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A review by fleshcladmonster
The Removed by Brandon Hobson
5.0
I've been craving a book like this - a book filled to the brim with Native lore. Aside from Ernest (whose perspective we never read from,) all of the characters are pretty well developed.
Edgar, the youngest sibling, is a drug addict. Drug usage isn’t romanticized and addiction is touched on in a very real way. It isn’t overly elaborate, but it’s enough to make it clear that addiction does not make you a bad person even if it causes bad choices.
Sonja, the eldest sister, is definitely a strong female character. She is unabashed about sexuality and has no desire to be in a committed relationship. She does have some creeper vibes that threw me off a little bit, but it’s acknowledged in the book.
Maria, the mother, has a lot of mental health issues that are brought up early on and addressed in a positive way. They are not hidden or romanticized.
Other things to note that are pretty obvious once you’ve read it - some gay rep that wasn’t overly prominent as a plot device, blatant racism against Natives (and brown skinned people as a whole,) and police violence. The racism is a hide part of the narrative and police violence plays into that. It’s the whole beginning of the trauma the Echota family experiences.
Overall, the writing was beautiful and easy to read. I found it compelling and every time I set this book down I couldn't stop thinking about it. There are so many layers to this story - mythology combined with present day. There were plot twists that I wasn't expecting and some that I did. I would absolutely read this again and I look forward to reading other works by Hobson.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Edgar, the youngest sibling, is a drug addict. Drug usage isn’t romanticized and addiction is touched on in a very real way. It isn’t overly elaborate, but it’s enough to make it clear that addiction does not make you a bad person even if it causes bad choices.
Sonja, the eldest sister, is definitely a strong female character. She is unabashed about sexuality and has no desire to be in a committed relationship. She does have some creeper vibes that threw me off a little bit, but it’s acknowledged in the book.
Maria, the mother, has a lot of mental health issues that are brought up early on and addressed in a positive way. They are not hidden or romanticized.
Other things to note that are pretty obvious once you’ve read it - some gay rep that wasn’t overly prominent as a plot device, blatant racism against Natives (and brown skinned people as a whole,) and police violence. The racism is a hide part of the narrative and police violence plays into that. It’s the whole beginning of the trauma the Echota family experiences.
Overall, the writing was beautiful and easy to read. I found it compelling and every time I set this book down I couldn't stop thinking about it. There are so many layers to this story - mythology combined with present day. There were plot twists that I wasn't expecting and some that I did. I would absolutely read this again and I look forward to reading other works by Hobson.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.