On Beauty

It's interesting that this piece begins with emails from Jerome.  It's just enough to let the reader know what's going on by "showing" rather than "telling."  When it jumps into the narrative the text is heavily descriptive. 

 "Levi was slicing strawberries, rinsing them and plopping them into cereal bowls." 

 "SHe reached for an apple and began to cut it up with one of their small knives with translucent handles, dividing it into irregular chunks.  She ate these slowly, one piece after another."

"Grabbing her robust fifteen-year-old by his denim waistband, she pulled him to her easily, forcing him down half a foot to her sitting level so that she could tuck the label of his basketball top back inside the collar."

the language in the dialogue seems to be very natural, what I mean is it is very much like the way that we would speak today.  Also very realistic between the family members. (Dialogue on page 9 between Zora and her mother regarding Monique)