A Book A Week

Do you remember the moment you lost your childhood innocence? For some people, that passage into adulthood is a vague series of events that slowly change them from childhood to adulthood. For others, there is a defining moment in their life when their childhood was irrevocably ripped away. In her debut novel Last Summer on State Street, author Toya Wolfe explores that coming-of-age journey through the lens of poverty in America. Her poignant exploration of girlhood within the projects of Chicago proved to be as moving as it is enthralling. 

The year is 1999. Young Fe Fe lives with her protective mother and older brother in one of the many Robert Taylor Homes in Chicago. There is no denying that this is a community stricken by poverty, but for Fe Fe, this is the only home she knows. That summer, she and her two best friends play in the streets, a blissful time filled with double-dutch and laughter. This innocence isn't to last. The new millennium is upon them, and Fe Fe's life is about to change forever. 

The change comes first with the introduction of a new friend Tonya. Fe Fe's mother scolds her for visiting Tonya's home, making the girl promise to never set foot in that building again. Fe Fe doesn't understand this new rule. She's visited her other friends' homes. What is so different about Tonya? One night, there is a commotion around the building. Police enter Fe Fe's home and arrest her older brother. He stays behind bars for only one night, but he is forever different. He is not the same brother he was before. Finally, Chicago's Housing Authority announces that Fe Fe's building is the next one set to be demolished and redeveloped. This will be her last summer in this place. With all the changes around her, this may be her last summer of childhood too. 

Last Summer on State Street is a dazzling coming-of-age story that reflects upon the impact of place, community, and family. Toya Wolfe writes the novel from the perspective of her young main character. By only describing the events that unfold from this child's perspective, we witness her transition from the innocence of youth to the harsh realizations that come with maturity. At just a hair over 200 pages, the novel unfolds at a brisk pace, moving from scene to scene with an urgency that builds with each turning page. The journey depicted here is constructed in layers, simultaneously illustrating the personal growth of the main character, the distortion of a family and friend group, and the radical alterations to the fabric of a community. The heavy subject matter stays grounded through deliberate prose and a perspective that I immediately empathized with. All told, Last Summer on State Street is a remarkable debut novel from a skilled new voice in literary fiction. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 26)