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elliott_roi 's review for:
The Sleeping Car Porter
by Suzette Mayr
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Sleeping Car Porter was a beautiful story that will stay with me for a long time.
The main character, Baxter, was so compelling and I was rooting for him from the start. I was intrigued by his fascination with dentistry, with sci-fi stories, and with the secret trysts he has with other men during a time when such a thing is illegal and dangerous.
The other characters were equally compelling. Many of the scenes with Esme brought me to tears. And I was fascinated to see glimpses into the lives of such an eclectic group of people, all filtered through Baxter's unique point of view.
I also loved how the author captured the claustrophobia and sleeplessness of the car porter occupation. I became interested in this topic when I learned about it from Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard, and I appreciated this fictional, but well-researched, telling of the life of a queer, Black car porter.
And it's always interesting to read a story set in Canada. There's something special about stories set close to home and I appreciated the perspectives that often go untold.
This book is on the shorter side, at around 200 pages, and the author doesn't waste a word of it. I read through this in a day and was riveted from the start. I definitely recommend this book!
The main character, Baxter, was so compelling and I was rooting for him from the start. I was intrigued by his fascination with dentistry, with sci-fi stories, and with the secret trysts he has with other men during a time when such a thing is illegal and dangerous.
The other characters were equally compelling. Many of the scenes with Esme brought me to tears. And I was fascinated to see glimpses into the lives of such an eclectic group of people, all filtered through Baxter's unique point of view.
I also loved how the author captured the claustrophobia and sleeplessness of the car porter occupation. I became interested in this topic when I learned about it from Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard, and I appreciated this fictional, but well-researched, telling of the life of a queer, Black car porter.
And it's always interesting to read a story set in Canada. There's something special about stories set close to home and I appreciated the perspectives that often go untold.
This book is on the shorter side, at around 200 pages, and the author doesn't waste a word of it. I read through this in a day and was riveted from the start. I definitely recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Vomit, Outing
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity