Book Review: There There by Tommy Orange
There There by Tommy Orange
Publisher: Knopf
Release Date: June 5, 2018
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
Tommy Orange’s wondrous and shattering novel follows twelve characters from Native communities: all traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow, all connected to one another in ways they may not yet realize. Among them is Jacquie Red Feather, newly sober and trying to make it back to the family she left behind. Dene Oxendene, pulling his life together after his uncle’s death and working at the powwow to honor his memory. Fourteen-year-old Orvil, coming to perform traditional dance for the very first time. Together, this chorus of voices tells of the plight of the urban Native American—grappling with a complex and painful history, with an inheritance of beauty and spirituality, with communion and sacrifice and heroism. Hailed as an instant classic, There There is at once poignant and unflinching, utterly contemporary and truly unforgettable.
There There follows several seemingly unrelated characters as they travel to the Big Oakland Powwow. It’s one of those novels where it’s clear that connections amongst them will be revealed by the end but it’s unclear at the start what they could be. The cast of characters was large but luckily there was a character list at the beginning of the book. I had to refer to it often but I didn’t mind.
Tommy Orange’s mission is to show the reader that there are all types of Native Americans – they don’t all live on reservations. Many are “urban Indians”, that is, they live in cities just like anyone else. However, they experience a sense of disconnection and loss borne from years and years of horrific treatment of their ancestors. Orange conveys this abstract feeling through his characters expertly. I felt like I learned a lot about the modern Native American experience. Though the book is largely character driven, there is a strong plot as well. I won’t say much about it except that the last section left me stunned – it was a gut punch.
This book was a selection for my book club. I think everyone felt like they came away from this book with more understanding of what it means to be a Native American. Although we agreed that as white people, we can never fully understand the depth of what they experience.
There There is Tommy Orange’s debut novel. He is definitely one to watch – I’m looking forward to reading whatever he comes out with next.
