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vonni's review against another edition
I took issue with the author, characters, and details of the subject matter.
Potential minor spoilers:
The author of this book is a non-Black British man, all of the main characters are white. All of them. Yet the main subject matter of the novel is appropriation and racist attitudes toward Black culture and Black people in America. It feels ironic to an insulting degree that Black people are mystical plot devices and background set pieces for a story supposedly critical of white privilege. There are no non-white characters for at least 50% of the book that are active participants in the story.
Somewhat frustrating but not on the same degree of irritation, the main characters are all really unlikeable. The narrator feels shame for the position of privilege he is by association with his wealthy, racist friends. He occasionally muses on how ignorant they are towards the irony of their love for Black culture and counter culture, but are living off of riches produced from real estate and the prison industrial complex. Seth is not compelling and had not yet to the point i reached in this book challenged anyone on their hypocrisy. Internally, he'll ponder it but quickly make excuses on their behalves.
It is especially frustrating to read *as* a queer Black biracial person who grew up in a predominantly white, mostly rural, region and has had a lifetime of experiences with microaggressions and outright racism. This book isn't for me. Maybe it will be eye opening for other readers, but I'm not the audience.
Potential minor spoilers:
The author of this book is a non-Black British man, all of the main characters are white. All of them. Yet the main subject matter of the novel is appropriation and racist attitudes toward Black culture and Black people in America. It feels ironic to an insulting degree that Black people are mystical plot devices and background set pieces for a story supposedly critical of white privilege. There are no non-white characters for at least 50% of the book that are active participants in the story.
Somewhat frustrating but not on the same degree of irritation, the main characters are all really unlikeable. The narrator feels shame for the position of privilege he is by association with his wealthy, racist friends. He occasionally muses on how ignorant they are towards the irony of their love for Black culture and counter culture, but are living off of riches produced from real estate and the prison industrial complex. Seth is not compelling and had not yet to the point i reached in this book challenged anyone on their hypocrisy. Internally, he'll ponder it but quickly make excuses on their behalves.
It is especially frustrating to read *as* a queer Black biracial person who grew up in a predominantly white, mostly rural, region and has had a lifetime of experiences with microaggressions and outright racism. This book isn't for me. Maybe it will be eye opening for other readers, but I'm not the audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Police brutality
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