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Lakewood is a dark and haunting look at the treatment and perceived value of Black lives in America. I feel that at this point, the comparison of all Black horror media to 'Get Out' feels a little tired, however in this case the comparison is apt. The slow burning, sinister threats that are built up throughout the b00k give similar feelings of unseen dread just out of the corner of your eye, making this a different kind of horror novel -- this book isn't about the monster in the shadows or the killer hiding under the bed.

And, of course, there is real life precedent that blurs the lines of fiction and makes Lakewood an even more unsettling and horrifying read.

If you like clean-cut stories that give you all the answers, Lakewood is probably not the book for you. I really enjoyed the author's writing style, especially as it evolved throughout the book, but I can definitely see it not suiting every reader. Lakewood is an unflinching look at the exploitation of minority and disadvantaged lives in America in a short, but powerful novel.

CW: medical experimentation, some body horror