The plot unfolds in a slow manner otherwise it is rather intricate and the cover has been beautifully designed that it grabs the attention of the reader and also reflects the central theme of the novel. I did not however enjoy the writing style, its a bit complicated and as based it history it calls for some knowledge and attention of the reader about the times. The pace is rather slow and on the whole the book is terribly lengthy.

Oh my gosh this book is amazing. It is a generational point of view also of what happens to lives after the civil war and also the huge clean up and searching of families. Some wrongs that were never righted. This deals with racial prejudice narrow ideals which was normal for the time. This deals with different points of view and different ages, what's it like to dream of a better future in 1894.
When one wants racial equality for the future and now and others don't care about whether people live or die because that's how life is. To be afraid to go to certain states or look a certain way because thats how life is and get used to it thats society. They deal with women suffragette movement, interracial marriage, Equal rights, race society standards, faith and love. How people who are spiritually blood related no matter the race can impact your lives just as much or even more. It's what's within that matters.
There is huge mother and daughter bonding relationships. What it's like to be born and slave and then take a job on later. This book is very poetic, firm and the emotions are clear and feels contemporary written. Sadly the narrow-minded standards are still around. This book takes place between California and Chicago then also has memories flash back and forth from other areas. I love this book so much and I really felt it is perfect.

I happily received this book Golden Poppies from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Golden Poppies is the third novel in a beautiful trilogy by Laila Ibrahim. The 3 novels follow the saga of a disparate family of both African American and white characters - laced together by a golden thread of a mother's love and the conviction that slavery and the oppression of minorities and women is morally wrong.
Set against the backdrop of post-civil war America, Golden Poppies brings together the mothers, daughters, fathers and sons - survivors of the civil war, as they struggle to find true emancipation from the political unrest of the mid-nineteenth century. Clinging to their background in farming and searching for gainful employment, the families are amazed by the advent of the Railroad. They joined the flight of middle class Americans to the promises of a more liberal democracy in California. The characters seek out and support one another in their struggles with bigotry, racism, abuse, and women's and black suffrage movement.
Golden Poppies is a heart-rending, stand-alone story featuring 4 generations of these wonderful characters. They are bound together by prayer and a shared faith in God, originated from the mother's love and courage of a slave girl in Virginia. Moving forward, the characters are inspired by the seasonal blooming of the Yellow Crocuses, the representation of faith provided in Mustard Seeds, and in the recurring promise of the Golden Poppies of California.
I truly loved all 3 of Leila Ibrahim's novels and highly recommend them to anyone interested in historical fiction. As a grandmother, I am looking forward to sharing these novels with my own children. The books brilliantly illustrate the bonding between mothers and their children. Readers can't help but appreciate the legacy of good and bad moral values that are handed down from one generation to the next. Additionally, the story line demonstrates the strength of character it takes to reject bad family traditions, and stand up for what you believe is right. I know this book will cultivate many conversations within my own family, of how faith in God, and a mother's love transcends all generations to further the good of humanity in this world.