July 2011 Book Review: Wahida Clark's Justify My Thug

Clark, Wahida. 2011. Justify My Thug: A Novel. NY: Cash Money Content.
Paperback | $14.99 USD | ISBN-13: 978-1451617092 | 273 pages

Image credit: cashmoneycontent.com

Justify My Thug is the 5th installment in the Thug Love series that chronicles the ongoing dramatic lives of couples, Tasha and Trae, Angel and Kaylin, Jaz and Faheem, and Kyra and Marvin. The story picks up with Trae learning that his estranged wife, Tasha, had an affair with Kaylin's brother, Kyron. A lot of drama ensues with Angel and Tasha trying to keep things calm with Trae. Kaylin works hard to not get caught in the middle of this breach of loyalty from his brother, Kyron, to his best friend, Trae. In the meantime, Faheem's ex, Oni, mysteriously reappears on the scene, with a son, causing complications between Faheem and Jaz. Aside from drama with a pregnant Tasha, Trae is trying to get to the bottom of Kyra's disappearance. When he confronts Marvin on the situation, Trae is left with more questions than answers. 

The theme of the novel, reminds me of lyrics from Jay-Z's song, "Justify My Thug":

They say an eye for an eye, we both lose our sightAnd two wrongs don't make a rightBut when you been wrong and you know all along that it's just one lifeAt what point does one fight? (Good question right!) 

                                                                    (Source: azlyrics.com) 

Wahida Clark "does her thing" with this action-packed, yet nicely developed story. The continuous change of narrating voices will be manageable for readers who follow the series and know the characters. For newer readers, Clark makes up for the confusing shift in voice with adequate plot anchors and "catch up" characterizations. This novel's strength is the authentic, no-holds-barred street tone that Ms. Clark conveys so well. You are in the story, "like a movie in your head," as the saying goes. Some readers might cry foul at the continued demise of the Trae we all have grown to appreciate in earlier books of the series. However, Wahida keeps it real: this is an ongoing story about a group of people from the hood trying to live beyond the game, beyond the streets. The streets is a powerful 'monkey on the back' so to speak ... Trae's characterization in this installment depicts the struggle people often go through when confronting real life issues while trying to detox from a street mentality. It ain't always pretty ... and that's real.

Justify My Thug is about a group of friends settling karmic debts, and the way the Queen of Thug Love Fiction tells her stories, these characters are justified in doing so. If you don't have this novel in your collection yet, get it quickly. It will definitely circulate in public libraries.

To connect with Wahida Clark:

Facebook: Wahida Clark

Twitter: @WahidaClark

Website: http://www.wahidaclark.org/