As a society, we often give greater attention and focus to calling out daughters without fathers. But what about the daughters who do not have mothers? Tayari Jones explores how womanhood takes different shapes when the presence of a mother is absent in her latest novel, Kin. Following the paths of Vernice and Annie Kay, Tayari showcases the different outcomes of yearning for a mother you never had. In this blog post, I will review Tayari Jones’ latest book which shows readers the importance of loving motherless daughters.
A pertinent theme in this book is the yearning of motherhood from these young girls who are both being raised without their mothers. Vernice, whose mother was killed by her father, is being raised by her aunt who is acting as a mother without being motherly. On the other hand, there is Annie Kay, who is being raised by her grandma after her mother decided to up and leave. Annie Kay set out to find her mother in Memphis, but landed at a whore house, where she also tried to find comfort in the Madam. Vernice found a mother figure in her mother-in-law.
Both of these women yearn for nurturing and are willing to experience it regardless of the source. Jones’ challenges normative models of womanhood and motherhood. As these girls were coming into their own, they were also redefining what womanhood and motherhood looks like. For Verniece, it was about hiding parts of her sexuality and assimilating to fit the standards and expectations of her mother-in-law. On the other hand, Annie Kay’s untimely demise is a result of wanting to avoid being the counter narrative of womanhood.
This is a story that I cannot stop thinking about and will be encouraging everyone to read it! Get your copy here.
