Wow! I ca see why this title is winning so many awards. This book perfectly captured small town secrets.

Our library already has several copies of this and the holds list is a mile long; A book group I'm in is reading it; I've seen some bookshops declare it their book of the month or year. It's everywhere. I wanted to see what all the hype was about - and for the first 2/3 rds I really did not like this at all. The last 40 - 50 pages or so do go al long way to compensating for it, as all of the pieces come together and there is some more tension and plot. I recognize it as a work of literary art, it just mostly wasn't one that I particularly liked.

I get it - I can see that the author is a very skilled artisan, building an elaborate mosaic, slowly, piece by piece, and when the reader finishes and steps back, can see the full picture that he's created. However, I just wish that he hadn't spent so much time holding up and examining and describing each individual chip of stone he put into the mosaic -- (if i can get that analogy to hold up for that long).

Essentially, this book is much more involved in character development - a whole cast of characters and for nearly the entire book -- until the very end-- the plot just barely trickles through the little cracks left between the setting and the very thorough descriptions of every character -- I think I prefer a bit more plot in the character-to-plot ratio than we have here. However, on reflection, it is a memorable read, and some of the characters are very interesting to ponder.

In summary: Skilled work, not my cup of tea, but still glad I experienced it.

McBride is a good author, I just didn't care for the writing of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eGalley.

James McBride has done it again! He is absolutely amazing, giving us characters that stay with us long after we finish his novels. A must read writer for me!

Another excellent book by James McBride! His characters are so endlessly interesting and I loved reading about the world of Chicken Hill.

The entire reading experience of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store was an absolute joy, which is impressive considering that it is a story of people whose lives are a struggle. But despite often being pitted against each other, the characters - coming from different ethnic backgrounds at the bottom of the heap in the early 20th century - come together to get justice for a member of their community. LOVED IT!

McBride is a masterful storyteller. The way he wove all these stories within this small town together was perfection. I am for sure going to read his other works and works to come.

This title will definitely be my choice for our next book club read! Thank you NetGalley for the advance egalley of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store!

I went into this book with extremely HIGH expectations. Once again, this talented author has created a community, brought it into focus, and encouraged me to love nearly every one of its flawed characters. McBride is extremely talented and this book is such a great example of his talent.

A collective of stories based around an event. A community comes together for Dodo, hearing-disabled and non-vocal. This book is gorgeous and reminds me of a quilt, all different pieces but part of the same.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Riverhead for providing this ARC for readers to review. Thank you.

A working class neighborhood of Jewish, Black, and European immigrants come together to help fellow neighbors when Nate and Addie’s nephew, Dodo, is taken by police. Dodo is a deaf orphan and is taken to an asylum to be a ward of the state all because of the spineless white doctor and head of the KKK.
Told in short rich stories that allow one to immerse themselves in the character’s lives, it gives me some hope that love, honor, and justice, no matter your race, can prevail, if we all work together.

This was a beautifully written book that explored the intersection of the Black and Jewish communities in 20th century America. McBride’s voice and tone for this piece was so reminiscent of my grandparents, both European, Yiddish speaking Jewish refugees who likewise lived in an integrated Jewish and Black enclave of Chicago experiencing many similar relationships, tensions, and complex interactions as articulated in the book. McBride truly captures this niche point of view and the content led us to really great book club discussions this past month. An emotional, complicated and brilliant five-star read.

My first McBride! I really enjoyed the setting and how he created this little world all the characters inhabited. I wish there had been a focus on fewer characters so we could've gotten to know them a bit more deeply. Or this would have made a great interconnected short story collection. Something about the plotting/pacing took me out of the story from time to time, with the various tangents to try and explain certain issues or provide context to a character's situation. If this had been a bit shorter or had more of a focus in the first 100-150 pages, I would've liked it a bit more. Still an enjoyable read that I'd recommend if you want something that's both heartwarming and hard-hitting.

After reading this wonderful book, I can see why it has won so many awards. There are an abundance of characters and plots and subplots that all weave together. Chona is the female protagonist that binds the community together. Her husband Moshe is the theater and dance hall owner. Without giving away the entire plot, let me say that is is about community, friendship, racism, and love. It is about a neighborhood in PA filled with immigrant Jews and African Americans learning to live together. And the lesson that love and community sustain us.

This book is VERY popular, unfortunately it wasn't for me. Glad it has found its audience. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

One day I will learn not to listen to literary fiction. I probably took in more of this book than I thought, but I still wonder what are the threads that put McBride's books together. This seemed to be more about a collective of people rather than a narrative. Maybe someday I'll read it since I have enjoyed other McBride books that I've read, rather than listening to it.

5 stars. A new classic. This book will be around for many years, and I wouldn't be surprised if it wins many major awards. In the meantime, a wide variety of fellow readers has fallen in love with this book, and with good reason. The story hooks you from the very beginning, and its panoply of characters illustrate the rich diversity of life in 20th century America. Cannot recommend enough.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. We bought this book for our library based on how great this was!!

This book had some amazing moments in it! I loved it and hated it all at the same time! It really stirs up the emotions of the people who lived during that time period. Everyone had something to suffer from. There was a little meandering toward the middle of the books because of all the subplots and playing catch up. The best parts of the book for me were the beginning and the end. Mr. McBride was a new to me author and I think I may have to pick some books from his backlist.

I am a fan of James McBride, both of his writings and his music. His music and emotions are all over this story, and it bodes well for the reader. The story reads like a good jazz tune, lifting us up while teaching us about life. I loved his ability to soothe my soul and bring together humanity to help us connect. I highly rate this five of five strong stars.

I tried to read through this title twice and couldn’t finish it either time. I did get further the second try. enjoyed McBride’s memoir very much and was hoping to enjoy this title too. The many characters were hard to remember which didn't allow for a connection and lost interest. Thanks to Netgalley for the reading opportunity.