albert perez

James McBride has created a masterpiece with The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. While it reads as disjointed, in fact each chapter is a puzzle piece that creates a clear and fulfilling reveal. His work to introduce the racial and socioeconomic structures of the 1930s through the eyes of multiple groups and the centering of it around Chona’s humanity was awe inspiring. I went back to read the first chapter after the epilogue and was pleasantly surprised of the hints I missed upon first read and the connections later in the book. In all a theme that came through for me was the idea that in the world there have to be a balance of types of people and that we all have to find our place in the world. The Chonas, Moshes, Isaacs , Nates, etc of the world all can work in harmony when centered around Justice. I would also argue that it’s important that we don’t fall back into the traps of the past but instead continue to move forth with love.