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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
Book of the Month Club: January 2021
PopSugar 2020 reading challenge #8
I'd like to think of myself as a 'harsh' critic, even when it comes to American Indian fiction (which, I adore), and my thoughts on this novel can be summarized as follows: Read this book.
PopSugar 2020 reading challenge #8
I'd like to think of myself as a 'harsh' critic, even when it comes to American Indian fiction (which, I adore), and my thoughts on this novel can be summarized as follows: Read this book.
“We are always restless, carrying the dreams of children and the elderly, the tired and sick, the poor, the wounded. The removed”
Thank you, #partner @bibliolifestyle and @eccobooks for this gorgeous ARC.
This story is one of devastating loss. Ray-Ray, the son of Maria and Ernest Echota, was shot by the police as he was wrongfully assumed to have been in possession of a gun based on his Cherokee heritage. The shooting was grossly rooted in prejudice and resulted in the slow breakdown of Ray-Ray’s family unit as they each dealt with their grief differently.
The story is told through each of Ray-Ray’s family members point of views as they go about their lives leading up to the annual bonfire which celebrates Ray-Ray’s memory and the Cherokee National Holiday. We live through the eyes of each sibling and parent as we piece together the loss of Ray-Ray at such a young age.
The writing was absolutely gorgeous and steeped in symbolism, I loved it so much. It felt so much like folklore which kept me completely entranced and unable to put it down.
I definitely recommend grabbing this book now that it has officially hit the shelves!
Thank you, #partner @bibliolifestyle and @eccobooks for this gorgeous ARC.
This story is one of devastating loss. Ray-Ray, the son of Maria and Ernest Echota, was shot by the police as he was wrongfully assumed to have been in possession of a gun based on his Cherokee heritage. The shooting was grossly rooted in prejudice and resulted in the slow breakdown of Ray-Ray’s family unit as they each dealt with their grief differently.
The story is told through each of Ray-Ray’s family members point of views as they go about their lives leading up to the annual bonfire which celebrates Ray-Ray’s memory and the Cherokee National Holiday. We live through the eyes of each sibling and parent as we piece together the loss of Ray-Ray at such a young age.
The writing was absolutely gorgeous and steeped in symbolism, I loved it so much. It felt so much like folklore which kept me completely entranced and unable to put it down.
I definitely recommend grabbing this book now that it has officially hit the shelves!
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was unlike any other book I've ever read. Brandon Hobson is a beautiful writer, and I loved the Cherokee folklore that was interwoven into the plot. But the lack of clarity between the spiritual world and reality made it very hard to follow the story and connect with the characters, so when the book ended, I felt like I was in the same emotional place as when I started. Definitely things to appreciate, but not my personal favorite.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a very well written book. The story was sort of haunting. Ancestral trauma interacting with personal/familial trauma. Very creative in the way the spirits of ancestors interact in our world. Magical realism woven in as well. It lacked plot which I always like in my novels, though there was more action toward the end.
First book of 2022 is finished! Even though the book was shorter, it did not lack depth. Each character in the story had depth and I could feel the grief, despair, and hopefulness of each character. The story follows the Echota family, 15 years after the youngest child was killed by the police. Each family member is grieving in their own way as the anniversary of his death is approaching. The story intertwines Cherokee folklore alongside the experiences of each family member.
