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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Pearly Gates by Bonnie D. Solomon follows the titular protagonist, a deceased drag performer named Pearly Gates, who works in waste management in a segmented afterlife where souls seek enlightenment. After a breakup with her soulmate Thunder, Pearly accepts a temporary role as a spirit guide, managing three human souls: Hannah, a widow; Danielle, a trans woman; and Sam, a cancer patient. While assisting them, Pearly wades through interactions in a small-town café that also houses the reincarnation of Thunder. She becomes involved in the lives of her charges and but is thrown into a romantic dilemma when one begins to develop feelings for Thunder. Throughout her assignment, Pearly braves the rules and expectations of the afterlife’s hierarchy and reevaluates her connection to those she guides.
Bonnie D. Solomon’s Pearly Gates is a spectacularly entertaining and unique novel, and one that immediately sucked me into a spirit world rocking original mythology, souls with auras, White Robes, and a fully detailed bureaucratic system. Solomon’s own settings are imaginative, clearly developed, and realistic when they are situated in the “real” world. Pearly's sarcasm is electric, and I want to see some of what she says embroidered on a pillow. This links itself to the plethora of humor and pop culture references, like Salt-n-Pepa’s “Push It” and Run DMC’s “It’s Like That,” adding a playful tone that balances the more emotional moments. The standout partnership for me is between Pearly and Hannah, and we see a really meaningful, emotive progression from uncertainty to mutual understanding. Overall, this is a tightly written and enjoyable read. Very highly recommended.
