Reviews

In Bryan Washington’s novel Family Meal, food is the simulacra, the ultimate symbol, of intimacy and well-being. And, these characters are defined by extremes — the feast and the fast. 

Love simply isn’t the fairy tale we were promised as children. The Disneyfication of “true love” amplified the idea of happily ever after as an effortless union of Prince and Princess. But in reality, if you’re running home at midnight and losing a shoe, you’re probably drunk…or escaping a predator.

The book is, in its way, something offered to all those left still mentally or spiritually “hungry” from the COVID-19 experience.

Perhaps that’s the point; perhaps the novel’s title truly is a simple condemnation of men in general. But what about the women?

Themes of loss, absence, and time passing become more prevalent, and the poetic exploration of travel, civic space, and geography feature more frequently.

… Perhaps this was Fabre’s ultimate intention, to leave us with just a bit of light in order to interpret the shadows.

Beer-Breath Kisses is a homecoming story and McKinney brings us along for the ride, to witness the past and to honor those who are no longer here. When the ride ends, the words linger, asking readers to remember the stories of those who came from a small town where the Earth is red.

Maame is successful for its engagement with topical subject matters that tackle topics of identity and mental health.