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A review by frasersimons
Erasure by Percival Everett
challenging
dark
funny
sad
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
4.25
I watched American Fiction first, which robbed this, somewhat, of the central premise being as surprising and interesting as it is. Though, the book is different enough than the movie that it makes for a very fun companion piece. But I think I was hoping for even more keen insight to come from the MC, instead finding a lot more wit in the humour than the thematics.
It is also a lot more funny and even more of a deliberately satirical bent than the film, and probably has a bit more nuanced characters along with it. I find Everett very pleasing in so far as he does not hold the readers’ hand. There is a lot of grey space in how the novel within the novel portrays stereotypical black lives while not being overt in its criticisms, breaking down and explaining it, which is what a lot of books in the space attempting to do that do. But they aren’t satire either. And that interplay here, between the critique being satirical and the meta participation of the story, makes this read as very fresh and interesting. It is neither prescriptive nor does it hold back an opinion on complicated issues that you get the feeling, summon up some amount of anger in the author, though that’s just pure supposition and projection when reading something like this.
It is also a lot more funny and even more of a deliberately satirical bent than the film, and probably has a bit more nuanced characters along with it. I find Everett very pleasing in so far as he does not hold the readers’ hand. There is a lot of grey space in how the novel within the novel portrays stereotypical black lives while not being overt in its criticisms, breaking down and explaining it, which is what a lot of books in the space attempting to do that do. But they aren’t satire either. And that interplay here, between the critique being satirical and the meta participation of the story, makes this read as very fresh and interesting. It is neither prescriptive nor does it hold back an opinion on complicated issues that you get the feeling, summon up some amount of anger in the author, though that’s just pure supposition and projection when reading something like this.