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pattricejones's review against another edition
5.0
THIS is how you write a novel of ideas that is never pedantic and always entertaining.
amlibera's review against another edition
3.0
Very mixed feelings on this one. Lots of interesting detail and subject matter to chew on, some strong characters, and intermittently really good witty dialogue but I never felt like I quite got what motivated everyone (besides some obvious overall stuff about identity and belonging). And the plot felt awkward and heavy handed. But the bits that I liked, I really really liked.
laila4343's review against another edition
4.0
Quirky, funny, and insightful, what I liked most about this book was its warm-hearted tone. Talented author - must read more Mat Johnson.
tessamoon's review against another edition
Bought a long time ago and I don’t think I’m the right reader for it anymore.
earthseeddetroit's review against another edition
4.0
Just finished this on audio and whew, what a ride! It's got me thinking so much that I don't know quite how to rank it...although the fact that it has me thinking so much is a plus! I do kinda feel like the book was doing too much...but this was written by an author who also works in the comic book art/writing form and that is evident. The scenes are sometimes Pow! Bang! over the top. All in all, I think right now I'm at 3.5 stars....lemme think on it.
One man's struggle to fit in may be another one's paradise. When the main character is confronted on all sides with his mixed race Black ethnicity, the grief of losing his last surviving parent, a failed marriage AND discovering a daughter he knew nothing about, a daughter who did not know she was Black...its bound to be...a LOT happening. Add to that a strange, cultish mullatopia, a few crackheads and some ghosts...yep.
As a societal look at race and identity, it ticks about every box. I have some homework and unpacking of my own to do. Appreciate that. But the story is still lacking, its like loosely stitched together and coming apart at some seams.
3.5 Stars
One man's struggle to fit in may be another one's paradise. When the main character is confronted on all sides with his mixed race Black ethnicity, the grief of losing his last surviving parent, a failed marriage AND discovering a daughter he knew nothing about, a daughter who did not know she was Black...its bound to be...a LOT happening. Add to that a strange, cultish mullatopia, a few crackheads and some ghosts...yep.
As a societal look at race and identity, it ticks about every box. I have some homework and unpacking of my own to do. Appreciate that. But the story is still lacking, its like loosely stitched together and coming apart at some seams.
3.5 Stars
noonis's review against another edition
4.0
A fun, smart, and funny novel. Deserving of every accolade on the cover.
mkjduncan's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. As a member of a multi-cultural family, the multi-, bi-, post-racial conversation is presented as part of an enchanting story. I also spent most of my childhood summers living with my grandparents in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia, so this story also brought back lots of memories for me.
pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
“I’m not white, but I can feel the eyes of the few people outside on me, people who must think that I am, because I look white, as such what the hell am I doing here? This disconnect in my racial projection is one of the things I hate. It goes in a subcategory I call ‘American,’ which has another subheading called ‘Philly.’ I hate that because I know I’m black. My mother was black – that counts, no matter how pale and Irish my father was. So I shall not be rebuked. I will not be rejected. I want to run but I refuse to be run off.”
This book was recommended to readers of Paul Beatty’s The Sellout on the commentary for the Tournament of Books. The Sellout won the TOB this year and I am very glad that I read it. I am also grateful that Johnson’s book was suggested as a companion read. These two novels have shown me worlds that only books can take me to. I can’t go to black neighborhoods anywhere without my presence influencing my experience. Being a white, older woman has lots of privileges, but it does affect how people see you.
Nancy Pearl has a theory about the four doorways of books. She believes that story, character, setting and language are how we experience our reading. For the most part, I agree with her. Depending on my mood, I read for any or all of these things. However, when it comes to a book like Loving Day, I think there is something more going on - at least for me.
I found aspects of story, character, setting and language that I loved in this tale. The setting was especially good because I love Philly. However, I think there is a missing aspect in the four doorways. I regularly open doors to books because they are telling me about worlds that I can hardly imagine. They are places that I haven’t been or can’t go on my own or I just haven’t gotten to yet. This is one of those books and I don’t know where it fits in Pearl’s theories.
To get back to Johnson’s novel, Warren Duffy has returned to Philly after his life fell apart. He thinks that life can’t get any worse. What he finds is a falling down mansion, a daughter he didn’t know he had, a school which may really be a multi-racial cult, some friends and maybe a life worth living.
This sounds like a real mash-up and in many ways it is. Johnson is juggling a lot of different plot lines and I was so impressed with how he managed them. This isn’t a perfect book, but it was fun and gave me a lot to think about.
This book was recommended to readers of Paul Beatty’s The Sellout on the commentary for the Tournament of Books. The Sellout won the TOB this year and I am very glad that I read it. I am also grateful that Johnson’s book was suggested as a companion read. These two novels have shown me worlds that only books can take me to. I can’t go to black neighborhoods anywhere without my presence influencing my experience. Being a white, older woman has lots of privileges, but it does affect how people see you.
Nancy Pearl has a theory about the four doorways of books. She believes that story, character, setting and language are how we experience our reading. For the most part, I agree with her. Depending on my mood, I read for any or all of these things. However, when it comes to a book like Loving Day, I think there is something more going on - at least for me.
I found aspects of story, character, setting and language that I loved in this tale. The setting was especially good because I love Philly. However, I think there is a missing aspect in the four doorways. I regularly open doors to books because they are telling me about worlds that I can hardly imagine. They are places that I haven’t been or can’t go on my own or I just haven’t gotten to yet. This is one of those books and I don’t know where it fits in Pearl’s theories.
To get back to Johnson’s novel, Warren Duffy has returned to Philly after his life fell apart. He thinks that life can’t get any worse. What he finds is a falling down mansion, a daughter he didn’t know he had, a school which may really be a multi-racial cult, some friends and maybe a life worth living.
This sounds like a real mash-up and in many ways it is. Johnson is juggling a lot of different plot lines and I was so impressed with how he managed them. This isn’t a perfect book, but it was fun and gave me a lot to think about.
remlezar's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this one. It deals with race issues in an honest and nuanced way, which I appreciated. As a pasty white guy, it's obviously impossible for me to truly know what it's like to be anything other than white in America, but books like this do immensely help in my trying to understand. Loving Day goes a step farther - it's not just about being black or Latino or Native American - it's about being mixed. It's about being someone who doesn't feel like they belong to any group. A minority of a minority.
The writing itself is sharp and funny, and there are some memorable characters here. I love that two of the characters are comic book nerds, it gave them some extra personality and made them personally relatable.
I'd say the one slight criticism I had was that I didn't ever fully buy into the daughter character. I wanted to get to know her better, she was interesting, but not really explored like I thought she could have been.
This is an easy book to recommend. For some, it might hit close to home and help them feel less alone. For others, it sheds light on what is a very touchy, uncomfortable, difficult to deal with topic.
The writing itself is sharp and funny, and there are some memorable characters here. I love that two of the characters are comic book nerds, it gave them some extra personality and made them personally relatable.
I'd say the one slight criticism I had was that I didn't ever fully buy into the daughter character. I wanted to get to know her better, she was interesting, but not really explored like I thought she could have been.
This is an easy book to recommend. For some, it might hit close to home and help them feel less alone. For others, it sheds light on what is a very touchy, uncomfortable, difficult to deal with topic.