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A review by waywardtrekkie
Reprieve by James Han Mattson
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As well with Jaidee, he initially gets on with Bryan, until he becomes personally slighted and offended and his anti-Blackness becomes very apparent. I thought these were really good explorations of the nuance of race and sex and how quickly people can become radicalized.
Where I maybe struggled with putting things together is with the situation with Kendra, Bryan, and John. Are we to think that John had been planning what happened with Kendra and Bryan in mind since he first saw them? It felt like almost everyone was in on it. Very Get Out vibes at this house. Everyone felt manipulative. I'm still not sure how he thought what he orchestrated would pay off... This part is difficult for me to grasp the reasoning behind it.
Where I really think this book excels though is how Jaidee and Leonard navigate relationships. They are so uncomfortable and fetishist and I felt so horrible for the woman in Thailand those scenes made me viscerally uncomfortable.
At the end of the day I think I enjoyed this? I'm still confused about what was going on with Victor when he taught in Thailand. Was he drunk? On drugs? Anyways.
Very interesting novel and I can't wait to see what James publishes next!