This was an astounding read. It paints a vivid picture of the life in a neighbourhood near me. The descriptions were so strikingly accurate, that I recognized un-named character from the novel as people whom I know (and count among my friends) in real life.
The novel features heavy themes such as child abuse, neglect, poverty, racism, and the police. But, so does the neighbourhood. There is an apartment building featured in the novel, which I walk by multiple times a week, and I can only count a handful of times that the cops have not been there. The other themes are vividly present in real life too.
What made the novel so powerful for me was seeing all of this in print, and honoured. It was uncanny read a novel about my home environment. When I talked to some of my friends, who live near by and who had also read it, they said that it really resonated with them too.
I got a copy of this as a welcome back present to work at UTSC.
Published: Apr 18, 2024
Last Modified: Jul 11, 2024
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