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A review by rballenger
Probably Ruby by Lisa Bird-Wilson
3.0
Type of read: Commuter/Work Read.
What made me pick it up: One of the prompts for the Tennessee R.E.A.D.S. challenge for November is to read a book written by an indigenous author. 'Probably Ruby' was on a list of recommended books and I liked the description.
Overall rating: Not going to lie, I struggled at the beginning of the book. I enjoyed 'Probably Ruby' as an audiobook and I think sometimes when you take in books in the audio version, you miss the written cues that would otherwise make the book flow really well if you were reading the tangible version. It took me a bit to realize how all of the chapters were connecting and how all of them fell into place because I didn't have that tangible anchor to tie everything together. I also felt like there was a beautiful lyric structure to the book that I just didn't get through the audio version (self-inflicted, I listen to audiobooks at about double speed because regular speed is painfully slow for me that I can't concentrate). Overall though, I'm glad I read 'Probably Ruby' but I'm not sure that I would recommend it. I think it's one of those books you have to find on your own, you have to be ready for, and you have to be willing to give a little of yourself to really get into. I did enjoy the self-discovery and self-reflection that happened throughout the book, but ultimately, I wish there was a little bit more that tied it all together. I might try to reread this one in a tangible format in 2024.
Reader's Note: 'Probably Ruby' includes sexual themes, violence, substance use, and racial discrimination. Dakota Ray Hebert did a beautiful job narrating this audio book and I would definitely look for future books narrated by them.
What made me pick it up: One of the prompts for the Tennessee R.E.A.D.S. challenge for November is to read a book written by an indigenous author. 'Probably Ruby' was on a list of recommended books and I liked the description.
Overall rating: Not going to lie, I struggled at the beginning of the book. I enjoyed 'Probably Ruby' as an audiobook and I think sometimes when you take in books in the audio version, you miss the written cues that would otherwise make the book flow really well if you were reading the tangible version. It took me a bit to realize how all of the chapters were connecting and how all of them fell into place because I didn't have that tangible anchor to tie everything together. I also felt like there was a beautiful lyric structure to the book that I just didn't get through the audio version (self-inflicted, I listen to audiobooks at about double speed because regular speed is painfully slow for me that I can't concentrate). Overall though, I'm glad I read 'Probably Ruby' but I'm not sure that I would recommend it. I think it's one of those books you have to find on your own, you have to be ready for, and you have to be willing to give a little of yourself to really get into. I did enjoy the self-discovery and self-reflection that happened throughout the book, but ultimately, I wish there was a little bit more that tied it all together. I might try to reread this one in a tangible format in 2024.
Reader's Note: 'Probably Ruby' includes sexual themes, violence, substance use, and racial discrimination. Dakota Ray Hebert did a beautiful job narrating this audio book and I would definitely look for future books narrated by them.