Secret Lives of Church Ladies || Book Review

So, this is going to be a short one. I’m usually drawn to books that is secret lives of anything. Secret lives of Baba Segi’s wives. Secret Lives of Pets. Secret lives of anything and so, it brought me great pleasure to read this book. Because I was sure the drama and secrets will be off the roof. Bonus points because it was just about 150 pages.

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

This book with nine different stories explore the lives of Black ladies with Christian backgrounds. Their strengths, weaknesses, vulnerabilities and the various means they dare to set themselves free. They keep getting caught with the almost impossible standards to meet of the Church and who they want to be in the world. Needs, unbridled passions and all.

There’s the story of Lyra who faces insecurities with her bodies and how she constantly lets this comes between her and love. Then there’s the mistress who lays down strict rules for all the married men that coming knocking on her door. And then there’s Jael, who like her namesake in the Bible decides to pick up the sword and take matters into her own hands. These women all have two things in common. The Church and their quest for liberty.

My Thoughts and Ratings

If there’s anyone that knows far too many things about the Church, that would be me. Growing up in a very Christian background made most of the stories of these women relatable to me. Not their lives in particular but the Church acting as a background in all their lives. Now I do agree in the limitations the religion places on many liberties of life. And also the hypocrisy that comes with most of the people who claim to be strict upholders of the faith.

The story I enjoyed the most and melted my heart in some type of way was “How To Make Love To A Physicist.” Reading this particular story was deep as it was true in the sense that a lot of us struggle with self sabotag e. A story that made me laugh and had me smiling at the dexterity with which it was written was that of the mistress who laid down her rules that wanted to have affairs with her and how she had no use for their emotional baggage as she was merely doing this for her sole enjoyment and nothing else. Temerity y’all. Love it!

All of that being said, I love the peace I felt reading this. Somehow when you read the stories of others, just as you immerse yourself in it, their pain, joys and fears, you pick up a lesson or two. And I did pick lessons from the stories of these Black women. Far too numerous to mention. I hope to read more beautiful stories this year that showcase the travails and victories of women as a whole. Giving Secret Lives of Church Ladies a 4.2/5 stars. Delightful short story indeed.

Jhymi🖤

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