A review by kawooreads
There There by Tommy Orange

emotional hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

Wow, what a beautiful novel. It definitely hurt my heart to read, but it was such a well-written story about modern Indigenous culture in Oakland, CA. It is told from multiple POVs, and each character is traveling to the Powwow and reflecting on their pasts and what forces are pushing them towards the present. In the process, there is a lot of discussion about indigeneity, tradition, and reclaiming hope and power.  There were times when I was confused about who was who, but the author provides a cast sheet at the beginning that was helpful. The ending had me in its grips! 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings