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briwithabook's review
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book focuses on the Echota family, and the way each family member experiences grief and is living their lives 15 years after Ray-Ray, their 15 year old son/brother was shot and killed by a police officer.
I had really high expectations for this book going in. It sounded extremely timely and like it would really be something I could connect with. Every adult has experienced grief at some point in their lives, and I was interested to see the way each family member handled the loss of Ray-Ray. However, I did not necessarily feel a connection to any of them. Maria, the mother and matriarch of the family, was the one for whom I had the most empathy. I felt sad for her and all that she endured. With one child gone, another addicted to drugs, and a husband suffering from Alzheimer's, she was surely dealing with a lot. I also liked Wyatt, but wish I had been given more of his story.
However, I found a lot of the book to be far-fetched and so strange that I expected certain storylines to be revealed as a dream or fantasy world. There were things that made no sense in a realistic world, and they were never explained in a way that was satisfactory to me.
And as much as I didn't connect with the story, I do actually think it should've been longer. I think that would've allowed the storylines to be more fleshed out and given the reader a better understanding and more complete picture of each character. It felt like so much was crammed into each person's story, but none of it really went any deeper than the surface.
While I liked the idea of interspersing Native American folklore into the story, I didn't feel like it was executed well. I actually found those chapters to be disconnected from the rest of the story. They almost seemed like "filler" and I didn't feel as if they tied into the overall plot of the book very well. I don't know if it just went over my head or if others will feel the same way.
Overall, I felt that the author tried to add in too many plot points without enough depth. It tried to cover a lot of important topics, but didn't give any of them enough exploration to be worthwhile. I also think that having Ray-Ray having been killed by a police officer served no real purpose in the story. He literally could have died any other way and the rest of the story could've been kept largely the same. There was one plot point in Sonja (the daughter's) story, and one small encounter at the end of the book that tied into that part of the plot, but otherwise, it didn't really serve any purpose.
That all being said, I am sure that some people will love this book. It was a fairly quick read, and I did like that the chapters were short and we got to see things from each family member's viewpoint. I am admittedly not a very abstract reader, and too much of it was unrealistic for me to enjoy the book.
I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I had really high expectations for this book going in. It sounded extremely timely and like it would really be something I could connect with. Every adult has experienced grief at some point in their lives, and I was interested to see the way each family member handled the loss of Ray-Ray. However, I did not necessarily feel a connection to any of them. Maria, the mother and matriarch of the family, was the one for whom I had the most empathy. I felt sad for her and all that she endured. With one child gone, another addicted to drugs, and a husband suffering from Alzheimer's, she was surely dealing with a lot. I also liked Wyatt, but wish I had been given more of his story.
However, I found a lot of the book to be far-fetched and so strange that I expected certain storylines to be revealed as a dream or fantasy world. There were things that made no sense in a realistic world, and they were never explained in a way that was satisfactory to me.
And as much as I didn't connect with the story, I do actually think it should've been longer. I think that would've allowed the storylines to be more fleshed out and given the reader a better understanding and more complete picture of each character. It felt like so much was crammed into each person's story, but none of it really went any deeper than the surface.
While I liked the idea of interspersing Native American folklore into the story, I didn't feel like it was executed well. I actually found those chapters to be disconnected from the rest of the story. They almost seemed like "filler" and I didn't feel as if they tied into the overall plot of the book very well. I don't know if it just went over my head or if others will feel the same way.
Overall, I felt that the author tried to add in too many plot points without enough depth. It tried to cover a lot of important topics, but didn't give any of them enough exploration to be worthwhile. I also think that having Ray-Ray having been killed by a police officer served no real purpose in the story. He literally could have died any other way and the rest of the story could've been kept largely the same.
That all being said, I am sure that some people will love this book. It was a fairly quick read, and I did like that the chapters were short and we got to see things from each family member's viewpoint. I am admittedly not a very abstract reader, and too much of it was unrealistic for me to enjoy the book.
I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Addiction, Confinement, Dementia, and Grief
Minor: Child death, Physical abuse, Bullying, Cancer, and Racism
jayisreading's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.25
The best way I could describe The Removed is a stretched out feeling of longing that lingers even after the book ends. The book switches perspectives between four characters: Maria (the mother), Sonja (the daughter), Edgar (one of two sons), and Tsala (an ancestor); all of whom reflected on various themes including life and death, one’s connection to the spirit world, and their position in the world (not only within the family and community, but also racially as Native).
Each character presented a unique perspective and different focus, though Hobson masterfully intertwines the four “stories” to be in dialogue with one another, particularly that of the Echota family (Maria, Sonja, and Edgar) and their grieving over the death of the older son, Ray-Ray, who was murdered by a policeman. The story itself is centered on the day leading up to the anniversary of Ray-Ray’s death, and the family’s attempt to bring everyone together again (geographically, and to some extent, temporally) for this moment. Between these three characters’ perspectives existed Tsala’s story, which was the shortest and set in the past, but also my favorite. He brought to light the horrors of the forced relocation of several Indigenous nations, including the Cherokee, and the violence they faced. However, it was the glimpses of beauty through Cherokee myth, spirits, and respect for nature that entranced me. And this care for one’s roots spilled into the other three’s lives, who make numerous references to the importance of nature, the spirit world, and their ancestors/family. Despite their various griefs and trauma, all four characters shared moments of beauty in their lives. Hobson presented tragedy, but also added tinges of beauty that complicated the meaning of life and death; not just for these characters, but also in general.
This book deliberately takes its time and encourages the reader to do so as well. Hobson writes with what felt like a wish for readers to pause and reflect on our position in the world through these characters’ emotions and experiences. It may be a slow read, but it’s a beautifully crafted one.
Note: I received an ARC of The Removed in exchange for an honest review from Ecco and NetGalley.
Each character presented a unique perspective and different focus, though Hobson masterfully intertwines the four “stories” to be in dialogue with one another, particularly that of the Echota family (Maria, Sonja, and Edgar) and their grieving over the death of the older son, Ray-Ray, who was murdered by a policeman. The story itself is centered on the day leading up to the anniversary of Ray-Ray’s death, and the family’s attempt to bring everyone together again (geographically, and to some extent, temporally) for this moment. Between these three characters’ perspectives existed Tsala’s story, which was the shortest and set in the past, but also my favorite. He brought to light the horrors of the forced relocation of several Indigenous nations, including the Cherokee, and the violence they faced. However, it was the glimpses of beauty through Cherokee myth, spirits, and respect for nature that entranced me. And this care for one’s roots spilled into the other three’s lives, who make numerous references to the importance of nature, the spirit world, and their ancestors/family. Despite their various griefs and trauma, all four characters shared moments of beauty in their lives. Hobson presented tragedy, but also added tinges of beauty that complicated the meaning of life and death; not just for these characters, but also in general.
This book deliberately takes its time and encourages the reader to do so as well. Hobson writes with what felt like a wish for readers to pause and reflect on our position in the world through these characters’ emotions and experiences. It may be a slow read, but it’s a beautifully crafted one.
Note: I received an ARC of The Removed in exchange for an honest review from Ecco and NetGalley.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Grief, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer and Homophobia
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