A review by readwithmaleah
The Removed by Brandon Hobson

4.0

While this book lacked direction and a clear plotline, there was a magic to it that I could not tear away from. Native stories and mysticism were woven into the parallel stories of these family members, highlighting the Cherokee peoples' emphasis on spiritual connections between ancestors, the living, and land. The author subtly made connections between the haunting reality of generational/cultural trauma and its impact on native and indigenous peoples, something that I felt could have been more explicit or direct.The themes of addiction, abuse, racism, mental illness, and familial disconnection in this book are no small topics -- topics that are no doubt the result of ancestral (and current) trauma.

Overall a great read. I find myself inspired to continue seeking out indigenous voices and stories to educate myself further on the beliefs of our native tribes, as well as how native bodies have suffered and continue to do so.