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A review by natyweiss
The Removed by Brandon Hobson
4.0
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for honest review
Maria and Ernest, a cherokee couple from Quah, Oklahoma, are fostering a 12 years old cherokee boy. Fifteen years earlier their son Ray-Ray was shot in the chest by a police officer after what seemed to be an altercation with two other men. Every year, the Echota family reunites to honor Ray- Ray with a ritual campfire.
The youngest son of the couple (Edgar) is living in New Mexico. He is an addict that refuses to seek help. He starts his own trip to the Darkening Land, the place where the souls go according to a cherokee legend. Sonja, their daughter is obsessed with a man that she hardly knows and turns out to be pretty different from what she imagined. The parents, are not sure if they will be able to reunite the family for this year's campfire.
When the foster boy arrives, Maria and Ernest can't help to be deeply moved by the similarities between him and the disappeared Ray Ray. Ernest, who suffers from Alzheimer's, starts to recover his memories. But he is also convinced that the Great Spirit sent their son back to them in another form. Soon enough, he is not the only one who believes that Ray- Ray is back, in some way or another.
The story is told by multiple narrators, so we have many storylines in parallel to the main plot, full of magic and beautiful legends about grief, anger and the supernatural.
The book is deeply moving and beautifully written. The language feels very lyrical.
Highly recommend it for those who like science fiction and folklore.
Maria and Ernest, a cherokee couple from Quah, Oklahoma, are fostering a 12 years old cherokee boy. Fifteen years earlier their son Ray-Ray was shot in the chest by a police officer after what seemed to be an altercation with two other men. Every year, the Echota family reunites to honor Ray- Ray with a ritual campfire.
The youngest son of the couple (Edgar) is living in New Mexico. He is an addict that refuses to seek help. He starts his own trip to the Darkening Land, the place where the souls go according to a cherokee legend. Sonja, their daughter is obsessed with a man that she hardly knows and turns out to be pretty different from what she imagined. The parents, are not sure if they will be able to reunite the family for this year's campfire.
When the foster boy arrives, Maria and Ernest can't help to be deeply moved by the similarities between him and the disappeared Ray Ray. Ernest, who suffers from Alzheimer's, starts to recover his memories. But he is also convinced that the Great Spirit sent their son back to them in another form. Soon enough, he is not the only one who believes that Ray- Ray is back, in some way or another.
The story is told by multiple narrators, so we have many storylines in parallel to the main plot, full of magic and beautiful legends about grief, anger and the supernatural.
The book is deeply moving and beautifully written. The language feels very lyrical.
Highly recommend it for those who like science fiction and folklore.