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kteq's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
3.75
There is so much to and so much about this novel that makes it feel it could have been written today as much as it was written in 1997. The narrator’s candor and moments of vulnerability are so felt.
Of note, the matter-of-fact fatphobia towards the narrator’s sister peters out by the second third of the book, but is significant enough to be listed under the content warnings - there are so many other ways this character is described and interacts w the world throughout that it makes it much more apparent.
Of note, the matter-of-fact fatphobia towards the narrator’s sister peters out by the second third of the book, but is significant enough to be listed under the content warnings - there are so many other ways this character is described and interacts w the world throughout that it makes it much more apparent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Drug abuse, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder, Sexual violence, and Fatphobia
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Pedophilia, War, and Child death
serendipitysbooks's review
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day was published in 1997. It’s main character, Ava, a Black woman who is HIV positive, plans to spend the summer with her sister in their small hometown before moving to San Francisco. Her sister Joyce is a former social worker who now mentors young women, giving them the skills and knowledge they need to survive and thrive. Ava also reconnects with Eddie, now a quiet peaceful man although he has served time for his role in two deaths. I loved the strong feisty women and the relationship between Ava and Eddie that involved a really beautiful sex scene in which the focus was firmly on consent and what they could enjoy, rather than what her HIV status precluded. It is a quick but absorbing read, a feel-good story with a strong community feel and a lovely romance set against a backdrop of meaty issues like drug abuse and addiction, the realities of living with an HIV diagnosis at the time, child abuse, race, and issues within the social work system. There is also a storyline featuring religious “leaders” of the worst kind, more concerned about controlling others and imposing their values than actually serving people or dealing with their own issues. I really wanted to slap one of these characters on multiple occasions. Thankfully I’m confident that was the author’s intention. A enjoyable read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Drug abuse
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Pedophilia
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