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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you Book Of The Month for the early release of this novel!
What I loved : The contemporary story was interspersed with Indigenous lore and was able to show how cultural/religious myths still impact our daily lives, regardless of how prevalent those traditions continue to remain in the community. This story also showcases problems within American society at large but through an Indigenous lens, including police brutality, addiction, and the foster care system, without being disparaging or dismissive. In a way, I found this story to be beautiful in a way that real life is often beautiful; you don't necessarily (or ever, really) get what you want, but at times you get what you need. This story is by no means a fairy tale, but its storytelling devices came together nicely in the end, framed by a few solid character revelations.
What I wish was different : Hobson's writing style struck me as odd - the language felt stilted and awkward at times, especially regarding conversations/dialogue between characters. Part of that was definitely the formatting used for character interactions (not everyone is quoted when they speak, but instead is summarized by the character who is in the 1st person at the time), but in general, I found the prose to be muddled. As with most books that I read that are under 350 pages, I felt like this book stopped short, albeit not as abruptly as I was thinking it would. And while I found the ending to be poetic I felt like the story itself fell victim to a lack of meaningful events.
3 out of 5 stars.
What I loved : The contemporary story was interspersed with Indigenous lore and was able to show how cultural/religious myths still impact our daily lives, regardless of how prevalent those traditions continue to remain in the community. This story also showcases problems within American society at large but through an Indigenous lens, including police brutality, addiction, and the foster care system, without being disparaging or dismissive. In a way, I found this story to be beautiful in a way that real life is often beautiful; you don't necessarily (or ever, really) get what you want, but at times you get what you need. This story is by no means a fairy tale, but its storytelling devices came together nicely in the end, framed by a few solid character revelations.
What I wish was different : Hobson's writing style struck me as odd - the language felt stilted and awkward at times, especially regarding conversations/dialogue between characters. Part of that was definitely the formatting used for character interactions (not everyone is quoted when they speak, but instead is summarized by the character who is in the 1st person at the time), but in general, I found the prose to be muddled. As with most books that I read that are under 350 pages, I felt like this book stopped short, albeit not as abruptly as I was thinking it would. And while I found the ending to be poetic I felt like the story itself fell victim to a lack of meaningful events.
3 out of 5 stars.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was so lost reading this book.
I’m unsure as to what actually happened to Edgar.
The family we follow is Cherokee, and one second they’re talking about their ancestor’s spirits and the next they don’t understand spoken or written Cherokee language....
The middle child, Ray-Ray, was shot by a police officer and died when he was 15. This story takes place 15 years after his death. The family just now seems to want closure. The mom waits until the police officer that killed her son is dying of cancer to confront him, and he’s so far gone he doesn’t understand what’s going on. Sonja, the oldest child stalks and then dates said police officers son for what reason we aren’t sure? To get back at him? To humiliate him? Idk just very strange.
I’m unsure as to what actually happened to Edgar.
The family we follow is Cherokee, and one second they’re talking about their ancestor’s spirits and the next they don’t understand spoken or written Cherokee language....
The middle child, Ray-Ray, was shot by a police officer and died when he was 15. This story takes place 15 years after his death. The family just now seems to want closure. The mom waits until the police officer that killed her son is dying of cancer to confront him, and he’s so far gone he doesn’t understand what’s going on. Sonja, the oldest child stalks and then dates said police officers son for what reason we aren’t sure? To get back at him? To humiliate him? Idk just very strange.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book, but I can see why the reviews for it are so middling. This is definitely not a book for everyone, you're either going to love it or hate it.
It is a moody, atmospheric, and character driven novel. It is a swiftly flowing book that weaves together the present with the past, both recent and far back, while still remaining very much a "slice of life" of each character. It combines modern ideals with Cherokee myth. It does not give everything away. The endings for each of the characters are ambiguous and leave the reader to fill in many of the blanks. Of the stories, I really found Sonia and Tsala's the most compelling, though Edgar's chapters had me at the edge of my seat.
This was a quicker read and I highly recommend it giving it a shot even if it doesn't seem appealing to you.
It is a moody, atmospheric, and character driven novel. It is a swiftly flowing book that weaves together the present with the past, both recent and far back, while still remaining very much a "slice of life" of each character. It combines modern ideals with Cherokee myth. It does not give everything away. The endings for each of the characters are ambiguous and leave the reader to fill in many of the blanks. Of the stories, I really found Sonia and Tsala's the most compelling, though Edgar's chapters had me at the edge of my seat.
This was a quicker read and I highly recommend it giving it a shot even if it doesn't seem appealing to you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Racism
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No