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A review by justinkhchen
Assembly by Natasha Brown
2.0
2.5 stars
Well-intended but reads like a dull essay rather than an engaging story, Assembly is an authentic overview of contemporary British society, through the eyes of a middle-class Black woman. Focus heavily on societal commentary, the novella touches on topics such as sexism, racism, and the inherited aristocratic values. While I appreciate some of the artistic choices, such as the intentional fragmentation and mixing of literary format, the sterile, depersonalized writing style keeps readers at arm's length, never fully involved emotionally with the protagonist's circumstance. Overall Assembly succeeds as a comprehensive record of an experience belonging to an often under-represented individual, but unfortunately I can't say it's anything close to a compelling read.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
Well-intended but reads like a dull essay rather than an engaging story, Assembly is an authentic overview of contemporary British society, through the eyes of a middle-class Black woman. Focus heavily on societal commentary, the novella touches on topics such as sexism, racism, and the inherited aristocratic values. While I appreciate some of the artistic choices, such as the intentional fragmentation and mixing of literary format, the sterile, depersonalized writing style keeps readers at arm's length, never fully involved emotionally with the protagonist's circumstance. Overall Assembly succeeds as a comprehensive record of an experience belonging to an often under-represented individual, but unfortunately I can't say it's anything close to a compelling read.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**