Sunday Books & Culture
This week’s reviews include local author Justin Marlowe’s debut memoir “Perfect Strangers” and Loise Erdrich’s latest novel “The Mighty Red.”
Books & Culture is edited by Vanessa Sekinger
PERFECT STRANGERS: Echoes of a Black Suburban Youth
By Justin Marlowe
Published by The Empowered Press (August 27, 2024)
Paperback $17.99
Visit the author at the Fredericksburg Food Coop on January 18th 3-4 pm
Reviewed by Vanessa Sekinger
A few weeks ago, I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting Justin Marlowe at a networking event for the FXBG Advance. As we exchanged introductions, Justin paused and asked if I was a teacher. After a few moments of reflection, we realized that I was, in fact, his 10th-grade English teacher. What followed was a welcome conversation about the memories we shared from two decades ago, as well as Justin’s recent literary endeavors. He mentioned that he had recently published his memoir, Perfect Strangers, and was working on fiction as well.
In his debut memoir, Perfect Strangers, Marlowe offers an introspective and candid account of his journey toward self-discovery. The memoir traces his early years across several locations, beginning in Germany before moving to Louisiana and eventually landing in Stafford, Virginia. Each geographic transition not only shapes Marlowe’s identity but also serves as a backdrop for his reflection on race, class, and the challenges of growing up. Through poignant storytelling, he paints a detailed picture of his life’s formative experiences, blending personal anecdotes with historical context. This interplay between individual narrative and broader societal themes gives the memoir depth.
Marlowe’s examination of race and identity is particularly powerful. His reflections on the intersections of pop culture, sports, civil rights, and racial discrimination are thoughtfully woven into the fabric of his life. These reflections offer readers a window into how race and class influence the way we see ourselves and others, making the memoir not just a personal history but also a broader commentary on society.
At its center, Perfect Strangers is a memoir of self-discovery. Marlowe’s search for identity (one shaped by the various cultures, social environments, and relationships he navigates) becomes a relatable journey for anyone who has ever grappled with questions of who they are and where they belong. Through his reflective narration, he provides ample space for readers to connect with the universal themes of intimacy, trust, self-discovery, and self-acceptance.
To hear from the author, come to the Fredericksburg Food Coop on January 18, 2025 from 3-4pm.
Vanessa Sekinger is the editor of the Books and Culture page and loves to read, spend time with family, laugh, and be outside.
THE MIGHTY RED
By Loise Erdrich
Published by Harper (October 1, 2024)
Paperback $19.99
Audiobook $14.99
Reviewed by Ashley Riggleson
Since I read The Plague of Doves a few years ago, Pulitzer Prize winning author Louise Erdrich’s books have become must-reads for me. So, when I learned that her new book The Mighty Red was available for review, I requested it from the publisher, synopsis unseen. I did not regret my decision! Erdrich’s immense powers as a storyteller are—once again—on full display.
As the novel opens, we meet Crystal, an indigenous woman of Ojibwe descent living in North Dakota who makes ends meet as a truck driver transporting sugar beets. Crystal struggles financially, but her resourcefulness has paid off over the years. She owns a small, if dilapidated house, where she has raised her daughter Kismet.
The Mighty Red is more than the story of a single family, however. Instead Erdrich begins, in the opening chapters of this novel, to draw a portrait of a declining farm community and the vibrant, if flawed, people that live there. And readers soon meet two young men, Gary and Hugo, who are competing for Kismet’s affections.
Initially Kismet seems quite vulnerable. Gary, for reasons to be revealed later, feels he must wed her at all costs, and despite multiple refusals, he continues to pursue Kismet with single-minded determination. Erdrich skillfully creates tension around this relationship as readers sense in Gary an undercurrent of violence.
Meanwhile, Hugo, a highly intelligent and sensitive boy, plans to make big money working a dangerous job in the oil fields. Once he is wealthy enough, he hopes he and Kismet can build their own life together.
So, it is both surprising and unsurprising that Kismet marries Gary, who shows a desperate need for her. It soon becomes clear, however, that a trauma has impacted the entire family, and readers watch as Kismet is abused by her husband and in-laws. Without a car, she is trapped on their homestead and subjected to Gary’s volatile nature. As the story progresses, however, readers soon begin to see Kismet’s indomitable spirit, as she proves herself to be a kind, determined, hardworking, and resilient young woman.
As time passes, it is Kismet’s persistence that drives the story forward as Erdrich explores the trauma that has impacted not only Gary, but a whole community. And as we learn more about the past that Gary, his family, and the town are trying to escape, readers also see Kismet come into her own.
Erdrich’s incandescent characters make up the heart of this story, but it is worth noting that the land around them is a character too. And Erdrich uses this backdrop to show how the industrial cultivation of sugar beets, though vital to the local economy, slowly destroys the soil. And yet, it is also clear that all is not lost, and Erdrich has penned a novel that is, above all, about survival.
That said, I would be remiss if I did not point out that I had some difficulty getting into the novel at first. Its structure is quite fragmented, and Erdrich switches perspectives often. For this reason, I initially found it difficult to understand the setting and characters. But this problem quickly resolved itself as I progressed in the novel, and now The Mighty Red has become one of my favorite recently published books. Although award season has passed and many other very deserving books have been recognized, The Mighty Red is well worth a read. Indeed, this challenging yet rewarding novel reminds me why I like to read in the first place, and I am sure The Mighty Red will continue to astound readers in the new year.
Ashley Riggleson is a free-lance book reviewer from Rappahannock County. When she is not reading or writing book reviews, she can usually be found playing with her pets, listening to podcasts, or watching television with friends and family.
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