What readers think of Kin, plus links to write your own review.

KIN
by Tayari Jones

An unforgettable story of resilience and found family that lingers long after the final page.

A powerful work of historical fiction set in the 1950s and ’60s South, Kin unfolds against the backdrop of the social change leading up to the Civil Rights Movement. We meet Vernice and Annie, whose special bond begins in the cradle and carries through their lives. Both women long for the kind of motherly love they have never truly known.

As they grow into young women and head in different directions, living vastly different lives, I became fully invested in their story. Their paths diverge, their lifestyles contrast sharply, yet they never lose sight of the deep love they share for one another. A devastating situation ultimately brings them back together in a way that is both beautiful and shocking.

The dual POV structure works exceptionally well here, allowing the reader to fully understand each woman’s inner world. The epistolary elements—letters sprinkled throughout the novel—create an even deeper sense of intimacy and connection with the characters. I was especially drawn to Annie’s journey, which pulls her into a world filled with danger and adversity, brimming with life and adventure, and ultimately becomes a fight for survival.

Jones’s writing is haunting and intimate—clear, reflective, and marked by emotional restraint and intellectual clarity. The feeling of being unlovable lingers throughout the novel and is carried by many of its characters, making their struggles feel deeply human and achingly real.

If you enjoy books about found family, complex relationships, messy family dynamics, tragedy, and resilience, this is a must-read. Tayari Jones has crafted a brilliant, soul-stirring story that will stay with you long after the final page. This was my first time reading her work, and it certainly won’t be my last.

What does it mean to be family? How does abandonment shape who we become? Can love—especially maternal love—be replaced, reimagined, or reclaimed?

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for the eARC.

Kin is very different from Tayari Jones’ bestseller, An American Marriage, but it’s no less moving. Vernice (Niecy) and Annie are both motherless, but for different reasons. Vernice’s mother was murdered by her father; Annie’s mother just left. Both found solace in each other. But their lives go in vastly different directions once they reach age 18. Annie can’t get beyond feeling abandoned by her mother and it colors all her decisions. Vernice just wants to be accepted.

The story is told in alternating POVs. This is truly a character driven story. The pace is languid, the plot could do with more tension. The book has lots to say about abandonment, social acceptance, fulfillment, betrayal and friendship. It’s about what we will do for those we truly love. And what it means to finally find yourself. Jones does a wonderful job of painting a picture of the Jim Crow South in the mid 20th Century.

My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an advance copy of this book.

Kin is very different from Tayari Jones’ bestseller, An American Marriage, but it’s no less moving. Vernice (Niecy) and Annie are both motherless, but for different reasons. Vernice’s mother was murdered by her father; Annie’s mother just left. Both found solace in each other. But their lives go in vastly different directions once they reach age 18. Annie can’t get beyond feeling abandoned by her mother and it colors all her decisions. Vernice just wants to be accepted.

The story is told in alternating POVs. This is truly a character driven story. The pace is languid, the plot could do with more tension. The book has lots to say about abandonment, social acceptance, fulfillment, betrayal and friendship. It’s about what we will do for those we truly love. And what it means to finally find yourself. Jones does a wonderful job of painting a picture of the Jim Crow South in the mid 20th Century.
My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an advance copy of this book.

Heart-wrenching, intense and a powerful story of coming-of-age, sisterhood and friendship. This author has a way of writing that is pure joy in reading.

Two friends, Vernice (Niecy) and Annie, grow up in Honeysuckle, Louisiana in the 1950-1960s. It’s a time of intense racism, “classism” and discord. Both girls have experienced traumatic family events which bind them. Life changes enter when Vernice goes off to college and Annie leaves to find her mother. The two strive to remain connected over the years. But both are deeply affected by not being raised by mothers impacting major decisions in their lives.

The book also explores the historical events of the period in which these women live especially the impact of segregation. Also they must struggle with the vagaries of city life versus small town life. My only criticism of the book is its abrupt ending but thus doesn’t mean it’s not a worthwhile read.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for allowing me to read this excellent ARC.

Kin is very different from Tayari Jones’ bestseller, An American Marriage, but it’s no less moving. Vernice (Niecy) and Annie are both motherless, but for different reasons. Vernice’s mother was murdered by her father; Annie’s mother just left. Both found solace in each other. But their lives go in vastly different directions once they reach age 18. Annie can’t get beyond feeling abandoned by her mother and it colors all her decisions. Vernice just wants to be accepted.

The story is told in alternating POVs. This is truly a character driven story. The pace is languid, the plot could do with more tension. The book has lots to say about abandonment, social acceptance, fulfillment, betrayal and friendship. It’s about what we will do for those we truly love. And what it means to finally find yourself. Jones does a wonderful job of painting a picture of the Jim Crow South in the mid 20th Century.

My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an advance copy of this book.