Leslie

Chris Barsanti

Lurid melodrama doesn't even begin to describe this overheated novel from bestselling author Tyree about four young women attending a black college in New Orleans whose lives resemble a poorly choreographed reality show. There's Ayanna, the trash-talking wanna-be rapper; Bridget, the aristocratic snoot; and Yula, the stereotypical loser. Standing apart from the pack is the book's doomed heroine, Leslie, the beautiful, brilliant daughter of a proud Haitian immigrant. Leslie takes a downward turn after developing a fixation on Bridget's Creole boyfriend and an interest in voodoo. The potentially engrossing drama and vivid settings are marred by soap opera–like complications involving gangsters, AIDS and infidelity. By the end, Leslie resembles a raving harridan, consumed with thoughts of revenge for all that's gone wrong.

Publishers Weekly

Tyree (For the Love of Money) takes the easy way out in his latest effort, subjugating the more promising elements of his story line about an intelligent, exotic Haitian co-ed to a series of lurid subplots involving voodoo, drugs and murder. Leslie Beaudet is a New Orleans college student whose beauty and depth separate her from her three girlfriends; the distance widens when she begins caring for her nieces, after her erratic sister, Laetitia, runs into boyfriend trouble. The romantic focus eventually shifts to Leslie's attempts to seduce one of her roommates' boyfriends in a bald-faced power play. The plot flirts with self-parody when the boyfriend spurns Leslie and she takes up voodoo to deal with her various enemies. Later, Tyree goes completely over the top by introducing murder and mayhem, as Leslie gets involved with a drug lord who employs her weak brother, Pierre. The violent subplots range from ineffective to downright silly, but what keeps the novel partially afloat is the entertaining cast, members of which represent diverse facets of African-American life. They can't completely offset the effect of the mysterious, ruthless Leslie, however, who remains a barely likable cipher. This could have been a fascinating novel if there were more meaningful interactions between Leslie and those around her, but the decision to turn her into a tabloid heroine makes this a forgettable book once the shock value of the plotting wears off. (Aug. 6) Forecast: Tyree has built up a solid fan base, with a New York Times bestseller under his belt, but he could be testing his drawing power here. 11-city author tour. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Although Tyree's latest offering, an "urban horror tale," shows promise, most listeners will ultimately be disappointed. At the center of the novel is the exotic and ambitious Leslie, a New Orleans coed trying to juggle her studies, her work as a chef, and the needs of her demanding family. Her Haitian father lives in a homeless shelter, her mother is dying of AIDS, her brother is involved in the drug trade, and her sister, a teenage mother of two, always needs a babysitter. On her death bed, Leslie's mother reveals that Leslie's grandmother was a Priestess of Vaudou (the "true" Haitian voodoo) and that Leslie's father believes that she could also be a Priestess. This pushes Leslie over the edge and the plot completely over the top as she uses her newfound powers to dispose of those who annoy her. Despite Heather Alicia Simms's excellent performance, most libraries should buy only to satisfy patron demand.-Beth Farrell, Portage Cty. Dist. Lib., OH

Kirkus Reviews

Tyree (Just Say No!, 2001, etc.), whose grim tales of life in the 'hood usually offer moments of grace or wisdom, tells a horrifying and essentially nasty story of a woman who murders those who get in her way. The New Orleans-set story reflects a depressing racism: all whites, however well intentioned or innocent, are responsible for the plights of blacks, while the ills of victimhood excuse the vilest behavior. The violence begins shortly after aspiring filmmaker Kaiyah videotapes an interview with four Dillard University students who share a house. Ayana, a wannabe rap star, Bridget, daughter of wealthy parents, and goodhearted Yula all cooperate, but the fourth, Leslie Beaudet, refuses to speak. A good and ambitious student, Leslie is tormented by her family problems, her past, and her responsibilities. Her Haitian father, who wanted to be a great chef, is living in a shelter; her sister Laetitia is a teenaged unmarried mother in the projects; and elder brother Pierre, who once stood by while she was sexually abused by a gang of boys, rides round with gangster leader and drug-dealer Beaucoup. When her mother dies of AIDS and Laetitia is upset because her man is seeing waitress Phyllis, something snaps in Leslie. Her father had talked to her about Haitian Vaudou (the true version of voodoo), and Leslie, believing she's a Vaudoo priestess, uses her powers to eliminate all who thwart her. First is the waitress Phyllis. Then, annoyed by her prying, Leslie arranges for Kaiyah to be killed. Next comes Eugene, Bridget's Creole boyfriend. Leslie herself knocks off gangster Beaucoup after luring him to a hotel room. The violence is intensified when brother Pierre, fearful of the consequences ofBeaucoup's death, kills his guards. And Leslie, still angry, apparently can be understood only by "facing the lies of America, those painful lies of color." Implausibly melodramatic portrait of a killer whose actions evoke horror rather than sympathy.