3.5 stars.

As representation for a specific way of life (lgbtq, poor, and white in the South) it’s an eye-opening read, but I felt like the political/personal-identity themes were more than a little heavy-handed — lots of sharp one-liners, almost- and actual arguments, really blunt symbolism, though there are a lot of nuances represented. Ruth is self-identified homoromantic demisexual, out and proud; her brother Saul is gay and vivacious but otherwise pretty normal; Ramona herself initially identifies as a lesbian and so struggles with labels as she finds herself attracted to a male childhood best friend. There’s reflection on race and socioeconomic class, some good Southern values (neighborly hospitality and strong community); the reviews led me to expect more of an emphasis on Ramona’s swimming, so I was slightly disappointed despite knowing logically that this was probably the best balance with everything else going on in this novel.

A handful of lines made me stop and savor, though none really led me to think differently. Appreciate my privilege and consider another perspective, yes; radically alter my worldview, no.