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Reading: Excellent & Enlightening
There is an inordinate burden placed on own voices literature. Due to a lack of true representation in the market, these works are expected to portray an entire population accurately (which is of course, impossible). The demands own voices authors face are much higher and the pressure to present the perfect story greater. There There by Tommy Orange fulfills all those demands. That’s why it’s brilliant. Well, that’s one reason of many. Reading most quality novels is like observing a grand metropolis from a great height, you see it all unfold in a magnificent tapestry. Reading this work, however, is like observing that same metropolis from a great height with…
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Reading: Redundant & Repetitive
Full disclosure: I didn’t exactly pick this book. I’ve recently joined a book club (for the first time ever) and this was next on their list. I’ll also admit to initially not recognizing Shirley Jackson’s name. She is, of course, the mind behind one of the most famous short stories of all time—“The Lottery”, a tale that is a masterpiece of gothic horror and social commentary. After realizing who the author was, my expectations definitely changed. This might be unfair to Jackson, but such is our reality, if one produces exceptional work all consequent pieces are measured against it. And for me, “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” did…
