erika_reynolds20 's review for:

The Removed by Brandon Hobson

4.0

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This book was not what I was expecting after reading the summary, even though the summary does a good job of hitting the main points of the story. I thought the book would spend more time detailing life before Ray-Ray was killed and wrestle more with police brutality, but the story is told well without those elements. The focus is on the Echota family 15 years after Ray-Ray’s death and how they all have struggled but managed to continue living life. This is a beautiful and haunting story, but I knocked it a star because the Tsala chapters were confusing to me. I have no prior knowledge of Cherokee heritage and myths, so it took me awhile to figure out how Tsala fit into the narrative, but that is my own lack of knowledge and not necessarily an issue with the book. I enjoy books that teach me about other cultures and perspectives, and this one achieved that.