A review by robertrivasplata
My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Short story collection with titular novella. Most of these stories (including My Monticello) are about their black protagonists proving to themselves and to the world that they belong to America, and America belongs to them. Protagonists finally releasing some bit of inwardly-directed rage feature in the twist endings of a few of these short stories. I did not see the twist coming in Control Negro, but I did in Something Sweet on Our Tongues. My Monticello is kind of like Dawn of the Dead where instead of zombies, history is reanimated. Or maybe it’s like Parable of the Sower meets Night at the Museum. It explores some of the questions and feelings I often have about historical sites and museums, such as: “how would I live here, if I had to?” and “is this position defensible with a small group of defenders?” Despite being a history guy, I’ve never had an urge to visit Monticello, but now I am kind of interested, if only so that I can picture the story better. I could see My Monticello being adapted into a movie or streaming series, but I feel like moviemakers of the present moment aren’t up to the task. I feel like Knox and Da’Naisha underrated their chances of beating the chuds; heavily armed as they are, those guys are only playing at being an army, and it’s not like they have artillery. It might not take more than a couple of the lost cause re-enactors getting domed for the rest to lose their nerve. Sun Tzu would probably say that the impossibility of either escape or surrender would give Da’Naisha and her band of survivors an additional advantage over the white supremacists. (Sun Tzu would probably next advise them to concentrate on being unknowable, or something). Really great dollar store find!