Kin is one of, if not the best, novels I have ever read. A historical fiction novel that reveals the secrets of 1950s Black American Southern life, it builds slowly, then bursts with brilliance. Tayari Jones has a way of storytelling that engulfs you, intrigues you, and makes you laugh through unexpected tears, all while falling in love with her exquisitely written characters. I have a space in my heart for these strangers on the page.

For Annie, so sweet and somewhat green, wearing her heart on her sleeves, her arms dipped in honey, attaching anything that sticks. Then there’s Niecey, brave and wise, but instead she walks around surrounded by an iron gate with only a few souls allowed to hold the key.

Jones redeems unlikable characters by sharing their backstories with compassion, so that each one becomes 3-Dimensional, except maybe Mr. Man (not his real name); but we already know his type.

Finally, Jones speaks of ordinary things with a poetic flair that leaves you wanting more and more. Her expert way with words, using imagery that is both relatable yet like a song, moves the story along with a rhythm that has you humming the beat well after you put the book down.

Finally, the typeface! I immediately recognized its uniqueness, and when I got to the end of the book, Jones included a special acknowledgment of this beautiful font. The typeface is an incredible ode to the historical fiction genre; it truly takes you back in time, and what a time was had.