4 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ

“Dig” by A.S. King

Okay this was a hauntingly beautiful and thought-provoking story that delved into the complexities of family dynamics, privilege, race, and mental health. It had a unique writing style and multi-perspective narrative.

The story follows the lives of teenagers from the eccentric and dysfunctional Hemmings family, each grappling with their own personal struggles. As their stories intertwine, secrets are revealed, and the truths about their family and themselves slowly come to light.

The themes explored in this are profound and timely. King delves into issues of privilege and inequality, shedding light on the systemic racism and classism that exist in society. She also tackles mental health and the effects of trauma on individuals and families, as well as the search for identity and self-acceptance.

The Hemmings family is complex and dysfunctional, but their love for each other shines through even in the midst of their struggles, adding depth and authenticity to their relationships.

The only minor drawback is that the plot felt fragmented at times, with the narrative jumping between perspectives and timelines. Overall though, it does add to the sense of mystery and intrigue in the story, keeping you engaged and invested in uncovering the truth behind the Hemmings family's secrets.

I read this one because is was a recommended read in my ALA reading journal. ( )

Five teenage cousins who are struggling with the failures and racial ignorance of their dysfunctional parents and their wealthy grandparents, reunite for Easter. The story takes time to follow since each chapter comes from another teen's perspective. As the story progresses you see how they are all intertwined.

I found this a little hard to get into because I was disoriented by all the scene shifts, but King's writing kept me engaged enough to keep going until I started to see the story come together. I love her characters and the weirdness that she makes so relatable, but I was so-so on the strength of the story. ( )

Somewhere in Pennsylvania, a group of white teenagers and cope as best they can with their dysfunctional family situations. Each feels alienated and alone with his or her problems, whether it’s a racist mother, or an abusive father, or an absent father, or a dying father. Naturally their coping skills are not necessarily the best, one carries a snow shovel around with him everywhere, even to school, one sells dope through the drive through window at a fast food franchise, one travels to Jamaica with his ailing father and falls in love with the girl selling bracelets on the beach, one keeps a flea circus in her school lunch box, and one has the ability to flicker from one place to another around the world.

Each feels isolated so it’s much to their surprise when they discover that they are all cousins, the offspring of the offspring of a wealth obsessed grandfather and a hyper-perfectionist grandmother. This revelation comes at an unanticipated Easter reunion that reveals something more shocking than just kinship.

In the acknowledgments at the end of the book, King writes: “This book is supposed to be uncomfortable. I’d apologize, but I’m not sorry.” She deals with some hard truths about American life and urges her readers and listeners to lean the facts left out of school textbooks and do something about it. ( )

The story unfolds very slowly with each chapter narrated by one character at a time - the Shoveler, the Freak, CanIHelpYou?, Loretta the Flea Circus, and First Class Malcom. The seemingly unrelated stories converge for a poignant denouement. I loved it but few of my teens will be engaged. Maybe I can get my teen book club to read it. ( )