A review by idesofjaim
There There by Tommy Orange

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

An incredibly powerful book to finish off my 2023 with. I’m grateful for the cast of characters in the beginning (that was easy enough to reference back to since I was reading the physical edition) in order to help keep everything straight. The twists and turns of how everyone came together at the powwow reeled me in.

I do agree with other reviewers that I wish there was more for the women of the book, and that some things had been handled much differently.
I’m also frustrated that the ending is basically a cliffhanger. We get invested only to not see the other side of the shooting. Part of me wonders if that is truly on purpose, that we don’t get to have these truly joyful reunions and feel lighter and brighter about things. I do think the bookends of the novel being Tony is an elegant setup.
Definitely a heavy read, be sure to check trigger warnings. 
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