Writers of Color Book Club discussion

In this discussion thread, we will be looking at the third section of the novel (269-308!)

Looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts!

(view spoiler)[ so when I read this book and got to the end! I was a bit miffed by the shocking conclusion of Boy's dad actually being her mom. As I looked through the comments/reviews for the book, I noticed people getting upset because they said that Oyeyemi handled transgendered characters poorly in the book. However, for me, I interpreted the dad being the mom as a showing of a character with multiple personality syndrome. Yet, others have referenced the whole viewing of mirrors throughout the book as the character being transgendered. So I was wondering what you all thought. (hide spoiler)]

I just finished and I feel a bit short-changed! I think this novel is a first draft of something that had the potential to be amazing. I was a bit underwhelmed at the big reveal. (view spoiler)[ The fact that Frank was really Frances explained nothing, ADDED NOTHING to the character, much less the fact that s/he was a brutal psycho. The only reason I could think of him being so abusive toward Boy was the fact that she was a rape baby. (hide spoiler)]

It also felt like Snow ended up being a side character, with no real significance. I wanted her to be downright pissed at Boy for sending her away and come back with a vengeance -- or something!

Ah Lynecia! So you've made it to the end of this craptastic book have you! Smh I got to the end and was pissed. I don't know if she thought she was being "literary" with that ending or what, but that was just a hot ___ mess! I wanted so much more and couldn't figure out why everyone and there mom had to get into the car just to go confront the dad/mom. I just....smh...I just want and explanation from Oyeyemi. My feelings are all the way hurt.

Me too! Explain yourself, Ms. Oyeyemi! What gives? What just happened? I need answers!

I gave it 3 stars because I did enjoy the writing at times, but I wasn't impressed with the story. And I'm shocked really. I WANTED TO LIKE THIS BOOK! This is one of the most celebrated young authors. Perhaps this particular book isn't for me. I still want to read "The Icarus Girl" - have you read it? Has anyone read it?
I'm so glad I'm on a no-buy right now - I'd have went and dropped $20 on this (it's still in hardcover) and would have been so pissed. Besides the reviews I seen weren't too favorable, either.

Lynecia wrote: "Me too! Explain yourself, Ms. Oyeyemi! What gives? What just happened? I need answers!

I gave it 3 stars because I did enjoy the writing at times, but I wasn't impressed with the story. And I'm sh..."

Amen all around! Nope this was my first Oyeyemi book and it was a highly anticipated release for me. I'm saddened it didn't live up to the hype I gave it. I want to read Mr. Fox next. I've recently just looked up her work so I'll have to get deeper into her work to really know what I think of her.

Here's an interesting profile of Oyeyemi on NPR.org; it touches on elements of the book, but mostly on Ms. O herself and her career:
http://www.npr.org/2014/03/07/2820654...

I'm glad other people have finished so I can also weigh in on the end...I was really, really underwhelmed by the last section! I really enjoyed the book overall, but then the last section rushed through so much and then it just ended so fast!

I was wondering if you guys also found it weird how the beginning of sections started with uncapitalized first words? I didnt understand that at all...

Yea I noticed that too, re: the uncapitalized words and they were also in italics. I'm guessing it was a design element?

Thanks for the link Lynecia!

I feel like this book was set up in such a way to be more "deep" than it actually was. The story suffered from poor editing in my opinion. The lower case letters at start of chapters reminded me of Assata when she kept misspelling America and using a lower case i when speaking about herself. Smh I dislike when authors use random changes to grammar or spelling it's always this random unnecessary mystery to me that feels like a gimmick to add more mystery where none was needed.

I finished this evening. I was also disappointed in the ending. I really liked the first part of the book. I thought the writing was great and the author did an excellent job of building tension, but none of the tension paid off satisfactorily. The end reveal was not at all what I expected from the rat catcher's story, and wasn't what I wanted either.

I still gave the book three stars because I felt the beginning and the writing merited it, but yeah, like the rest of you I'm disappointed in the ending. I think this book could have been much better than it was.

I'm not sure what the mirrors meant at the end of the day (view spoiler)[the transgender thing at the end really threw me. I'm not sure how to interpret that with respect to the mirrors. I'm still inclined towards my original interpretation with the mirrors playing into beauty standards. Possibly how being a beautiful woman makes people see you as an object rather than a person, but I'm not sure. (hide spoiler)]