A review by purplemuskogee
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I found this novel enjoyable and frustrating at the same time. We follow a young woman, Tassie, as she babysits for a wealthy white couple who are fostering a mixed race infant. She also goes to college, meets a young man who lies about his nationality and motives. She seems to err through life with... no purpose, and a lot of the novel felt that way, aimless. The writing was beautiful and I enjoyed some of the comments, the irony around the white couple who seems so sure they are the best equipped to raise a little girl who's already had several foster families, despite the terrible secret they keep. But when the novel ended I felt it was lacking something. I wasn't completely sure what Moore was trying to say and where she went with it.