pickRaw and honest, this is an urbanized fictional perspective of an individual who grew up in the rough streets of Brooklyn, New York. Afro-Latina and trans protagonist Carlotta is released from prison on probation and tries to assimilate back into her community. However, her new identity ostracizes her from everyone as she attempts to navigate while dealing with themes of family, crime, gender, queerness and the threat of gentrification.
It's like I been away so long that motherfuckers all done learnt a different language from me, an every time they get a second to theyself, they start messin round with that phone. Motherfuckers useta talk to motherfuckers, now ev'body be a zombie trapped in they own li'l world, watchin some apples blow up on a li'l portable TV.
She crossed the street and studied the building closely-no LIVE NUDE REVUE, no xxx movies, nothing Is this where it was at? Yes, definitely. The place had become a haunted house; the sign read TIMES SCARE Huh? So what is it now, like a dead nude revue?
pickWhat a voice! This is an unconventional novel told mostly in first person and in Black American vernacular about a trans woman‘s 48 hours after being paroled. I felt Hannaham is riffing on Joyce‘s Ulysses, putting his own spin on it. There is minimal punctuation, stream of consciousness, switches from 1st to 3rd person in the same paragraph...one has to read it carefully. I found it surprisingly exuberant despite the dark subject matter.
bailedOkay #unpopularopinion. You all loved it but I am halfway through and calling it quits. It probably is the language. I have to read out loud to make sense of what I‘m reading. It‘s been taking me forever that way and it leaves no room to enjoy the story. So it‘s me, not the book but I just lost patience and want to read something I actually like to read 🤷🏻♀️
#Booked2023 #wronglyincarnated
#WeeklyForecast 21/23
I have started the tagged book, and I have a hard time getting used to the language and style. I have heard so many good things about it though, that I‘m not giving up. Next it is time to start The Bandit Queens for #CampLitsy23, excited about it. If there‘s time I also like to start The Regrets!
pickI really liked this. Carlotta went to prison 21 years ago & now re-enters society. She navigates the new New York (no subway tokens? No twin towers? Gentrification) life as a woman (she transitioned in prison) & family connections (grown children, aging relatives etc). It was really humorous & entertaining even while dealing with traumatic circumstances & didn‘t make a joke of Carlotta herself.
#20in4
#20in4
Goal is to clear out the current reads before the month‘s end Death of Mrs Westaway for #authoramonth RingMaster is the only nonfiction I am reading for April. Astrid & Carlotta are due back to the library imminently so they gotta go.
& maybe start a couple new reads
pickBordering on a pick/so-so for me. I loved Carlotta, she was an amazing MC. Full of humour to cover the awful life she‘s had in prison. And there was some laugh out loud thinking from Carlotta.
It was the writing that moves it down a bit for me. The dialect was fine- you got into the rhythm- though there were very long passages. The switches between 1st and 3rd person irritated me so much and ruined the flow. Just stick with Carlotta!
pickCarlotta is a trans woman who was wrongly convicted and spent 21 years in prison. Most of this book takes place in 2 days when she is released on parole, as she tries to figure out how to fit back into the outside world while following all of the rules of her release.
Tackles hard subjects with surprising humor, I couldn‘t help loving Carlotta.
Do this on audio if you can, I loved the narration.
#booked2023 #wronglyconvicted
![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png){kind=icon}
