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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
There are many layers in this wonderful saga of queer, feminist, off-the-grid life in Appalachia Ohio. Ffitch skillfully weaves together issues of poverty, environment, gender, non-traditional families, property, living close to the land, and a conflicted relationship with establishment systems of education, heath care, foster care and employment. This seems like a plate full of perspectives that is too big for this relatively quick read, but ffitch’s characters (three women in prominent roles, three men is secondary roles and one boy, the son of two of the women) are so original, interesting, and well-sketched that we expect them to handle it all. And they do -- with joy and pain, with resolve and weakness, with brilliance and stupidity, that is, with a humanness that draws us into their story. And they are all poor. Through their strong and fragile voices ffitch shows that poor people are not stupid, weak and lazy. Rather they are complex humans who are sometimes committed to a lifestyle that has long odds for success. Somehow, ffitch makes life in a falling-down shack filled with black rat snakes, wasps, and other vermin, a diet of grub worms, acorns, and squirrels, and no toilet seem harsh but understandable and even reasonable for the women and the boy who argue constantly but love each other unconditionally. In this book, the voice of poor people is not just heard, it is virtually the only perspective we get. In that way, the articulateness of Stay and Fight on so many issues is a rebuke to those who think less of poor people just because they are poor. By the end of the book, this inspiring group has taken action on every one of the issue areas that crowd their daily lives and thoughts in ways that people with many resources could also do – if they only had the same strength of character and resolve.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wasn't sold on this book until about halfway through, when the conflict shifted from the characters against each other to the characters reckoning with the larger society in their own ways.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What makes a family and what would you do for them against all odds. Beautiful multi-perspective prose that truly reflects Helen, Lily, Karen, and Perley. This book has you rooting for every character.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Lesbophobia
Stay and fight felt like a love song from the part of my family whom I rarely see. As someone with lots of family from the region, I felt both shame and pride from my personal disconnect, and from the connectedness to the land that this section of my ancestry has. It’s a very mixed up history, but there is a lightness to reading about this little group of four making their way in the woods.
Anyway, this book brought me a lot of emotions that I can’t really explain yet but, I enjoyed myself… I didn’t enjoy some of the graphic details of animal killings but the overall story really was spellbinding. 4.5 stars ⭐️
Anyway, this book brought me a lot of emotions that I can’t really explain yet but, I enjoyed myself… I didn’t enjoy some of the graphic details of animal killings but the overall story really was spellbinding. 4.5 stars ⭐️
could not get past the premise. main character annoying. did not like the description of lesbians. yes I know people use those descriptive words, but I do not want to hear or read them. I should have followed my instinct to not pick up a book that only has recommendation/reviews from other writers. Such glowing "reviews" are most often unreliable. DFN
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
tense
medium-paced
A very strange multi POV account of an Appalachian family (community? Acquaintance group?) attempting to survive in the face of the world moving in another direction. Very strong notable mention for an incredibly well done first person perspective of a 7 year old. That’s hard to pull off well but it was incredibly engaging.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot