Swift River by Essie Chambers
Diamond and her dad had been the one Black individuals in Swift River till her dad vanished, after which she was it. Now it’s simply Diamond and her mother, a white girl decided to carry onto the one residence she is aware of and damaged by her husband’s disappearance. Diamond’s mother is for certain the life insurance coverage they’re owed will change their lives for the higher, however Diamond isn’t so certain. She’s barely scraping by on a deeper stage than cash can repair when, by happenstance, she connects for the primary time with a member of her dad’s household. So begins a permanent trade of letters that unfolds generational turmoil between her paternal household and the city of Swift River, and reveals Diamond a aspect of herself and her household she by no means knew.
Chambers has an actual present for description. I may style the Doritos and really feel the grime left by hitchhiking below the recent summer season solar. There’s actual rigidity on this story—between Diamond’s dad, who by no means finds his footing in Swift River, and her mother, who clings to the place; between Diamond and her mother, who acts extra like a roommate than a dad or mum; between Diamond’s household and Swift River. And but one among my favourite storylines within the e-book facilities round connection—a friendship Diamond strikes up with a fellow outcast. It introduced me again to aimless days with my highschool mates and the way we tried to carve out a spot for ourselves in a world the place we felt we didn’t belong.