Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Smith Paul

Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Print, Hardcover
Pages: 416
Start Date: June 19th, 2023
End Date: June 15th, 2023

My Ratings
Overall: ★★
Character Development: ★★
Ending: ★
Pace: Slow
Recommend: Depends…..
Triggers: Racism, Rape

Summary - Goodreads

     A multigenerational saga that traverses the glamour of old Hollywood and the seductive draw of modern-day showbiz.

     When Kitty Karr Tate, a White icon of the silver screen, dies and bequeaths her multimillion-dollar estate to the St. John sisters, three young, wealthy Black women, it prompts questions. Lots of questions.

     A celebrity in her own right, Elise St. John would rather focus on sorting out Kitty’s affairs than deal with the press. But what she discovers in one of Kitty’s journals rocks her world harder than any other brewing scandal could—and between a cheating fiancé and the fallout from a controversial social media post, there are plenty.

     The truth behind Kitty's ascent to stardom from her beginnings in the segregated South threatens to expose a web of unexpected family ties, debts owed, and debatable crimes that could, with one pull, unravel the all-American fabric of the St. John sisters and those closest to them.

     As Elise digs deeper into Kitty's past, she must also turn the lens upon herself, confronting the gifts and burdens of her own choices and the power that the secrets of the dead hold over the living. Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is a sprawling page-turner set against the backdrop of the Hollywood machine, an insightful and nuanced look at the inheritances of family, race, and gender—and the choices some women make to break free of them.

My Thoughts - Contains Spoilers, Continue at Your Own Risk

                                                   *Disclaimer: I read this book while sick*

     I have mixed feelings about this one. I thought the actual writing itself was not good. I had to read paragraphs and sentences several times before the idea made sense. It really could have used another proof reading, in my opinion. Was that contributed to the fact that I was sick while I read it? Or was the writing really just that bad? You decide, but for me, it was the writing. On top of that, there are a lot of characters introduced and mentioned here and there. It got a little muddy and confusing; when one was reintroduced I found myself looking back and trying to figure out who exactly that was again. Could have benefitted from some editing….

     The book goes back and forth between Kitty’s past, and Elise’s present. Kitty’s story was super interesting. I’m not sure if the author meant for it to be this big revelation that Mary and Kitty were one and the same person, but I felt it was pretty obvious all along. Elise’s chapter, however, bored me to death. I feel like I got super frustrated with Elise and ended up not liking her much. It’s hard to explain…. within the story, I understand why Elise was the way she was. Her fiancé was trash, she was told to sit down while she was trying to stand up for Black Lives Matter, then Kitty dies. In reality, I think I just felt sorry for her. 

     So, would I recommend this book? Maybe. I feel like if you go into it knowing the writing could be better, hopefully you would be able to enjoy it more. It is very thought provoking and eye opening if you aren’t aware of some of the cultural differences people of color went through during those times. 

I'm Curious

1. If you are Elise, do you think you would be able to reveal to the world Kitty’s secret? Even if it meant going against your own mother’s wishes?

2. Do you feel like if you were Elise or her sisters, would you feel hurt or betrayed Kitty never told you she was your grandmother?
3. Why do you think Kitty kept going back to her sister when her sister kept treating her so badly?

Next Book: The Last Word by Taylor Adams