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bookishrealm's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
<b>Brilliant. A difficult book to read, but also a book that leaves the reader with so much hope. CW: homophobia, specific use of f** as a slur, transphobia, racism, lynching, transphobic slurs, sexual abuse of a minor, emotional abuse, suicidal ideation, deadnaming, death of a child, and gang rape (described not on page). I received this book from Atria Books for review. All thoughts are my own. 4.5 Stars</b>
I was dreading reviewing this book. Clearly it wasn't because I didn't enjoy it. This was just an instance where I was at a loss for words because the book was just that intense. <i>Crosshairs</i> is such an interesting book that I'm not really sure how to categorize it in terms of genre. It reads like literary fiction, but also as science fiction/dystopian. So, if I was attempting to describe it I would say literary science fiction if that's even a thing. It takes place in a alternative, but real life/modern version of Canada in which a cataclysmic enviornmental event has caused the country to go haywire. The novel itself focuses on Kay, descendent of Jamaican and Filipino heritage, as they write love letters to their partner. It is through these letters and through the stories of so many other characters that the reader learns that all individuals who are considered "other" are sent to these work camps that are supposed to be for the greater good of society. Of course, they are means for those who are White, Anglo Saxon, cis-gender, heterosexual, Protestants to control and oppress those who do not fit into their "normative" beliefs. Kay, like so many others, are on the run and in hiding with the assistance of an opposition group ready to expose the Canadian government and those running the camps for the inhuman ways that they have treated others.
This is a slow burn novel and very much so needed to be because of the complex issues discussed in the book. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing about this novel is easy. The content warnings alone are enough to make anyone question whether they would enjoy this book; however, it is an important read. Catherine Hernandez utilizes this dystopian/science fiction like version of Canada to bring forward ideas/thoughts that are extremely relevant to conversations happening around the world right now in 2021. It is horrifying to know that the behaviors, thoughts, and ideals held by the oppressors in this novel are the same that are present in people today. So to know that marginalized groups were forced into precarious situations that forced them into hiding made me feel like this was something that could happen in real life. And that directly relates to Hernandez's conversation about intersectionality and visible marginalizations. Hernandez makes it clear that while some marginalizations may initially fall under the same "umbrella" categories, the experiences of said groups are extremely different. For example, we frequently use LGBTQ2SIA+ as an umbrella term but should know and understand that the experiences of a person who identifies as gay will not be the same as someone who has marginalizations that intersect between sexual identity and race. Those who can code switch and hide their marginalizations were never targeted like their counterparts and characters were quick to check each other on this.
Another interesting topic that Hernandez explores is performative activism and the meaning of allyship. This is a conversation that has been happening throughout communities all over the world even within the book community. Because those groups that are targeted are often on the run and in hiding, there are a number of individuals who can pass for white, cis gender, heterosexual citizens that assist in the resistance. Their ability to pass puts into question whether they are helping for self gradification, to make themselves feel better or if this is something they are doing because they truly want to stop their country from committing these atrocities. One of the best lines in the book that describes this exploration of theme is when a character states that "being an ally is a verb not a noun."
Overall, I thought that this was a powerful book. Definitely a difficult book, but one that that I found myself fully absorbed in and intrigued by. It may seem like this book is full of tragedies, but honestly Hernandez has a way of inserting hope into the conversation. And it was nice to see a glimmer of hope after all the trauma and tragedy that the characters face. The only criticism that I did have was the shifting and jumping of timelines. This happens not only with Kay, but also with side characters so there were moments when I had a difficult time keeping up. Other than that this novel was well-written and effectively mirrors the difficult conversations that we're having today. I'm looking forward to reading more by Catherine Hernandez.
I was dreading reviewing this book. Clearly it wasn't because I didn't enjoy it. This was just an instance where I was at a loss for words because the book was just that intense. <i>Crosshairs</i> is such an interesting book that I'm not really sure how to categorize it in terms of genre. It reads like literary fiction, but also as science fiction/dystopian. So, if I was attempting to describe it I would say literary science fiction if that's even a thing. It takes place in a alternative, but real life/modern version of Canada in which a cataclysmic enviornmental event has caused the country to go haywire. The novel itself focuses on Kay, descendent of Jamaican and Filipino heritage, as they write love letters to their partner. It is through these letters and through the stories of so many other characters that the reader learns that all individuals who are considered "other" are sent to these work camps that are supposed to be for the greater good of society. Of course, they are means for those who are White, Anglo Saxon, cis-gender, heterosexual, Protestants to control and oppress those who do not fit into their "normative" beliefs. Kay, like so many others, are on the run and in hiding with the assistance of an opposition group ready to expose the Canadian government and those running the camps for the inhuman ways that they have treated others.
This is a slow burn novel and very much so needed to be because of the complex issues discussed in the book. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing about this novel is easy. The content warnings alone are enough to make anyone question whether they would enjoy this book; however, it is an important read. Catherine Hernandez utilizes this dystopian/science fiction like version of Canada to bring forward ideas/thoughts that are extremely relevant to conversations happening around the world right now in 2021. It is horrifying to know that the behaviors, thoughts, and ideals held by the oppressors in this novel are the same that are present in people today. So to know that marginalized groups were forced into precarious situations that forced them into hiding made me feel like this was something that could happen in real life. And that directly relates to Hernandez's conversation about intersectionality and visible marginalizations. Hernandez makes it clear that while some marginalizations may initially fall under the same "umbrella" categories, the experiences of said groups are extremely different. For example, we frequently use LGBTQ2SIA+ as an umbrella term but should know and understand that the experiences of a person who identifies as gay will not be the same as someone who has marginalizations that intersect between sexual identity and race. Those who can code switch and hide their marginalizations were never targeted like their counterparts and characters were quick to check each other on this.
Another interesting topic that Hernandez explores is performative activism and the meaning of allyship. This is a conversation that has been happening throughout communities all over the world even within the book community. Because those groups that are targeted are often on the run and in hiding, there are a number of individuals who can pass for white, cis gender, heterosexual citizens that assist in the resistance. Their ability to pass puts into question whether they are helping for self gradification, to make themselves feel better or if this is something they are doing because they truly want to stop their country from committing these atrocities. One of the best lines in the book that describes this exploration of theme is when a character states that "being an ally is a verb not a noun."
Overall, I thought that this was a powerful book. Definitely a difficult book, but one that that I found myself fully absorbed in and intrigued by. It may seem like this book is full of tragedies, but honestly Hernandez has a way of inserting hope into the conversation. And it was nice to see a glimmer of hope after all the trauma and tragedy that the characters face. The only criticism that I did have was the shifting and jumping of timelines. This happens not only with Kay, but also with side characters so there were moments when I had a difficult time keeping up. Other than that this novel was well-written and effectively mirrors the difficult conversations that we're having today. I'm looking forward to reading more by Catherine Hernandez.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Xenophobia, and Violence
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