Prize Readers discussion

Where the Dead Sit Talking

Just started this today on audio, and I'm pretty riveted so far. Strong narrative voice, great reader, simple but compelling story so far. Loving it!

I really liked this a lot. A lot of people find the main character's actions to be really strange, but I felt like they were the actions of someone who was desperate for some sort of connection, who wanted to know what it was like to be someone else.

Finished this tonight. I liked Sequoya as a character, though I found some of his thoughts/fantasies pretty disturbing. Also, I blame Mr. Troutt and his BS bookie gig for what happened to Rosemary.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have finished this book.
And this is one of the books where I have mixed feeling which makes it hard for me to rate.
I can see the appeal of this story and issues that it raised and the writing was straight forward. But the storyline itself was okay for me - maybe I have read several stories that are similar and maybe it is the coming of age storyline (which is not a favorite of mine).

I can see how this could be a strong contender to win (the only one on the shortlist that I have not yet read so far is The Great Believer - which I hope to start later this week).

"Every book is not for everyone, but every book is for someone"

I am very mixed on this book as well. My biggest problem was with the behavior and fantasies of Sequoya. Too much stalking: too many misogynistic thoughts. Introductory creative writing classes teach this habit from young male writers and those writers then have to be more creative to incorporate such ideas into books. Somehow that didn't happen here. In a year of #metoo, I was uncomortable reading this, and think the NBA made an error by including the book.

Sam wrote: "I am very mixed on this book as well. My biggest problem was with the behavior and fantasies of Sequoya. Too much stalking: too many misogynistic thoughts. Introductory creative writing classes tea..."

Sam -

You bring up an interesting point regarding the misogynistic thoughts. I did find them unsettling, especially the violent thoughts - so quickly read past those.

I wasn't sure why they were included besides to add to the weirdest that existed in the small town.

I am always curious why certain books get picked for the longlist/shortlist and what message the judges are trying to send.

Unfortunately with the political situation right now - I am not too sure of the strength of #me too movement beyond too many people just saying "sorry that happened to you". I think it is a very sad fact.

I’m a bit of an outlier on this one. Intellectually, i get the flat, affectless narrator, but I just couldn’t engage with Sequoya or the book. Nothing sparked for me. I especially wanted more insights into the context of Sequoya’s life. I’m not sure I learned anything that distinguished his attitudes and experiences as a Cherokee bpy vs any poor kid with an alcoholic mom and no family support in rural Oklahoma. And even though I know it’s not fair to compare them, I’m mystified and saddened this is on the short list and not There, There, which felt like a much more important, well-crafted and NBA-worthy title.

Jan wrote: "I’m a bit of an outlier on this one. Intellectually, i get the flat, affectless narrator, but I just couldn’t engage with Sequoya or the book. Nothing sparked for me. I especially wanted more insig..."

I wanted There There to be on the short list - it was an excellent book for me and thought it addressed an issue that we do not necessarily read in literature - Urban Native Americans.

As for Where the Dead Sit Talking and Sequoya's experience as a Cherokee boy, I thought that Sequoya more concerned with his alcoholic mother's status, having stable living conditions and just surviving and being comfortable with who he wants to be - so yes he is very similar to any other boy in a similar conditions. And these are the conditions that he is concerned about.

I do not know if the author meant for the storyline to be about a Cherokee boy in these situations or a boy in these situations who happens to be Cherokee. I think there is a difference in the two approaches.

Beverly wrote: "Sam wrote: "I am very mixed on this book as well. My biggest problem was with the behavior and fantasies of Sequoya. Too much stalking: too many misogynistic thoughts. Introductory creative writing..."

I felt like Sequoya was a teen boy right on the "fork in the road" in his life. That he had undergone tremendous trauma but still was young and malleable enough that he could overcome it now, had he had proper intervention to discuss his thoughts and feelings and learn to deal with them appropriately. That to me is why those sections were included--to show how all this trauma impacts a developing mind and what happens when that developing mind doesn't get support to be healthy.

This thread got me looking for an interview with the author, and unfortunately there isn't much out there but I did find this which may address some of our talking points here:

https://theculturetrip.com/north-amer...

I am not sure if I prefer this book to There There. There's a lot I really liked in that book too--that said, I do feel like the ending of that book was too rushed and didn't provide a full conclusion I was hoping for with all characters.

Karin wrote: "This thread got me looking for an interview with the author, and unfortunately there isn't much out there but I did find this which may address some of our talking points here:

https://theculturet..."

Thanks for sharing the interview.
I think it is always helpful to read author's interviews as it often helps to understand the author's writing/purpose.

One of the situations in the book that has been on mind a lot lately - is the foster care environment, which to me is a form of displacement. I cannot imagine being a child/teenager and you do not know from day-to-day what your living situation will be and how just being yourself can mean you moved to another living situation. Each foster care arrangement has its own particulars - just like any "family" and every time a new child is injected into a foster care environment, the dynamics change as it does with any team type of environment until all the parties involved learn and meld together to work together as a team.
There seems not to be any "support" for children in foster care for the emotional aspects on what they are going through.

Then when you think of the kids you do not necessarily fit the model of what is considered perfect/normal.

I feel that the author did a good job at showing "Part of it is that I want people to just see the culture of Natives as just regular people, living regular lives...

This is what I was trying to say when an author writes a character for certain situations that happens to be Native American.

The whole foster care environment, displacement, and developing minds having the support to be healthy - also brought to mind Gun Love when Pearl goes off to Mexico with the Mexican woman because I think Pearl knew her and was familiar with her even though she was getting into a very toxic situation.

I loved this book. I couldn't help comparing it to There, There. The latter is so in your face. So strident. External. WTDST seems internal to me. While both novels are dark, WTDST takes on the interior mind of the character. He haunted me. The differences in tone and style were profound. Unlike other commentators, I felt very much that the author was trying to convey the hopelessness of a Native American boy, not just any boy who happened to be poor and in foster care. I liked both novels very much. It's amazing what an author can due with tone and style.

I really enjoy when a book generates such wonderful discussion. I love the discussion points as it allows me to see a book from a different perspective than my mine and thus makes me a more appreciative reader.

While a book may not be to my "taste", it does not mean that I do not appreciate/understand its importance/contributions to literature.

Beverly wrote: "I really enjoy when a book generates such wonderful discussion. I love the discussion points as it allows me to see a book from a different perspective than my mine and thus makes me a more appreci..."

Totally agree! It's also got me looking at my reviews. I rated There There as 5 stars at the time, and this book as 4 stars. I am no longer confident I would give There There 5.