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A review by okiecozyreader
Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
In the author’s note, Leila Mottley writes that when she was a teenager a story broke how members of the Oakland Police Dept and several others participated in the sexual exploitation of a young woman and tried to cover it up. She says she was 17 and “contemplating what it meant to be vulnerable, unprotected and unseen.”
Kiera and her brother Marcus are living in an East Oakland run-down apartment complex while the rent keeps going up astronomically. Marcus is trying to make it as a music star and Kiara is just trying to make rent, even if it involves relationships with men who take advantage of her by Nightcrawling.
Such a tough read but she definitely tells the story of these women for these women.
“I am telling her how these streets open us up and remove the part of us most worth keeping: the child left in us.” P267
“Number one rule about entering somewhere you not supposed to enter us don't never guestion none of it. Don't ask nothing and don't act like you don't know what you doing because that'll land you right where you don't wanna be.” P235
“That was before I learned that life won't give you reasons for none of it, that sometimes fathers disappear and little girls don't make it to another birthday and mothers forget to be mothers." P81
Kiera and her brother Marcus are living in an East Oakland run-down apartment complex while the rent keeps going up astronomically. Marcus is trying to make it as a music star and Kiara is just trying to make rent, even if it involves relationships with men who take advantage of her by Nightcrawling.
Such a tough read but she definitely tells the story of these women for these women.
“I am telling her how these streets open us up and remove the part of us most worth keeping: the child left in us.” P267
“Number one rule about entering somewhere you not supposed to enter us don't never guestion none of it. Don't ask nothing and don't act like you don't know what you doing because that'll land you right where you don't wanna be.” P235
“That was before I learned that life won't give you reasons for none of it, that sometimes fathers disappear and little girls don't make it to another birthday and mothers forget to be mothers." P81
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Vomit, Child death, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Gun violence, and Sexual assault