Crocus and Mustard Seed you need to purchase and read them immediately before reading The Golden Poppies. This series has followed and white woman and her family, as well as a black female and her life on the plantation, then as an escaped slave.
The two families have undoubtably always been there for the other, no matter the skin color and no questions asked. Often they are questioned on their trust in the other, as the US is still in turmoil over slavery and women gaining rights and starting to speak up and out for themselves.
Lizabeth had moved out west to California and had not seen Mattie in years, them still being in Chicago. But one day a black negro male knocks on her door summoning her back to the east, with no time to spare. Lizabeth doesn't think twice and heads back as soon as she can, with her daughter Sadie in tow.
Mattie and Lizabeth act as if a day has not passed since they last saw each other, although time is of the essence currently. Meanwhile, Jordan, daughter of Mattie and Sadie tiptoe around the other not quite understanding their mothers devotion towards each other. Each clearly understands the color of the other's skin.
Sadie's husband was not very approving of her going with her mother in the first place, and now it has been longer than just a week or so and as they attempt to return some of the railroad goes on strike, and trains are not moving in or out. This delays them even further, however this delay may just turn into a godsend, as Jordan decides to make the leap and head West as well.
There are promises of less racism and worry of the color of skin, but Jordan is still hesitant and not too trusting. She will believe it when she sees it, as her past and her mother's past has proven you cannot trust anyone. California does seem different, but the true colors of some still show through.
Once again, both families need the other at some point to help and protect the other and soon Jordan and Sadie learn and come to understand their mothers friendship and devotion to the other. It is heartfelt and it really does not matter what color their skin is in Lizabeth's eyes, as the families are more connected than they know.
Thank you so graciously to the author, Laila Ibrahim for putting these stories to paper so I can journey them as well. I just love living with Lizabeth, Mattie, Jordan and Sadie during these times. I will cherish the autographed arc. I cannot say Thank You enough and I will eagerly be awaiting the next chapter in their lives.
The two families have undoubtably always been there for the other, no matter the skin color and no questions asked. Often they are questioned on their trust in the other, as the US is still in turmoil over slavery and women gaining rights and starting to speak up and out for themselves.
Lizabeth had moved out west to California and had not seen Mattie in years, them still being in Chicago. But one day a black negro male knocks on her door summoning her back to the east, with no time to spare. Lizabeth doesn't think twice and heads back as soon as she can, with her daughter Sadie in tow.
Mattie and Lizabeth act as if a day has not passed since they last saw each other, although time is of the essence currently. Meanwhile, Jordan, daughter of Mattie and Sadie tiptoe around the other not quite understanding their mothers devotion towards each other. Each clearly understands the color of the other's skin.
Sadie's husband was not very approving of her going with her mother in the first place, and now it has been longer than just a week or so and as they attempt to return some of the railroad goes on strike, and trains are not moving in or out. This delays them even further, however this delay may just turn into a godsend, as Jordan decides to make the leap and head West as well.
There are promises of less racism and worry of the color of skin, but Jordan is still hesitant and not too trusting. She will believe it when she sees it, as her past and her mother's past has proven you cannot trust anyone. California does seem different, but the true colors of some still show through.
Once again, both families need the other at some point to help and protect the other and soon Jordan and Sadie learn and come to understand their mothers friendship and devotion to the other. It is heartfelt and it really does not matter what color their skin is in Lizabeth's eyes, as the families are more connected than they know.
Thank you so graciously to the author, Laila Ibrahim for putting these stories to paper so I can journey them as well. I just love living with Lizabeth, Mattie, Jordan and Sadie during these times. I will cherish the autographed arc. I cannot say Thank You enough and I will eagerly be awaiting the next chapter in their lives.
May 15, 2020
This book was an Amazon First Reads selection. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and the historical fiction genre. I did not realize it was part of a series of 3. I read the first 2 books before reading this one. For me, this was the weakest book of the 3. I enjoyed the storylines in the first 2 books despite the somewhat amateur writing style. However, the storyline of this book felt much too contrived. I got bored with the parts about suffrage that came across more like a history lesson.
December 17, 2020
I just... what white lady nonsense did I just read?
This book really acts like a formerly enslaved Black family considers their *former enslavers* to be their best friends?!? We’re supposed to cheer on these stupid white women as they keep going back to a family they *formerly enslaved* and asking for help? I’m supposed to cheer on a clueless white girl who wants to leave her husband, so she asks a Black woman to hide her... basically to put her life on the line for this woman (it’s 1895)? I am left speechless.
It doesn’t help the book itself plays into deeply racist tropes. The “mammy� stereotype is everywhere, and I found it uncomfortable. The author acts as if white women were total innocent in the institution of slavery and downplays their complicity. Even when she tries to be woke and deal with the privilege and disparities, it’s a surface level critique and the Black characters are always there to assure everyone that “this is just the way the world is.�
The white women in this book are infantilized, coddled, stupid and entitled. These women 100% would’ve voted for Trump.
I honestly feel a little dirty for just finishing this travesty... but I (unfortunately) bought it on my kindle and I refuse to not finish things I pay. The fact it was on sale for $1.99 should’ve been a clue.
And honestly, I’m still mad I paid that much for this trash.
This book really acts like a formerly enslaved Black family considers their *former enslavers* to be their best friends?!? We’re supposed to cheer on these stupid white women as they keep going back to a family they *formerly enslaved* and asking for help? I’m supposed to cheer on a clueless white girl who wants to leave her husband, so she asks a Black woman to hide her... basically to put her life on the line for this woman (it’s 1895)? I am left speechless.
It doesn’t help the book itself plays into deeply racist tropes. The “mammy� stereotype is everywhere, and I found it uncomfortable. The author acts as if white women were total innocent in the institution of slavery and downplays their complicity. Even when she tries to be woke and deal with the privilege and disparities, it’s a surface level critique and the Black characters are always there to assure everyone that “this is just the way the world is.�
The white women in this book are infantilized, coddled, stupid and entitled. These women 100% would’ve voted for Trump.
I honestly feel a little dirty for just finishing this travesty... but I (unfortunately) bought it on my kindle and I refuse to not finish things I pay. The fact it was on sale for $1.99 should’ve been a clue.
And honestly, I’m still mad I paid that much for this trash.
May 17, 2020
Third in the series
But believe we should have stopped with 2. This did not hold my attention as the preceding 2 related books, Yellow Crocus and Mustard Seeds. The Orange Poppies were not significant and although true struggles for characters, I did not care about them as in the 2 previously mentions volumes.
But believe we should have stopped with 2. This did not hold my attention as the preceding 2 related books, Yellow Crocus and Mustard Seeds. The Orange Poppies were not significant and although true struggles for characters, I did not care about them as in the 2 previously mentions volumes.
October 22, 2020
3.5 rounded up to 4⭐️
January 16, 2024
Nearly 30 years later and there is, of course, a new generation. Before the story begins, we are presented with a genealogical chart. This is helpful because, though these are the same families, there are lot of new names. Who belongs to which family and who is the child of whom? Frankly, even after referencing the chart, it took me awhile to automatically place these new characters.
Also, the families have left Virginia and Ohio. Some have stopped in Chicago, but this novel takes place in Oakland, California. Although not everyone believes it, circumstances for African Americans has improved. At least insofar as that the schools are fully integrated and there are more employment opportunities for African Americans. But - and a big but - more opportunity does not equate to equality in opportunity and most especially does not equate to equal pay. And then there is the whole idea of women's suffrage.
Ibrahim fights these battles on the pages in front of us while giving us characters we can care about. Perhaps I should not have read this immediately after her . I did care about the characters, but I didn't feel as strongly about their situation. It seemed as if the case for discrimination wasn't made in the same way as in the earlier novels of the series. While this is 3-stars, and sits toward the top of that group, I know I'll be glad to read the last in the series.
Also, the families have left Virginia and Ohio. Some have stopped in Chicago, but this novel takes place in Oakland, California. Although not everyone believes it, circumstances for African Americans has improved. At least insofar as that the schools are fully integrated and there are more employment opportunities for African Americans. But - and a big but - more opportunity does not equate to equality in opportunity and most especially does not equate to equal pay. And then there is the whole idea of women's suffrage.
Ibrahim fights these battles on the pages in front of us while giving us characters we can care about. Perhaps I should not have read this immediately after her . I did care about the characters, but I didn't feel as strongly about their situation. It seemed as if the case for discrimination wasn't made in the same way as in the earlier novels of the series. While this is 3-stars, and sits toward the top of that group, I know I'll be glad to read the last in the series.
September 26, 2020
This is the third book in the series by Laila Ibrahim. I would definitely start with The Yellow Crocus which starts of the story if Lisbeth the plantation owner's daughter and her wet nurse Mattie a slave on the plantation. The love and relationship that Lisbeth and Mattie have is a bond that is stonger than Lisbeth's love for her own family. After the 1st book the 2nd in the series is the Mustard Seed and then Golden Poppies which both continue on with Lisbeth's own children and Mattie's family and both families hardship's and strength of friendship. Also it make's one feel and question what human's did to slave's. Even though we were not born then, it's really unacceptable that it ever happened. And just a little bit of my personal opinion we shouldn't be tearing down history people need to know what happened so it doesn't happen again. The rich figured a way to make money by having the slave's do the work. It's s rich thing not a race thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2020
EXCELLENT
Such an incredible book! I loved the way it was written with truth of a very troubled time. Kudos to you for your talent and making me feel like I was right there with all the characters. Nicely done, a must read!!!?
Such an incredible book! I loved the way it was written with truth of a very troubled time. Kudos to you for your talent and making me feel like I was right there with all the characters. Nicely done, a must read!!!?
January 1, 2023
This is the third of four in the Freedman/Johnson series presented by the author, Laila Ibrahim. I have read the first two and loved them.
The plot centers on two families, both headed by strong matriarchal women who had lived together on a Virginia plantation. One was the plantation owner’s white daughter, and the other was a slave.
An excellent historical novel, the story revolves around the fight for women's suffrage, Ida B. Wells and her anti-lynching campaign, and the trials perpetrated by anti-miscegenation laws of the times.
It is now 30 or so years later than the first book, . Mattie, the former slave is dying and in Chicago. The white child she reared, Lisbeth, comes from Oakland to be with her in her last days.
We had met Mattie's daughter, Jordan, in book 2. Jordan now has a a daughter of her own, Naomi.
Lisbeth has a daughter, Sadie, who also plays a big part in this story. After her mother's death, both Jordan and Naomi move to Oakland too.
The interactions amongst these women were potent. The message of independent women who could take care of themselves and each other emerged.
I am looking forward to the fourth in the series, . What will happen next?
5 stars
The plot centers on two families, both headed by strong matriarchal women who had lived together on a Virginia plantation. One was the plantation owner’s white daughter, and the other was a slave.
An excellent historical novel, the story revolves around the fight for women's suffrage, Ida B. Wells and her anti-lynching campaign, and the trials perpetrated by anti-miscegenation laws of the times.
It is now 30 or so years later than the first book, . Mattie, the former slave is dying and in Chicago. The white child she reared, Lisbeth, comes from Oakland to be with her in her last days.
We had met Mattie's daughter, Jordan, in book 2. Jordan now has a a daughter of her own, Naomi.
Lisbeth has a daughter, Sadie, who also plays a big part in this story. After her mother's death, both Jordan and Naomi move to Oakland too.
The interactions amongst these women were potent. The message of independent women who could take care of themselves and each other emerged.
I am looking forward to the fourth in the series, . What will happen next?
5 stars
May 9, 2020
Once I started I couldn’t put this book down. I’ve truly enjoyed following the lives of Mattie and Lisbeth and all the families. Heartbreak, love, sadness, and hope for a better tomorrow. I can’t wait for the next journey to come.
April 24, 2020
Her books are so easy to read, thorough enjoyment.
July 18, 2020
This was the third book in a series. The first two focused on Lisbeth, the daughter of a Virginia plantation owner, and Mattie, the slave who became her nursemaid. This book centered around Lisbeth's daughter Sadie and Mattie's daughter Jordon. I have to say that I enjoyed it less than the first two. The theme of women fighting for the vote was less interesting to me and the storyline between Sadie and her husband was frustrating, to say the least. I also didn't care for the ending of the book. It felt rushed and unfinished. If the author does continue with this series, I don't think I'll be reading them. Mattie and Lizbeth were the magic for me in these books.
June 15, 2020
Great historical fiction depicting the plight of blacks and women in the 1800's post civil war. I found it interesting that recent television coverage of Black Lives Matter included a discussion of the work of Ida B Wells for both black rights and women's suffrage, and that she brought to light the acts of lynching by whites of black Americans, and she is a mentor of one of this books protagonists. It is incredibly sad how while we had a black president, our culture is still so racist.
May 16, 2020
*Golden Poppies was my Kindle First Read selection for the month of May, 2020*
This was a lovely book that depicted a chapter of American History of which I'm not very familiar: the mid-1890s. More specifically, the main historical topic featured was segregation and the continued plight of African-Americans in the decades following their emancipation. A couple other historical events featured include a bit about women's suffrage efforts and the nationwide Pullman railroad strike of 1894; however, I'd say those were just little side stories compared to the focus on racial inequality within the society of that time, and how in some special cases, love and devotion were still able to transcend race, despite the hate and bigotry. I'll explain further in a brief synopsis, in case that last sentence doesn't quite make sense...
The book begins with Mattie, an elderly black woman on her death bed, talking about how badly she wishes she could see her dear Lisbeth again... Her daughter Jordan knows that Lisbeth is the white girl (now a middle aged woman) whose father owned their family when they were enslaved before the war. Mattie's family reaches out to Lisbeth, asking her to please come and see their beloved matriarch one last time and Lisbeth and her daughter Sadie come to Chicago to do just that. Although Sadie and Jordan both grew up knowing about their mothers' friendship and unconditional love for one another (and are thereby unsurprised by their closeness) they have very different views of the world in general, especially when it comes to the existence of racial prejudice and hate crimes. After Mattie's death, Jordan and her family decide to leave segregated Chicago and move to Oakland, California near Sadie and Lisbeth. Although Jordan is pleasantly surprised by the progressiveness of their new (integrated) hometown, both families quickly learn that there is still a lot of progress to be made in the fight for race and gender equality--a fight they can all make together.
This was a very moving story with strong, admirable female characters that I enjoyed immensely. I didnt know until after I read the book that this was a sort of continuation of these characters' stories from the author's previous books, Yellow Crocus and Mustard Seed, which I intend to read too (of course).
This was a lovely book that depicted a chapter of American History of which I'm not very familiar: the mid-1890s. More specifically, the main historical topic featured was segregation and the continued plight of African-Americans in the decades following their emancipation. A couple other historical events featured include a bit about women's suffrage efforts and the nationwide Pullman railroad strike of 1894; however, I'd say those were just little side stories compared to the focus on racial inequality within the society of that time, and how in some special cases, love and devotion were still able to transcend race, despite the hate and bigotry. I'll explain further in a brief synopsis, in case that last sentence doesn't quite make sense...
The book begins with Mattie, an elderly black woman on her death bed, talking about how badly she wishes she could see her dear Lisbeth again... Her daughter Jordan knows that Lisbeth is the white girl (now a middle aged woman) whose father owned their family when they were enslaved before the war. Mattie's family reaches out to Lisbeth, asking her to please come and see their beloved matriarch one last time and Lisbeth and her daughter Sadie come to Chicago to do just that. Although Sadie and Jordan both grew up knowing about their mothers' friendship and unconditional love for one another (and are thereby unsurprised by their closeness) they have very different views of the world in general, especially when it comes to the existence of racial prejudice and hate crimes. After Mattie's death, Jordan and her family decide to leave segregated Chicago and move to Oakland, California near Sadie and Lisbeth. Although Jordan is pleasantly surprised by the progressiveness of their new (integrated) hometown, both families quickly learn that there is still a lot of progress to be made in the fight for race and gender equality--a fight they can all make together.
This was a very moving story with strong, admirable female characters that I enjoyed immensely. I didnt know until after I read the book that this was a sort of continuation of these characters' stories from the author's previous books, Yellow Crocus and Mustard Seed, which I intend to read too (of course).
May 3, 2020
This is the first book I have read by this author, and my goodness, what an incredibly beautiful and well-written novel. From the first pages, I was pulled right into the story and the lives of the four women that it covers. There's something so poignant about a book that starts with death. How can you not be drawn in and not care about the people who will be impacted by it? The author’s style is immersive; we feel like we are living the story along with the characters.
We are immediately caught up in this world that compares and contrasts the lives of a black mother and daughter and a white mother and daughter. The families� connection has existed for decades, since before the Civil War when the black family were slaves of the white family. But the web of relationships for those who were a part of that terrible institution is complex and deeply meaningful to each person in those generations beyond what that original relationship was. The younger generation has a hard time understanding how it can be so, but the author shows us with a light yet poignant touch.
This book shows us the history of the times as it is lived through the lives of these women. We get a sense of what the Gilded Age meant for both white and black people. We see the suffragist movement through those twin lenses as well. The strained race relations after the Civil War are deftly but delicately explored. I always enjoy historical fiction, where we see how what happened during a tempestuous time affects the lives of characters (especially ones like these who seem so real). This was done so well here. I actually lived just south of Oakland for 10 years, so it was interesting to see it as it may have been over a hundred years ago.
This is such a beautifully well-drawn story. I will have to go back and look at the other two books in this series, but this book certainly stands on its own and can be read without having read the other two books. If you enjoy historical women's fiction with well-drawn characters and intense intergenerational relationships, you may very well enjoy this book as much as I did.
My book blog:
We are immediately caught up in this world that compares and contrasts the lives of a black mother and daughter and a white mother and daughter. The families� connection has existed for decades, since before the Civil War when the black family were slaves of the white family. But the web of relationships for those who were a part of that terrible institution is complex and deeply meaningful to each person in those generations beyond what that original relationship was. The younger generation has a hard time understanding how it can be so, but the author shows us with a light yet poignant touch.
This book shows us the history of the times as it is lived through the lives of these women. We get a sense of what the Gilded Age meant for both white and black people. We see the suffragist movement through those twin lenses as well. The strained race relations after the Civil War are deftly but delicately explored. I always enjoy historical fiction, where we see how what happened during a tempestuous time affects the lives of characters (especially ones like these who seem so real). This was done so well here. I actually lived just south of Oakland for 10 years, so it was interesting to see it as it may have been over a hundred years ago.
This is such a beautifully well-drawn story. I will have to go back and look at the other two books in this series, but this book certainly stands on its own and can be read without having read the other two books. If you enjoy historical women's fiction with well-drawn characters and intense intergenerational relationships, you may very well enjoy this book as much as I did.
My book blog:
February 20, 2020
Laila Ibrahim displays in her fifth novel the same talent for telling a good story with moving characters that she showed in her earlier works. Golden Poppies is a sequel to Yellow Crocus and Mustard Seed, extending the stories of Mattie and Lisbeth and their descendants. It is the 1890s and they have all moved to Oakland, California, a very different setting from Virginia and Ohio where they lived earlier. The linked but contrasting fortunes of the Black and white characters are shown with great sensitivity. The characters� private lives (birth, death and marriage) are movingly portrayed, always with an awareness of the historical context. Issues such as the dangers of passing for white, the different impact of labor unions on blacks and whites, the subtle and blatant insults faced by Blacks, and the complexity of Black women’s involvement in the women’s suffrage movement are all dealt with in ways that will surprise many readers. Both teenagers and adults will enjoy this book.
June 21, 2020
I liked this book very much. It´s the third book in the Yellow Seeds series, but can be read as a stand-alone.
The story of Lisbeth and Mattie, one black, one white, continues in Jordan and Sadie and their families. Depicted by them alternately, it shows the story of women and of black people at the end of the 19th century, It touches a variety of topics, including racism, passing, sexism and suffrage, but also general problems of people with their families.
Well written and researched, I liked the overall relations of various women among the gaps of race and social status. Though they can´t always find their goals in life, they are staying together and helping eachother out.
Looking forward to reading the first two books, and hope the story will continue!
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story of Lisbeth and Mattie, one black, one white, continues in Jordan and Sadie and their families. Depicted by them alternately, it shows the story of women and of black people at the end of the 19th century, It touches a variety of topics, including racism, passing, sexism and suffrage, but also general problems of people with their families.
Well written and researched, I liked the overall relations of various women among the gaps of race and social status. Though they can´t always find their goals in life, they are staying together and helping eachother out.
Looking forward to reading the first two books, and hope the story will continue!
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 6, 2020
Wait!
Wait! The story isn’t finished! Please say you have the next book ready to publish! I feel as if you’ve left us hanging!
Wait! The story isn’t finished! Please say you have the next book ready to publish! I feel as if you’ve left us hanging!
July 13, 2020
Good story. I may go back and read the 2 previous books leading up to this one.
May 18, 2021
Mooie en onderbouwd geschreven roman over de strijd van vrouwen in V.S. eind 19e eeuw voor vrouwenstenrecht, rassengelijkheid en recht op rassenvermenging. Je realiseert je eens te meer hoe goed het is om anno nu in Nederland te wonen.
June 7, 2020
Golden Poppies by Laila Ibrahim is an important book to read at this time in our nation and world's history. Laila Ibrahim has quickly become one of my favorite authors for her real life stories of real life events that have touched lives in a variety of ways. This one tries to conquer the topic of racism in the 19th century. However, with all that's been going on in the states and worldwide with the protests against another murder of a black man at the hands of the police not much seems to have really changed in over a century and that was disheartening to say the least. I was shocked and dismayed while reading that the racism of the 19th century is still alive and prospering in 2020. We as Americans have failed the Black community and reading this book was a way for me to help myself understand some of the history behind the systemic racism we now live with.
Two women, unlikely friends, one a slave the other the plantation owners daughter. Of course their friendship was a secret, but they were like sisters until the day Lisbeth in Oakland gets the call from Mattie's daughter Jordan in Chicago. Mattie is dying and could Lisbeth come to say goodbye to her dear old friend. Lisbeth and her daughter Sadie immediately agree even though it will be a long arduous journey by train, but there's no other place Lisbeth wants to be then by her best friend's side in her final moments. Upon her arrival Jordan begins to see just how close her mother was to this plantation owners daughter and what their relationship really meant to both of them.
Jordan and her daughter soon move to Oakland, with the hope of finding a more inclusive city where the difference between black and white is not so prevalent. Soon Jordan is involved in a couple women's groups working to gain the vote and representation for black women, she's also started teaching again and has found her voice after being so discouraged with race in the states for so long. Her and her small group of friends are ready for change and are working hard against all odds to bring about this change.
Meanwhile Lisbeth's daughter Sadie is stuck in an abusive relationship and must find a way to get her and her newborn out. Her new friends Jordan and her daughter help her to escape her husband at the risk of their own lives. The friendships these women had with one another no matter what color they all were was inspiring and if only we all could be so inclusive in our friend selection perhaps change wouldn't be so difficult. These women were strong, brave and important in their quest for their rights as human beings, some were born into privilege others into slavery, yet they were able to come together and forgive, to move forward and to try to heal.
I was saddened by the similarities in the racism going on in the book and what's going on now over a century later, but I was able to pick out a bit of hope that with all that's going on perhaps this time someone will listen. I don't know, but I would hate to see it all be for naught another time in our history. It's gone on for so long, as this book so eloquently speaks of. I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. The characters were amazingly strong women, who'd been through the worst society had to offer and yet they persisted. They held on to their beliefs, they fought for their rights as United States citizens and at every turn they were stopped. Ibrahim was the perfect author for this book, she's got an amazing way of telling a story that brings out the character's real thoughts and personality. This book was a perfect read for what's going on right now. I do recommend it to those looking for some background on Slavery in America, or the history of civil unrest in America. Happy Reading!
Two women, unlikely friends, one a slave the other the plantation owners daughter. Of course their friendship was a secret, but they were like sisters until the day Lisbeth in Oakland gets the call from Mattie's daughter Jordan in Chicago. Mattie is dying and could Lisbeth come to say goodbye to her dear old friend. Lisbeth and her daughter Sadie immediately agree even though it will be a long arduous journey by train, but there's no other place Lisbeth wants to be then by her best friend's side in her final moments. Upon her arrival Jordan begins to see just how close her mother was to this plantation owners daughter and what their relationship really meant to both of them.
Jordan and her daughter soon move to Oakland, with the hope of finding a more inclusive city where the difference between black and white is not so prevalent. Soon Jordan is involved in a couple women's groups working to gain the vote and representation for black women, she's also started teaching again and has found her voice after being so discouraged with race in the states for so long. Her and her small group of friends are ready for change and are working hard against all odds to bring about this change.
Meanwhile Lisbeth's daughter Sadie is stuck in an abusive relationship and must find a way to get her and her newborn out. Her new friends Jordan and her daughter help her to escape her husband at the risk of their own lives. The friendships these women had with one another no matter what color they all were was inspiring and if only we all could be so inclusive in our friend selection perhaps change wouldn't be so difficult. These women were strong, brave and important in their quest for their rights as human beings, some were born into privilege others into slavery, yet they were able to come together and forgive, to move forward and to try to heal.
I was saddened by the similarities in the racism going on in the book and what's going on now over a century later, but I was able to pick out a bit of hope that with all that's going on perhaps this time someone will listen. I don't know, but I would hate to see it all be for naught another time in our history. It's gone on for so long, as this book so eloquently speaks of. I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. The characters were amazingly strong women, who'd been through the worst society had to offer and yet they persisted. They held on to their beliefs, they fought for their rights as United States citizens and at every turn they were stopped. Ibrahim was the perfect author for this book, she's got an amazing way of telling a story that brings out the character's real thoughts and personality. This book was a perfect read for what's going on right now. I do recommend it to those looking for some background on Slavery in America, or the history of civil unrest in America. Happy Reading!
May 3, 2020
I read Laila Ibrahim's 'Yellow Crocus' several years ago and found it really enjoyable. When I spotted that one of this month's Amazon Prime First Reads was another of her books, I grabbed it without hesitation. When I realised it was a continuation of the 'Yellow Crocus' characters, I was even happier with my choice - although I have to admit I did read the whole thing without realising I'd missed the volume that goes between 'Yellow Crocus' and 'Golden Poppies'. The great thing is that I didn't need to have read 'Mustard Seed' (the middle book) or to have any detailed memory of 'Yellow Crocus' in order to enjoy this one.
If you ask me "Can I read this without reading the others?" I'd say you can, but you might get a bit more context if you've read at least one of the previous books.
In 'Yellow Crocus' Ibrahim took on the issues of slavery and the ownership and abuse of other human beings. Time has passed and 'Golden Poppies' is set in the late 1800s, at a time when slavery is no more, but prejudice is still rife. It focuses on the cross-racial relationships and friendships of the two families descended from Mattie the black slave-woman who was wet nurse to Lisbeth, the slave-owner's daughter. Younger generations come to the fore in this book and themes include the campaign for women's rights, and the campaign to prevent the lynching of black men. We're also introduced to wage inequality between the races, 'passing off', and domestic abuse between experienced by the characters.
As a Brit reading about the campaign for Universal Sufferage in the USA, I'm at a disadvantage because the historical characters are not so familiar to me as they would be if the book were set in my home country. I may, therefore, miss some of the significance of the famous characters introduced, but that didn't stop my enjoyment. I really like Laila Ibrahim's style of writing and her willingness to take on controversial story-lines and put her characters through the wringer in sometimes extreme ways.
I now REALLY need to go back and read Mustard Seed.
If you ask me "Can I read this without reading the others?" I'd say you can, but you might get a bit more context if you've read at least one of the previous books.
In 'Yellow Crocus' Ibrahim took on the issues of slavery and the ownership and abuse of other human beings. Time has passed and 'Golden Poppies' is set in the late 1800s, at a time when slavery is no more, but prejudice is still rife. It focuses on the cross-racial relationships and friendships of the two families descended from Mattie the black slave-woman who was wet nurse to Lisbeth, the slave-owner's daughter. Younger generations come to the fore in this book and themes include the campaign for women's rights, and the campaign to prevent the lynching of black men. We're also introduced to wage inequality between the races, 'passing off', and domestic abuse between experienced by the characters.
As a Brit reading about the campaign for Universal Sufferage in the USA, I'm at a disadvantage because the historical characters are not so familiar to me as they would be if the book were set in my home country. I may, therefore, miss some of the significance of the famous characters introduced, but that didn't stop my enjoyment. I really like Laila Ibrahim's style of writing and her willingness to take on controversial story-lines and put her characters through the wringer in sometimes extreme ways.
I now REALLY need to go back and read Mustard Seed.
June 10, 2020
Well-drawn intersectional historical characters
These characters, although numerous enough to be confusing (family tree is helpful), are all interesting and detailed. I knew I cared about them all by the time they were on the train back from Chicago (about a third of the way through the book). The main theme is of slow and mixed progress on both racial and gender fronts, and is really compelling. The historical setting (USA, 1890s) is really detailed, and also lends itself to thinking about how the same issues play out today. The style was little schmaltzy for me, but sometimes gorgeously detailed ("she kissed the sweet space between [her baby's] ear and her shoulder"), and the plot was really compelling.
Content warnings for sexual assault and domestic violence.
These characters, although numerous enough to be confusing (family tree is helpful), are all interesting and detailed. I knew I cared about them all by the time they were on the train back from Chicago (about a third of the way through the book). The main theme is of slow and mixed progress on both racial and gender fronts, and is really compelling. The historical setting (USA, 1890s) is really detailed, and also lends itself to thinking about how the same issues play out today. The style was little schmaltzy for me, but sometimes gorgeously detailed ("she kissed the sweet space between [her baby's] ear and her shoulder"), and the plot was really compelling.
Content warnings for sexual assault and domestic violence.
April 12, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this engaging book. To see the history of this 1890’s was great, especially viewing that history through the lenses of women of different races, ages and life experiences. That it was set in part in Oakland—my home—made it especially meaningful.
This is the third in a series of books about two intertwined families—one black and one white, starting before the Civil War. I haven’t read the first two books yet and I was pleased that Golden Poppies tells a story that stands on its own! And it made me want to read the earlier books in this series, too.
This is the third in a series of books about two intertwined families—one black and one white, starting before the Civil War. I haven’t read the first two books yet and I was pleased that Golden Poppies tells a story that stands on its own! And it made me want to read the earlier books in this series, too.
August 6, 2020
This is the third book in this series. I didn’t like it quite as much as the first two books, which received the highest marks a book can get in my rating. But it helped me see how racism continued to thrive and the many forms it took clear into the late 1800’s, many years after slavery had ended. The lives of the characters and their children and grandchildren is explored in this book, with issues regarding the women’s suffrage movement in Oakland, California, the black laws that kept interracial couples from legally marrying, the abuses blacks received from the whites, keeping them in lower-paying jobs (Even when they were college-educated), and the never-ending fear blacks feel about their family members when they are out in the world, always wondering if they might not come back because of racism. The book ends on a melancholy note—not a unrealistic happily ever after that still hasn’t happened for many colored people. This book series was highly enlightening though, and I am grateful to be more aware after reading it.
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