The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

“Light is only possible through dialogue between cultures, not through rejection of one or the other.”

James McBride has created a beautifully-written story about people of different cultures coming together to save the future of a 12 year old deaf boy. McBride creates a vivid portrait of a diverse community in 1936 Pennsylvania. While the plot of saving the young boy is ever present, this book is more a character study of individuals from different backgrounds and how those individuals fit or do not fit in the America of the 1930s.

The main plot involves a 12 year old deaf boy who has been orphaned. The state of Pennsylvania wants to put him in a mental institution, even though he is not mentally disabled. Members of the Pottstown community, both Jewish and African-American, conspire together to hide the boy, Dodo, from the state authorities. The book has many other small side plots that create a portrait of the lives of the different individuals of Pottstown.

Some readers will find the pacing of this book to be too slow, but I thoroughly enjoyed the time the author takes to reveal the personalities and background of the many characters in Pottstown. The narration often meanders away from the main plot and main characters, which allows the reader to get a complete picture of the community. The many characters and their stories do not distract from the main plot; they enhance it.

The social commentary in this book centers around race, religion, and acceptance. McBride makes many salient points about these topics that stick with the reader upon completion of the book. While at times I felt the commentary to be a bit “preachy,” I found that overall the points are relevant and impactful.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy character-driven narratives with strong, universally relevant themes. It is truly worth the time to savor it.