I can't say enough about this book. Vanessa Miller takes a deep dive into the aftermath of the 1920'sTulsa Massacre which occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma, beginning on May 31, 1921, and lasted for two days but left open wounds of destruction and devastation. The massacre left somewhere between 30 and 300 people dead, mostly African Americans, and destroyed Tulsa’s prosperous Black neighborhood of Greenwood, known as “ Black Wall Street". The mere fact that the range of deaths is so wide speaks to how the masses concealed this atrocity. The Filling Station tells the story of survival in the aftermath. Two sisters, Margaret and Evie, with the same experience, the same tragedy, yet different perspectives on what survival looks like. The Filling Station with it's well-developed characters, gives the reader a front seat view of the struggles when the dust settles after the massacre. The battles, externally and internally, that were fought, the continued racism, the strength of wounded people, having unwavering faith in despair and perseverance. This story is a testament to a favorite quote, Still I Rise, Maya Angelou. Is this a must read? Yes, don't wait.

This book was an eye opener to what happened during the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921. I had only heard of it, but never knew what actually happened. Definitely recommend to everyone!

I liked the book, it held my interest although I was horrified by what took place. I’m glad the book was written, we shouldn’t try to cover up the past but learn from it and do much much better.

A fabulous telling of the Tulsa massacre A story that needs to be told and remembered so as not to repeat it. The author adeptly shows the trauma inflicted on the residents of Tulsa in the Greenwood area due to not only the burning of the shops and homes and the killing of residents but the additional trauma inflicted when those in authority discounted the tragedy and attempted to blame the residents for the acts of the aggressors. As a white woman, I found the book a bit off putting at first as it appeared the author was lumping all white people into the aggressor or complicit group. However, the author did discuss the white men that vouched for those in police custody that did not have proper identification. Further, the author did capture the political winds that pushed the Mayor to direct the police to stop what could have been a second massacre. All in all, a well written historical novel accurately capturing the political tensions surrounding the Tulsa Massacre.