This incredible novel, translated by Bruno Dantas Lobato and published by Charco Press, explores racial relations in Brazil. Though the black experience in Brazil is distinct from that in America I often found it uncanny how similar the situation seemed: the story could easily have unfolded in any-city USA.

The second person narrative is the ‘invented truth’ or the invented ‘memory of you’ as the narrator grieves the death of his father. Along the way the story deals primarily with systemic racism but also with family dynamics, hurt people and their search for happiness, and the daily struggle of walking out the door each morning. The characters attempt to love and be loved, some seriously challenged by their shortcomings, but for me they remained sympathetic.

Though a bleak and sobering story, I found it engaging and challenging, compassionate and frustrated. A wonderful depiction of the often damaging patterns we encounter in ourselves and in society. Highly recommended.

There were no grand discoveries in June, although I did start the Virginie Despentes Vernon Subutex Trilogy, which is enjoyable, and I was inspired by the craft in Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s short story collection, Friday Black. In June I also started alternating between ebooks and real books as I still have over 100 paper books on my to-read shelf, most of which I still plan on getting to. As mentioned in other posts, I have not fully accepted the Kindle experience and still prefer to hold a book in my hands, as well as have them sitting on my shelf for further perusal. But I am committed to this change and will persevere; most of my purchases these days are ebooks.

June STATS in brief: 12 books read (8 in English translation); 3 short story collections; 9 novels; 2871 pages; 5 languages represented; 6 ebooks and 6 real books; authors: 9 male, 4 female; translators: 6 male, 4 female.