A review by booksrockcal
There There by Tommy Orange

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read this book because I received the sequel from my Parnassus books subscription. I intended to read it when it came out but I let my copy go back to the library and never got another. I can’t believe I waited so long. This is a powerful book about the Indian experience in America- of displacement, identity, drugs, alcohol, family separation- all traumas that shape the lives of the 12 people profiled, all of whom live or work or are from Oakland, CA. Their stories in several cases are intertwined in ways they don’t realize and sometimes in ways they know about. Their stories converge at the big pow wow in the Oakland Coliseum on one fateful day. The rendering of character is brilliant in this novel as is the description of place. I generally prefer plot driven novels but the characters and their connections and fates drove the story. A brilliant book. I can’t wait to read the next