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Where the Dead Sit Talking
May 2023: Indigenous
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Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson - 2 stars (Subdue)
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I wasn't a fan. I gave it 3 stars.
I think it also suffered from how much I enjoyed my previous book for indigenous (Indian Horse), and this one just isn't in the same league IMO.
I would agree with you there. I read There There shortly before this one and while I know many people didn't like it, I loved it and it did bring down my rating.I think that there is just better reading to be had.
I just finished this one, too. I agree- this was a struggle just to finish. The writing style was hard to appreciate.
Booknblues wrote: "I would agree with you there. I read There There shortly before this one and while I know many people didn't like it, I loved it and it did bring down my rating...."I very much enjoyed There, There too
Tracy wrote: "I just finished this one, too. I agree- this was a struggle just to finish. The writing style was hard to appreciate."If I hadn't been reading it for Subdue, I would have DNF'd.
Sequoyah is a fifteen-year-old of Cherokee heritage. He is placed in foster care due to his mother’s imprisonment on drug charges. His foster parents are currently fostering Rosemary (17) and George (13). As the book opens, Sequoyah states he has witnessed the death of Rosemary, and then narrates how it transpired. Both Rosemary (of Kiowa heritage) and Charles (smart but socially awkward) have their own issues stemming from traumas. Agnes and Harold are well meaning but they are not able to handle three teens with significant emotional issues. Sequoyah develops a near obsession with Rosemary and is also exploring his gender identity.
The book is told in fragments. Little happens for much of the novel, other than everyday life, such as going to a movie or the dentist or playing a game. It is not what I would call a story and part of what I look for in my reading is great storytelling. It is more of a psychological study of a troubled teen, where he is often confused, obsessed with death, and thinking violent thoughts. Sequoyah is an unreliable narrator, and his recounting of events implies dark undercurrents, but it all seems very ambiguous. I have read one other book by Hobson, and I was not overly enthused by it, either. I think this is a case where the author’s style does not match my personal taste.