Book Review: The Removed by Brandon Hobson

The Removed: A Novel by Brandon Hobson

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

This book has: multiple viewpoints, supernatural, mentions of graphic violence, family dynamics/drama, mentions and themes of drug use/addiction and suicide

Page Count: 270 (Penguin Random House Hardcover Edition)

My rating: 3/5

Synopsis: Fifteen years ago, the Echota family lost their son and brother Ray-Ray to police brutality. Now, after all these years, the family is still learning how to process their grief. As the anniversary of his death approaches, the family prepares for their annual bonfire in Ray-Ray's honor. Maria and Ernest, the loving parents, find themselves facing another rough year without their son until they temporarily foster a young boy who reminds them of the son they had lost. Sonja, the eldest child, lives a solitary life, seeking comfort in the arms of younger men. And Edgar, the youngest, has fled home and uses drugs as a way to mute and distance himself from reality which only leads him to the Darkening Land, a place between the living and the dead after a suicide attempt.

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The Removed was an intriguing novel with nicely incorporated Native American themes. I was drawn to this book because of the supernatural and spiritual elements that Hobson integrated throughout. It gave me a chance to learn more about a history and a culture that I feel isn't spoken about enough or taught about much in schools. Richly laced with grief and the spiritual energy, the Echota family presented the ways that mourning can manifest in a family, even after so much time has passed. Hobson nicely worked showed the way that people can be drawn together and torn apart by a loss, especially of someone so young in the family.

Interwoven throughout the book are the voices of their ancestors. There are several chapters from a character named Tsala, an ancestor who gives perspective to the evil that was the Trail of Tears as well as telling Native American myths. I enjoyed this aspect of the book and would have honestly liked to see it a bit more throughout the book. Having said this, I would have also liked to see the Cherokee elements brought forth more in the main characters. There is mention of the superstitions revolving around an owl that is constantly present, but that's about it. Having these deep roots only becomes relevant when something (like the owl) comes up. Edgar, who is lost in the Darkening World, seems to be the only character who is immersed in the culture.

I really liked the different dynamics that this book had to offer. There were lots of fantastic ideas, but I don't feel like they were done justice? It would have been nice to see things fleshed out a bit more. Being under 300 pages, I feel Hobson had the room to explore these themes. Edgar's relationship with drugs and the people around him is a fascinating plot device and it would have been nice to see if it was delved into a bit more. The same can be said for Sonja and her precarious behaviors with men, especially with what starts off as stalking her most recent love interest. This in itself probably could have made a complex book, but felt glazed over.

And most importantly, the topic of police brutality. This is such a prevalent topic in our word right now, especially for people of color, and I strongly feel like this was skipped over. It's mentioned that Ray-Ray is shot by a racist cop and that's it. That's the extent. The cop is a minor character in the book who has minimal interaction with the family members near the end of the book. It would have been nice to see the family follow the case, or about other cases in town that might have been similar or even if one or more of the family members attended a support group. I know this was not the focus of the book, but it could have been an excellent opportunity for Hobson to speak on the social injustices.

Overall, this was an enjoyable quick read and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a novel with elements of Native American myth and lore. This would also be a really good book for a book club not only for its speedy read, but also for the debates that this piece might inspire. And if not debates than at least a healthy discussion on the familiar relationships and the grief that I feel a lot of people might be able to relate to.