Jessie Fauset Redmon was an unsung hero in the literary world working behind the scenes to bring us literary greatness. Harlem Rhapsody is a key insight in the brilliance and opulence of the Harlem Renaissance, giving readers yet another viewpoint of black culture and heritage. There are so many facets to us that remain hidden or unknown and Victoria Christopher Murray has unearthed a literary gem in Jessie Fauset Redmon.
I loved learning about this fascinating woman and her spirit of resilience despite setbacks of her time. Her complex relationship with W.E.B. DuBois added insight into her complex life.

I have been a Victoria Christopher Murray fan since her commercial fiction and now she is trailblazing a new path into historical fiction and it fits like a well-worn glove.. The depth of research is evident in the storytelling and I enjoyed learning about how she influenced some of the great writers of that time. I can't wait to read about more of our treasured women in history.

Jessie Redmon Fauset, a former high school teacher, now serves as the literary editor of The Crisis magazine. While this achievement brings her immense joy, she is equally delighted to be in a secret five-year affair with W. E. B. Dubois.

Jessie is a multilingual writer who takes literature seriously. The Crisis is the premier publication of the NAACP. Despite her knowledge and talent, she will soon encounter significant challenges. This book addresses numerous social issues, making it both entertaining and educational.

The First World War is over and it is the time for the New Negro. Black pride is rising, and Du Bois is making huge strides. Despite their scandalous affair, Jessie is steadfast in her support of Du Bois, and for other Black writers, publishing as many of their stories as possible. These young minds include Langston Hughes.

Victoria Christopher Murray’s storytelling is nothing short of remarkable! Her execution of this story is flawless, particularly in bringing real-life characters to life within a fictional setting. The book concludes with some insightful notes that are worth reading. While this book was already excellent, these notes provide valuable insight about a woman whose name may not have been familiar to others like me.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The name Jessie Redmon Fauset may not be as well known as W.E.B. Dubois, Nella Larson, or Langston Hughes, but it very well should be! Harlem Rhapsody offers a look into Jessie’s life as one of the people who helped amplify the voices of so many Black authors during the 1920s. I don’t know much about the Harlem Renaissance, aside from what I remember from English class all those years ago, so I found this novel to be informative as well as entertaining. When we first meet Jessie she has just arrived in New York City and is about to begin her job at The Crisis, a Black literary publication. Throughout the years Jessie establishes herself as a champion of young black authors who write in to her publication and also who she knows from her days as a teacher. We have Jessie to thank for many of the authors from that time period that we know and love today.

I loved following Jessie’s story and can see what an inspirational person she was for so many, first as a teacher and then through her work in publishing. The only thing about this book I didn’t love was how much of an emphasis was placed on her relationship with Will. My favorite parts of this novel were when Jessie followed her intuition and sought out authors she knew were truly special, regardless of how Will felt. I don’t read many historical fiction novels, but thought this was very approachable for someone who is unfamiliar with the genre.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a review copy. 4.5 Stars

Books like this are why I love historical fiction. To read about the woman who helped start my fave period in recent history, the Harlem renaissance, was a dream.
I did wish we got to find out more about Jessie's relationships with the literary legends and less about her relationship with Du Bois (he was just trifling). Overall, the pacing and prose was perfect. Learning about Jessie Redmon Faucet was perfect. I loved this book.

While I have heard of the Harlem Renaissance, I really didn't understand how it came about and all the authors who were involved or featured, or its enormous influence on the Black community. Jessie Redmon Fauset has been appointed the literary editor of a Negro magazine, founded by W.E.B. DuBois. This is an amazing opportunity for Jessie, and she embraces it. However, her relationship with DuBois is also sexual, and he is a married man. She claims she doesn't want marriage, but she wants to be #1 in his heart. I hated the way he controlled her and her emotions.
Jessie helped to discover many of the authors and give them a voice. Her first novel was also critically acclaimed, and her work on the magazine made her the most prolific writer of the time.
I was very interested in learning about this period from the perspective of a black woman. Enlightening.

Im not usually a historical fiction kind of girl, but the premise sounded so good, I had to give it a shot.



Harlem Rhapsody which tells the story of Jessie Fauset the first ever Black female literary editor. The love affair between the fmc and W.E.B Du Bois was juicy. Even if it was cheating because he is married and has kids.

I really loved learning more about the time period and the fact that this was NOT a trauma based historical fiction featuring African Americans. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Berkley Pub and net Galley for this arc fin exchange for an honest review.

My review as posted to my Instagram on 2/4

HARLEM RHAPSODY by Victoria Christopher Murray

Thank you @berkleypub & @prhaudio for my #gifted copies #berkleyig #berkleypartner #penguinrandomhousepartner

📖 Harlem Rhapsody is a vibrant work of historical fiction that tells the story of Jessie Redmon Fauset, the "Literary Midwife" of the Harlem Renaissance. The story explores her work for the The Crisis magazine, nurturing and championing young Black writers, as well as her relationship with W.E.B. DuBois.

💭 This was SO incredibly well done! Meticulously researched and thoughtfully told, Christopher Murray took great care in telling this story — which I'm certain was no easy task. While it's fiction, it is based closely on the real lives of real people, and was handled with the utmost respect given the complexities involved. I loved learning about the trailblazing Jessie Redmon Fauset, and the other wonderful cast of characters, including a young Langston Hughes. I can't say enough good things about this book. Just read it, and thank me later. 🧡


📌 This is the @diversespines February Book Club pick!

Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Victoria Christopher Murray really pulled me out of my reading slump with this one! I’m so glad I picked it up because I learned something new—I had never heard of Jessie Redmon Fauset, and now I can’t stop thinking about her. She was shaping the Harlem Renaissance, mentoring some of the greatest Black writers we now praise—yet history barely speaks her name?!

This book was full of ambition, Harlem drama, and a little too much entanglement (looking at you, W.E.B. Du Bois 👀). Murray does a great job honoring these historical figures while also showing their humanity. Jessie was a force, yet Du Bois’ presence looms large in her story—maybe too large. It left me wanting more of Jessie the powerhouse, less of Jessie caught up in W.E.B. Du Bois’ nonsense.

By the end, I was rooting for her, frustrated for her, and whispering “sis, STAND UP” 😭. This was historical fiction at its best—rich, immersive, and leaving me diving deep on Google to learn more about Jessie.

Oh, and she was raised a Philly girl?! Yep, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

I liked this book very much. I never knew about Jessie Faucet and this was a jumping-off point for me to learn more about her and her contributions to the Harlem Renaissance. I didn't totally find the relationship between her and W.E.B. DuBois believable and wish there had been more of the historical aspects of her writing and discovery of important writers and less of them hiding in hotel rooms. But overall, this book was quite enjoyable.

This was either the wrong time or the wrong lens for me.while I adore reading about Jessie, the supposed romance felt gross to me. Beyond that I didn’t like the religious overtones, even as Jessie pushed against them.

I love reading Historical Fiction books that teach me something new and get me to start deep diving on the computer afterwards. This book did exactly that for me. I was really impressed to learn of Jessie’s many achievements and her encounters with the great black literary giants of the Harlem Renaissance. I was not impressed with her romantic choices and annoyed with the character of W.E.B Du Bois. Their relationship turned me off from wanting to read more of the book at some times. I’ll definitely be looking up the novels and poetry of some of the writers mentioned in the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC copy of the book.

This is a fantastic book based during the Harlem Renaissance, and featuring Jesse Redman Faust. It really is the story of an ambitious young woman who is trying to succeed in a world that doesn’t want her to succeed while balancing romantic escapades as well as career aspirations. Also, I love the backdrop of Harlem in this book. I felt like I was taken back in time and I could feel the energy of Harlem during this time. It’s a very entertaining book.

I appreciate this novel greatly, as it takes on interesting people during a fascinating time period. Learning more about the Harlem Renaissance, W.E.B. Dubois, and (especially) Jessie Redmon Fauset. The writing is good, with a style that feels authentic to the time period (though not in a way that impedes the reading experience). However, in spite of my appreciation for the book, I can't say that I particularly enjoyed it. Part of it was being a bit irritated with the centrality of the love story with DuBois (though this glimpse into a historical figure I thought I had a handle on was interesting), though in many ways that irritation was counterbalanced by my feeling that this was really about all the book offered in terms of stakes. Otherwise it felt like a stroll through Jessie's experiences without all that much tension, and it also felt like a lot of name/event/place dropping. So yes, this was definitely an "appreciation" novel rather than a "great reading experience" novel. But happy to have it on our bookstore's shelves!

This was a really interesting look back at New York City in the 1920s!

Even though I majored in English (a million years ago) and remember the works of Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and the impact of the Harlem Renaissance, I was completely unaware of Jessie Redmon Fauset. And I absolutely loved learning about her! She was fierce and clearly a force—such a trailblazing inspiration.

You could tell this was a labor of love for author Victoria Christopher Murray, and it felt really well-researched. I loved the incorporation of the artistry not just referenced in The Crisis but also the impact of music in the streets and the theatre of the time.

But my favorite part of this book was the characters. They felt well-developed—flawed at times, but human. While Jesse is obviously our protagonist, I thought W.E.B, Jesse’s mother, Langston Hughes, even W.E.B.’s wife had their own character arcs and felt real, like you got to know them better through this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read a copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Complete and total brilliance! This book infuriated me, inspired me, took me through every emotion possible and it was worth every moment. Learning about this important moment in literary history through Jessie's eyes was amazing! Yes, was I angered by some of her decisions making? Absolutely! But that was also the core of this story, Jessie never forgot her purpose, her calling, her life's work, even when her heart betrayed her. Loved this story and highly recommend!

I recently had the pleasure of reading the ARC of this remarkable book, and I am astonished that I had not previously encountered Jessie Redmond Fauset and her pivotal role in sparking the Harlem Renaissance. Despite her significant contributions, she remains largely overlooked in literary discussions. Fauset was not only a passionate advocate for emerging literary talent, but she also provided essential support and mentorship to many figures we now celebrate as giants of literature.

One of the highlights of the book for me was the introduction of many renowned poets and authors of the time, along with insights into their early works and the friendships that flourished within their social circles. It was fascinating to see how these connections shaped their artistic journeys and contributed to the vibrant cultural landscape of the era.

While some aspects of Fauset's personal life were complicated—particularly her forbidden relationship—her editorial work and dedication to nurturing talent were nothing short of extraordinary. The book beautifully captures the rich history of the Harlem Renaissance and offers a compelling glimpse into the lives of the black middle class during that time.

As a piece of historical fiction, it artfully weaves together facts and imaginative elements, bringing to life the complexities and rumors that must have surrounded Fauset at the time. I thoroughly enjoyed this exploration and look forward to hearing others' thoughts on it!

The writing in this is excellent. I've been looking forward to anything Victoria Christopher Murray writes since I read The Personal Librarian. This book did not disappoint. I didnt know anything about Jessie Redmon Fauset before picking up this book and I loved hearing about her many achievements. What shocked me was the amount of detail provided on the affair with W.E.B. Du Bois. I'm still unclear how much of that was true or creative liberties, In any case this book is driving me to do more research on these important figures and that's why I love it so much.

Have you ever heard of Jessie Redmon Fauset? No? Then you are in for a Black history lesson when you read the new novel by Victoria Christopher Murray titled Harlem Rhapsody. Let's go back to 1919 when civil and social unrest gripped the nation. But there was a corner of the world where talented Blacks expressed their art, music, theater, fashion and writing. In the center is Jessie Redmon Fauset, literary editor of The Crisis magazine founded by W.E.B. Du Bois.

Harlem Rhapsody follows Jessie's task of discovering new writers and building the legacy of Harlem Renaissance. She had a dream of one day becoming the editor of the Negro magazine while overcoming sexism, racism, an ambitious drive and desire for her very married boss. Is love worth the cost of success?

It was uncomfortable reading Harlem Rhapsody. While I appreciated learning about the woman who'd discovered so many Harlem Renaissance writers, it was awkward reading about her affair with a historical hero, W.E.B. Du Bois. However, the author took great care in preserving their legacy. Murray proved that even our greatest have complicated lives and may fall short but we can still celebrate their contribution to Black culture. Well written!

Happy Pub Day, Victoria Christopher Murray! Harlem Rhapsody is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

4.5 stars

Jessie Redmon Fauset was a published author, editor, teacher, mentor, and the heartbeat of The Crisis publication during The Harlem Renaissance. Harlem Rhapsody follows mostly her love affair with W.E.B. Du Bois but also shows us all that she accomplished. The fictionalized relationship between Jessie and W.E.B. was frustrating, messy, and fun to read. I had to keep reminding myself it was historical fiction, because I was involved.

I enjoyed learning more about The Harlem Renaissance and seeing the cameos from famed poets and writers on the page, among others. I found myself going down the rabbit hole of their lives and written works. All in all, this was a fascinating read that will open you up to further learning while taking you on a tumultuous romantic ride at the same time. I am looking forward to reading Jessie’s novel There is Confusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for the gifted e-book copy in exchange for an honest review. Published 2/04/25.

Jessie Redmond Fauset was called the mother or midwife of the Harlem Renaissance but little has been written about her life until this historical novel has attempted to develop her character and personality through this novel. Jessie, at the request of WEB Dubois accepts a position as literary editor of The Crisis, the premiere Negro publication founded by Dubois, who is also Jessie’s lover. In her role, Jessie becomes the magazine’s most prolific writer and mentors such famous writers as Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen.
The insights into the Harlem Renaissance were descriptive but I was hoping for more background on the times and culture of that period. Instead, the author chose to develop the relationship between Fauset and DuBois, a married man. This part of the story became tedious and uninteresting as DuBois was depicted as a narcissistic man who felt as if he had every right to bed numerous women.
Perhaps I would feel differently about the book if the description had been more accurate. This was a story of a romance that was doomed from the start and not so much about the culture and emergence of the Harlem Renaissance.
Recommended for readers of historical fiction.