A White Romance is not one of Hamilton's honored books, but it is a powerful story that authentically confronts real issues. She presents a well-developed plot, realistic narrative, natural characters, and descriptive scenes. This provocative novel conveys its message better than any simple explanation of facts could. As told through Talley's first-person stream-of-consciousness narration, the story is not a happy one.

It is a vivid, insightful portrayal of painful teen-aged relationships. At times the text is difficult to understand because A White Romance is written in a mixture of teen-age slang and black English. However, the language is appropriate to the characters and the story would not be depicted as realistically in any other.

Hamilton's young people are genuine, three-dimensional characters.

Through her honest, compassionate storytelling, she makes them come alive and the reader empathizes with their problems. Her gift with language is also evident in...