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A review by atomic_tourist
The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I was predisposed to like The Cherry Robbers, but it fell short of my expectations. It read like a poor imitation of The Virgin Suicides with a little bit of Alias Grace mixed in, but with a diluted narrative that left me wanting more.
It's tough to place my finger on exactly what annoys me so much about The Cherry Robbers. I think that similarly to Just Like Home, I hated that Sarai Walker tried to turn a genre associated with the macabre (Gothic-- though arguably this book isn't Gothic, but I digress...) and give it a happy ending with a queer twist.
I recognize that this sort of writing is healing for some people, but to me, it's soft and too easy. A good book challenges you and makes you dig deep. I read my fair share of fluff, but when I reach for something darker, I do so because it forces me to look inward and confront tough emotions like anger, grief, or confusion. This book did not do that. It was quite bland in its 'horror' because Walker didn't take big risks. So, while some people may feel that Walker's writing is genre-subverting, I think it's just lazy. Books like this make me think of reading Heather Love's Feeling Backward in college and how much it resonated with me; there's a real need for queer texts portraying darkness and complexity, and I can't stand literature that shies away from these emotions for the sake of a tidy narrative.
Off to read something else, I need a palate cleanser.
It's tough to place my finger on exactly what annoys me so much about The Cherry Robbers. I think that similarly to Just Like Home, I hated that Sarai Walker tried to turn a genre associated with the macabre (Gothic-- though arguably this book isn't Gothic, but I digress...) and give it a happy ending with a queer twist.
I recognize that this sort of writing is healing for some people, but to me, it's soft and too easy. A good book challenges you and makes you dig deep. I read my fair share of fluff, but when I reach for something darker, I do so because it forces me to look inward and confront tough emotions like anger, grief, or confusion. This book did not do that. It was quite bland in its 'horror' because Walker didn't take big risks. So, while some people may feel that Walker's writing is genre-subverting, I think it's just lazy. Books like this make me think of reading Heather Love's Feeling Backward in college and how much it resonated with me; there's a real need for queer texts portraying darkness and complexity, and I can't stand literature that shies away from these emotions for the sake of a tidy narrative.
Off to read something else, I need a palate cleanser.