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

This was a lot. Even after finishing it I'm still not sure I enjoyed this reading experience or even fully understood all of the nuanced discussions around the intersection of racism, sexism, and homophobia. However, I really liked the exploration of anti-Blackness, even from other marginalized groups, and how insidious racism/sexism is. For example, when Leonard first starts dating Mary, his incel-esque behaviour appears to calm down and there is slight growth from him as a character. However, the second he feels slighted, or other characters comment on Mary's behaviour, he suddenly feels the need to reassert his dominance - causing their inevitable breakup and his disgusting comments about her later in the book.

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!