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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
This one is really up and down for me. At times, I thought this was incredible. And suddenly it would all come crashing down. Is it uneven writing? Is it the change in voices from chapter to chapter? I can’t really put my finger on it.
Definitely "steeped in Cherokee myths", as the description says. Does some interesting stuff with blending reality and the dream world. Slow character study of a family dealing with grief. Unfortunately I didn't like any of the characters, which marred my enjoyment of the book quite a bit.
This book is very different then what I had originally expected reading the summary. It tells the story of a Cherokee family still struggling with the effects of the police shooting of their son 15-years after the fact. I had expected the story to delve deeper into the shooting and the racial intricacies surrounding it. Instead each chapter profiled one member of the family (parents & 2 siblings) and how their lives 15-years have been impacted by the death of their son Ray-Ray. Cherokee mythology, symbolism and historical references to the Trail of Tears are referenced thought out by the author.
I struggled to finish reading this book. I enjoyed reading about the parents. The siblings not so much.
I had a up and down relationship with this book. I choose it as my Book of The Month pick. I was so intrigued with the synopsis and lead in, however this book went of in so many tangents. I enjoy books with various pathways and storylines but these storylines could have each had their own book to be more developed. It felt more like three short stories than one novel.
There’s a lot to unpack here. It kept me interested I wanted to find out what happened. Then you kind of don’t find out what happened. It left me with more questions than answers in the end and I hate that. There were aspects I liked it overall I wasn’t complete enough for me I guess I need something more straightforward. I don’t wanna try to interpret everything to figure out what the heck is going on
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"The Removed" by Brandon Hobson was a unique novel. It is part literary fiction, but also part fantasy with a mix of Cherokee mythology and magical realism thrown in. This is the story of a family of the victim of a police shooting and murder of a Native American boy, and then how the family must go on living in the years that follow.
The style of the novel is a first person narrative of each family member and how they are living years later. The stories they tell revolve somewhat around the loss of their son, brother, Ray-Ray, and the annual bonfire they hold in remembrance of his death on September 6, the Cherokee National Holiday, a day marking the signing of the Constitution of the Cherokee Nation on September 6, 1839 after the ending of the Trail of Tears. Their own personal struggles, Ernest, Ray-Ray's father is struggling with Alzheimer's, Sonja, Ray-Ray's sister has developed an unhealthy obsession with an abusive local musician, Vin, Edgar, Ray-Ray's brother is struggling with a drug addiction and attempts suicide, and Ray-Ray's mother, Maria is struggling to forgive the police officer who took away her son and hold the family together.
Cherokee mythology is worked into the novel throughout and within each person's story a touch of mystery looms in the place between reality and fantasy, in each person's mind and imagination. I thoroughly enjoyed both the story portrayed and Hobson's delivery. Overall, it was an excellent read.
The style of the novel is a first person narrative of each family member and how they are living years later. The stories they tell revolve somewhat around the loss of their son, brother, Ray-Ray, and the annual bonfire they hold in remembrance of his death on September 6, the Cherokee National Holiday, a day marking the signing of the Constitution of the Cherokee Nation on September 6, 1839 after the ending of the Trail of Tears. Their own personal struggles, Ernest, Ray-Ray's father is struggling with Alzheimer's, Sonja, Ray-Ray's sister has developed an unhealthy obsession with an abusive local musician, Vin, Edgar, Ray-Ray's brother is struggling with a drug addiction and attempts suicide, and Ray-Ray's mother, Maria is struggling to forgive the police officer who took away her son and hold the family together.
Cherokee mythology is worked into the novel throughout and within each person's story a touch of mystery looms in the place between reality and fantasy, in each person's mind and imagination. I thoroughly enjoyed both the story portrayed and Hobson's delivery. Overall, it was an excellent read.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I love reading more from indigenous writers but this book did not grab me as much as I would have liked. It was a good book but I wanted more.