ARC gifted by the publisher

A hustler from a family of hustlers, Javier Perez learns from an early age how to play the perfect victim to his advantage—murdered drug dealer dad, single cash-strapped mom, best friend serving time for gang activity. As Javi gets closer to his dream of becoming a famous writer, he continues to walk the line of bending the truth. But when does it become a lie?

VICTIM is an ingenious fiction that examines click-bait media, the responsibility & complicity of readers pigeonholing writers of color for trauma porn, the problems behind "gamifying" diversity programs, and so many other thought-provoking themes perfect for book club discussions.

I particularly loved the inclusion of Latinx characters across class to show the hypocrisy of affluent POCs who have the luxury of philosophical debates while others are just trying to survive and have no time for activism. The analysis on whether one should use their diversity card to their advantage is another interesting angle that will stimulate lots of thoughts.

I don't want to give too much away, but VICTIM is retrospectively written from Javi's POV as a "memoir." I find the whole concept so meta, considering that the different articles Javi has written over his career are hyperfocused on generating sympathy for his own advancement. By the end of the story, I can't help but wonder who VICTIM is truly written for and question whether my empathy for Javi results from narrative manipulation.