I feel like I saved the best for last when it came to my May reading. I mean, honestly, I did read a lot of books in May and even a few that blew my mind - Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley stands out among the crowd of books I’ve read. First, despite being under extreme stress due to a malfunctioning ATM, I found that Lies We Tell Ourselves held my attention. This is the sort of book that breaks my heart and then fixes it. It’s the kind of book that I don’t come across every day – one where I feel profoundly impacted by what I read. In May I did read a few books that were very impactful and chief among them is Talley’s debut.
Lies We Tell Ourselves is about integration. I know, I know, Civil Rights Era is a beaten to death theme. Talley though puts a unique spin on the theme and on the story. Alternating between the point of view of Sarah Dunbar, an African American girl, and Linda Hairston, a White girl, Lies We Tell Ourselves is about what happens when Brown Vs. Board Of Education is put into action at the previous all white high school, Jefferson High. Ugh, if you want a book that’s going to piss you off and make you feel anxiety and on edge, this is the book for you. For real, I read this book with mostly a grimace. There’s some things that happen to Sarah and her friends that are enough to turn your stomach. Add in the double privilege whammy of Sarah being a lesbian with a crush/hate for Linda and wow, there’s a lot to unpack in this book.
Sarah is a fountain of strength. This girl. She was living in Chicago before her parents decided to move the family south so that they could join the Cause. At first, Sarah goes to the all Black school, Johns, but because her family was part of a lawsuit to attend Jefferson, she’s about to be among the first teenagers integrating into Jefferson High. What can I say? I thought that Talley had written Sarah with a really compelling voice. As I read the book I found myself rooting for her. I wanted her to overcome, like that song, ‘We Shall Overcome’. I wanted her to show those white people that she has a right there. And then there were moments where I was like why is she so stubborn, her life would be so much easier otherwise. BUT THEN this book has the subtle way of calling me out on my privilege. Like, I would read things and think ughhhh why is this so hard why fight, and then the book would be like THIS IS WHY YA PRIVILEGED IDIOT. I love when that happens,friends. Also, I just want to say that I loved reading about Sarah’s struggles with being gay. This is a time where that’s a double whammy and she’s got a major uphill battle. Luckily, she’s strong and able to handle it.
Okay, no lie, Linda is a pain in the ass at first. When we start off with Lies We Tell Ourselves, she is so prejudiced. Granted, she’s echoing things that she shares from her father who is a prominent newspaperman who is constantly writing about uppity Black people because he’s douche. Anyways, it is understandable that Linda is ignorant. Anyways, when a class project pairs her off with Sarah, she begins to realize that maybe her dad is wrong. Of course, she falls into the exceptionalism trap at first but luckily the book takes us past that. I think that while Sarah is strong and Linda is stubborn, I liked that Linda eventually changes her mind and she becomes courageous too. She’s got struggles like Sarah, her home life is not perfect is what I am saying. Linda really has self discovery and growth that go on and I was a fan.
Talley’s debut pulses with longing. I mean, given that it’s the late 1950s and segregation is bad enough – add being gay on top of that. It’s hard out here for a girl, I guess. Throughout the book we see the two main characters’ feelings change for each other. We see them long for each other but are unable to act upon it for multiple reasons. Like, not just the black white thing, but also being queer. That definitely is complicated. So, yeah, longing throughout the chapters. For a book about integration, I thought that Talley really added a unique spin to it and made it a story that I’ll want to pass around to people. Furthermore, Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley is wonderfully written. It is fast paced and heartbreaking, yet there’s a grace within the pages too. If you haven’t read this book yet, what could you possibly be waiting for?
Latest posts by April (Books&Wine) (see all)
- 5 Audiobooks I Just Listened To: Mini Reviews - May 30, 2023
- 5 Contemporary Romances To Pick Up RIGHT NOW - May 29, 2023
- 5 Young Adult Books I’ve Recently Picked Up - May 14, 2023
i really enjoyed this one. Great review.
LIndia recently posted..This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
Thanks so much for commenting! 🙂