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A review by khopeisz
Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn
4.25
I have been in search for a book like this one all year. A book that looks at the underbelly of death and loss, at the out of body (as Blackburn herself has described it), indiscriminate experience of grief. I knew that this book was going to be unusual stylistically, and for that reason I chose to take it slow. I feel like a rush job for a more unconventional work can make you quick to dismiss what the author is trying to say by means of their convention. And so I am glad I took my time to hear the book speak.
Coral, our main character, is practically tangible beyond the page. I found myself incredibly concerned for her, sympathetic, angry at her, and understanding of her. She is navigating unspeakable loss, and then we learn that this loss is just a compounding of other losses. I am engaged with what she, as the existential We, has to say about her experience as a human, a lover, a sister, daughter, aunt, creative, and minor celebrity. I am rooting for her.
The We as the narrator works for me. Blackburn confirms that this is Coral. Language is unique in that we can manipulate it in times of grief. A therapist may recommend a couple recount a difficult scenario in the third person in order to speak objectively about it. Someone who is bilingual may find it easier to discuss a tragedy in their non-native language, as if to create more of a distance. With this in mind, Coral resorting to narrating the story of her grief as a collective, existential We makes sense.
For me, Venita Blackburn accomplishes something with this book that other authors I’ve read this year were not able to. I think in another author’s hands, Coral could have easily irritated me with her questionable actions. But with Blackburn, I never grew frustrated with Coral, I just grew deeper in my understanding. Blackburn also wrote from truth and from pain. Death Valley by Melissa Broder is basically this book’s sister-cousin. Both authors poured their truth with grief and loss onto the page. However, while I enjoyed Death Valley, I ended the book wanting more. With Dead in Long Beach, California, I ended the book having collected what I came for.
Following my reading, I listened to Blackburn’s Kirkus Review interview and was incredibly endeared by her persona, and intrigued by her thoughts on writing. I would like to commune with her more through her other projects.
Some notes: this book teeters the non-ending scale for me, but only because I had some questions that needed answering still. I cried at the ending though, and a book getting me to cry is a good marker for me. Also, I liked the little “cut scenes” if you will where we read Coral’s book. These reminded me of schlocky 80’s sci-fi movies.
I think the best way to approach this book is with an open mind, with an interest in varying conventions of form. It’s one I’d recommend.
Coral, our main character, is practically tangible beyond the page. I found myself incredibly concerned for her, sympathetic, angry at her, and understanding of her. She is navigating unspeakable loss, and then we learn that this loss is just a compounding of other losses. I am engaged with what she, as the existential We, has to say about her experience as a human, a lover, a sister, daughter, aunt, creative, and minor celebrity. I am rooting for her.
The We as the narrator works for me. Blackburn confirms that this is Coral. Language is unique in that we can manipulate it in times of grief. A therapist may recommend a couple recount a difficult scenario in the third person in order to speak objectively about it. Someone who is bilingual may find it easier to discuss a tragedy in their non-native language, as if to create more of a distance. With this in mind, Coral resorting to narrating the story of her grief as a collective, existential We makes sense.
For me, Venita Blackburn accomplishes something with this book that other authors I’ve read this year were not able to. I think in another author’s hands, Coral could have easily irritated me with her questionable actions. But with Blackburn, I never grew frustrated with Coral, I just grew deeper in my understanding. Blackburn also wrote from truth and from pain. Death Valley by Melissa Broder is basically this book’s sister-cousin. Both authors poured their truth with grief and loss onto the page. However, while I enjoyed Death Valley, I ended the book wanting more. With Dead in Long Beach, California, I ended the book having collected what I came for.
Following my reading, I listened to Blackburn’s Kirkus Review interview and was incredibly endeared by her persona, and intrigued by her thoughts on writing. I would like to commune with her more through her other projects.
Some notes: this book teeters the non-ending scale for me, but only because I had some questions that needed answering still. I cried at the ending though, and a book getting me to cry is a good marker for me. Also, I liked the little “cut scenes” if you will where we read Coral’s book. These reminded me of schlocky 80’s sci-fi movies.
I think the best way to approach this book is with an open mind, with an interest in varying conventions of form. It’s one I’d recommend.