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A review by b_carlson
Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
<REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS>
This is a gorgeous yet confronting book of survival as a black teen living in America. I am not black but reading it I felt like I, at least in theory, understood the feeling of being robbed of a choice. Sometimes people have to make choices they don't really have a choice in. The rawness of Kiara's need to survive, top carry the whole world on her back, made me feel like she was standing there in my living room, close enough for me to reach out and take her hand and say "tell me more". This story explored power dynamics in such a real way, it wasn't white washed, it didn't build some fake reality where the young black girl wins going up against the police force, but it did provide a reality in which black joy can co-exist with black trauma. Being white and reading this book makes me feel like there is a core that I can't see, I can read it but I can't see it, I can't feel it, and I think that's how it should be. I felt moved and angry after finishing this book but I think if a black person were to read it they would take away just a little bit of something that white people could never touch and I think that takes an incredible amount of skill from Mottley, to connect with both of those audiences in the way they need to be connected with by using the exact same set of words. I can't believe this way a debut, the writing style and the realness of the characters, none were two dimensional was something I rarely see in a debut novel. The way the story was strung together, I felt a stirring in my chest and a sickness in my stomach but also a lightness in my heart for Kiara still being able to find joy in the end. To be able to actually make me, a reader, have that physical, real reaction to the story being told, that's when you know it is a job well done. This is a rare and unique read.
This is a gorgeous yet confronting book of survival as a black teen living in America. I am not black but reading it I felt like I, at least in theory, understood the feeling of being robbed of a choice. Sometimes people have to make choices they don't really have a choice in. The rawness of Kiara's need to survive, top carry the whole world on her back, made me feel like she was standing there in my living room, close enough for me to reach out and take her hand and say "tell me more". This story explored power dynamics in such a real way, it wasn't white washed, it didn't build some fake reality where the young black girl wins going up against the police force, but it did provide a reality in which black joy can co-exist with black trauma. Being white and reading this book makes me feel like there is a core that I can't see, I can read it but I can't see it, I can't feel it, and I think that's how it should be. I felt moved and angry after finishing this book but I think if a black person were to read it they would take away just a little bit of something that white people could never touch and I think that takes an incredible amount of skill from Mottley, to connect with both of those audiences in the way they need to be connected with by using the exact same set of words. I can't believe this way a debut, the writing style and the realness of the characters, none were two dimensional was something I rarely see in a debut novel. The way the story was strung together, I felt a stirring in my chest and a sickness in my stomach but also a lightness in my heart for Kiara still being able to find joy in the end. To be able to actually make me, a reader, have that physical, real reaction to the story being told, that's when you know it is a job well done. This is a rare and unique read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Murder, Addiction, Drug use, and Self harm