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for the most part an absolute delight. simultaneously a nostalgic and detailed account of a long gone era while also capturing the hazy fondness of childhood memories where everything was fascinating and boring at the same time and every event and person felt larger than life. definitely not much of a plot and there are some uncomfortable scenes in the last few chapters of the book as he comes into adolescence, but it was worth it for the writing
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, War
dark
reflective
fast-paced
I was sold towards this book by descriptions from my GCSE English teacher, and then later by a family friend: a lyrical, beautifully written tumble of youth and grief and poverty and family and farmland. For some pages, I saw what they meant.
However, the book features repeated racism towards Roma, Black and Asian peoples. Not in an "oh language was different for White folk in the '50s" way. In an objectifying, callous, prejudicial way. Not that there's much (if any) difference between the two.
Then there's the "Brith wood rape": a whimsically-told story about the narrator conspires with his friends to corner a prepubescent girl in the woods with the premise of severally assaulting her. Because the girl in question beats up the boys who stand in her way, then escapes, the insinuation is that this is a cautionary, reflective tale of some description. This is an autobiography.
In the next paragraph, Lee describes a co-conspirator as being married to an older woman who puts him "to work" on her farm and in her bed. Lee calls this rape too.
So there's nothing more for me to say, other than that I think the writer is a disgusting pig and I never want to waste another thought on him. Nothing except that if you dare to even suggest that I'm missing some depth or meaning to this encounter then go away, read the first 50 pages of Hunger by Roxane Gay, then we'll talk.
However, the book features repeated racism towards Roma, Black and Asian peoples. Not in an "oh language was different for White folk in the '50s" way. In an objectifying, callous, prejudicial way. Not that there's much (if any) difference between the two.
Then there's the "Brith wood rape": a whimsically-told story about the narrator conspires with his friends to corner a prepubescent girl in the woods with the premise of severally assaulting her. Because the girl in question beats up the boys who stand in her way, then escapes, the insinuation is that this is a cautionary, reflective tale of some description. This is an autobiography.
In the next paragraph, Lee describes a co-conspirator as being married to an older woman who puts him "to work" on her farm and in her bed. Lee calls this rape too.
So there's nothing more for me to say, other than that I think the writer is a disgusting pig and I never want to waste another thought on him. Nothing except that if you dare to even suggest that I'm missing some depth or meaning to this encounter then go away, read the first 50 pages of Hunger by Roxane Gay, then we'll talk.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs, Rape, Death of parent
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
There are certainly aspects that are of the time that feel a bit uncomfortable in modern times, but the descriptions in this book are beautiful and immersive and I felt myself transported to the places Laurie was writing about
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest, Rape, Murder
lighthearted
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, Alcohol
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Violence, Murder
Minor: Racism, Rape, War