I have read this book 4 times now, about every five years it seems. Every time I do, it gets harder. Not because it's a bad read, but because it gets more prescient everytime. More suffocating. Less fiction. Closer.

Hopefully in another five I'll even want to read it again.

I appreciate the poignancy of this book and the memories he chose to speak about. I think the approach from a middle-class perspective probably makes it more palatable to a wider group (see: whites), and I think it benefits from removing poverty as an axis of inequality when so many still believe that wealth is an issue of morality.

In this world, where everyone is under the boot of hegemonic structure, it's so important to be reminded the system doesn't issue its violence equally continues to be built on a legacy of dehumanization and commoditificaton of the black body more than most. This feels like it gets forgotten a lot in neoliberal identity politics.

I love all the extra mythology pulled in to flesh out the world, and I really enjoyed the chemistry of the romance but damn if it isn't at least 30% too long.

I actually really liked St. Cyprian and the whole premise for this novel. I weirdly think the romance was an unnecessary plot contrivance and that the love interest had all the personality and development development of a soggy piece of bread -- milquetoast if you will. All I can tell you about him is that he's a healer, farmer, and likes/ wants to protect the main character.

I think our main character will probably be devicisive to people. She's a bit over the top independent girl boss. But I think it works well with the themes of letting others in and learning vulnerability.

This whole novel works so much better if you imagine our main group as 19-23 year olds and not adults nearing their 30s. It was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed allowing myself to lean in to what ultimately felt like hella Buffy vibes.

One of the most inspired books for creatives. Society has made us fear don't things we don't think we prepared or equipped for and it's so common to be so afraid of failure that things never start. Nothing you enjoy or learn from its wasted; just start.