A review by imanisun
Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst

4.0

It took me a while to finish this one (as an audiobook). I have mostly good things to say and overall I am really happy that I read it. Mickey's struggles, as a young queer Black media professional who experiences "subtle" anti-Blackness in her workplace is Relatable and important. Perhaps more central to the story is her figuring out why becoming "somebody" is even important to her at all and her journey back home and to a former flame, helps her realize this as a question she must ask. One of my main issues with the book is related to that; I kind of felt like I didn't really know or understand what Mickey got out of her return home or

Spoiler

hooking up with

her old fuckgurl flame. Of course, as this is perhaps best described as a hyper-realistic novel, it is unreasonable to believe that Mickey would have this perfect realization about her life, status-seeking, and the industry. But throughout the length of her stay back home, I kept wondering when she would return to NYC, back to her life. Not only did I find those parts more interesting, by the end of the book I wished that Mickey had spent less time with her grandma and spent more time exploring why and how the media industry had affected her so much. On a positive note, I thought the writing was really good (albeit, I thought some of the parts were overly long) and it is a standout in terms of crafting realistic dialogue. I also appreciated that the author complicated the common "return home to be rejuvenated" trope. I do look forward to seeing what else this author has in store for us.