Happy Land

Happy Land utilizes a shifting first-person point of view occurring at different points in time to explore the impact that history has on Nikki’s identity and sense of self. At the start of the novel, she is feeling lost in her life, unfulfilled by her real estate career and struggling to find a sense of purpose. The novel then explores not only her journey, but the journey of her ancestors as they, too, find a place to belong. As Nikki learns more about her family, she develops a firmer sense of her own identity, with her experience reflecting the importance of collective history to the self.

Nikki begins by going to visit Mother Rita without fully understanding why or how it will help her in her life. She admits to Mother Rita that she doesn’t like to read, and feels out of place in the rural setting of North Carolina. With Mother Rita’s encouragement, she becomes more engaged in uncovering her family’s past. While researching at the library, she meets Bryan—who will later become her boyfriend—and, more importantly, she begins to discover more about the many hardships her ancestors had to confront and overcome in their quest for freedom.