A.S. King
Genre: Young Adult, Magical Realism
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
The Shoveler, the Freak, CanIHelpYou?, Loretta the Flea-Circus Ring Mistress, and First-Class Malcolm. These are the five teenagers lost in the Hemmings family's maze of tangled secrets. Only a generation removed from being simple Pennsylvania potato farmers, Gottfried and Marla Hemmings managed to trade digging spuds for developing subdivisions and now sit atop a seven-figure bank account, wealth they've declined to pass on to their adult children or their teenage grand children.REVIEW
"Because we want them to thrive," Marla always says.
What does thriving look like? Like carrying a snow shovel everywhere. Like selling pot at the Arby's drive-thru window. Like a first class ticket to Jamiaca between cancer treatments. Like a flea-circus in a doublewide. Like the GPS coordinates to a mound of dirt in a New Jersey forest.
As the rot just beneath the surface of the Hemmings precious white suburban respectability begins to spread, the far flung grand children gradually find their ways back to each other, just in time to uncover the terrible cost of maintaining the family name.
Whenever I pick up an A.S. King book, I expect a story that takes on tough issues without flinching in an originally odd way, and we get that in spades with Dig.
The book was told via The Shoveler, Malcolm, The Freak, Loretta, and CanIHelpYou? - five very different teens, who were connected in some way. Their stories were all imbued with pain and heartbreak, as each was dealing with one or more social ills. Death of a parent, terminal illness, poverty, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, addiction, racism, and white privilege were all explored. So, not a light read, but something that made me uncomfortable, and left me with a lot to think about.
The beauty of any King book is her amazing storytelling. It took me a while to see where this was going, the pieces slowly snapping into place, but WOW! What a payoff. And, I found myself driven by the need to figure out and confirm each and every connection and suspicion.
Though this book was pretty dark and intense, it was somewhat hopeful. The story examined the beliefs of three different "generations". Gottfried and Marla were an older couple. I found Gottfried's crime to be that he was weak and he let his wife destroy their children, while Marla was just sort of horrible altogether. The teens were the most "woke", which showed that with each generation, we were improving are humans, even if we weren't all the way there yet. The teens refused to let the mistakes of their parents color their future, thus giving us hope that each generation will continue to be better than the last.
Overall: This was classic King, in that it was trippy, and the story wonderfully wound around itself as she took on a great many social issues. It was probably the intense book I have read from her to date. It was dark. It was sad. It was meant to make people feel uncomfortable. But, I was left with a glimmer of hope, that if we work hard, we can dig ourselves out from under this legacy.
* ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Potatoes play a big role in this story (no, it's true). From the potato farm, to the potato pot, they pop up throughout the book. I am a potato lover, and wanted to share some of my favorite ways to prepare potatoes.
- Potato Pancakes
- German Potato Salad
- Curley Fries
- Musaka
- Kartoffelknoedel (potato dumplings)
- Pierogies
- Mashed Potatoes
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Potato Latkes
- Potato Samosa
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
FOLLOW THE TOUR
Week One:
March 25 – @ramblingandreading – Creative Instagram Picture
March 26 – Mel to the Any – Author Guest Post: Who was her favorite character and why?
March 27 – We Live and Breathe Books – Review
March 28 – Ex Libris – Review
Week Two:
April 1 – Lorrimagination – Creative Instagram Picture
April 2 – Passionately Perusing – Author Q&A
April 3 – Gladiator Glory – Playlist + Creative Instagram Picture
April 4 – Just About Write – Author Q&A
Do you have a favorite potato dish?
Let us know in the comments!
Quote: "racism, and white privilege".
ReplyDeleteFinally she takes on those too! Her books that I've read are all thought-provoking (though I have reservations about Glory), but extremely white-washed.
Quote: "I was left with a glimmer of hope, that if we work hard, we can dig ourselves out from under this legacy."
I see what you did here 😉.
Great review, especially since King's books are so difficult to talk about without giving things away (or difficult, period). And now I want to sample ALL those potato dishes - only, someone should be so kind as to cook them for me, because I have no time haha. Also, my husband eats potatoes, but doesn't care for fancy/vegetable-stuffed (or peppered) dishes, so most of them would be wasted on him...
I do think it is the first time she took on the topic of white privilege, and she didn't hold back one bit. I loved the way King metaphorically used the idea of digging and potatoes in this book. And, YES! My advice to people about this book, would be to stay away from a lot of the reviews I saw. I didn't even use the description sent by the publisher, because I felt like it gave away something that wowed me, when I figured it out. Good thing I don't read synopses for my go-to authors, huh? I am all about the fancy and wonderful, when it comes to food, but I am not an elegant cook. I was just lucky to have a grandmother and aunt, who were amazing cooks, and filled me up with yummy German food.
DeleteQuote: "I didn't even use the description sent by the publisher, because I felt like it gave away something that wowed me, when I figured it out."
DeleteAh, those pesky blurbs. I don't know if it's the same one that's up on Goodreads, which I read but can't remember anything specific about right now (except that it sounded like a hot mess LOL). Anyway, it was a great idea that you didn't use that particular description! Very considerate.
I used the one from Goodreads, because I thought it was more vague than the publishers. I don't know, I remember letting at a gasp when I figured something major out in this story, and then I saw reviewers blabbing about it in their reviews. Made me nuts.
DeleteWhew. I don't know this author, but after reading this, I think I need to rectify that. I think it might leave me in a puddle on the floor after reading this.
ReplyDeleteAll her books are pretty powerful, and I think King is a genius when it comes to utilizing magical realism in her stories.
DeleteI so love A.S. King's books because they're so different. And now I'm super hungry for carbs!!! Great review.
ReplyDeleteI am a carb-ho and anything potato will have win my heart. Kings books can be a little trippy, but they always make such an impact.
DeleteI haven't read AS King yet but want to. Thos sounds heavy for sure but I dont mind that every once in a while. And I love potatoes!
ReplyDeletePotatoes are the best! So many ways to cook them too. If you are in the mood for something a little challenging with a touch of magic, you should check out something by King. I am well through her catalog, and every book has been fantastic.
DeleteThis book sounds so weird. I love potatoes, though. They’re one of my favorite foods. I couldn’t live without pierogis, French fries, and mashed potatoes.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Her books are a little weird, but I had these Eureka moments that were phenomenal, and I thought she addressed the topics really well. I would totally go on a potato diet.
DeleteI haven't read anything from A.S King, but I want to. This sounds so different and interesting. And omg drooling over the food!
ReplyDeleteYeah, put a potato in it, and I will probably eat it. King's books are always thought provoking and a little out there, but they always work for me.
DeleteWonderful review, Sam! This definitely sounds like it tackles some dark and heavy topics. But I like when a book can do that and still end with a feeling of hope.
ReplyDeleteLove your mood board and your potato picks! I swear, potatoes should be their own food group because I could eat them every day. I made Greek lemon potatoes Monday night and I'm still thinking about them. LOL
I feel like if this was a little less intense, I would have gone for 5-stars. I need a little more hope and light in my books, but that by no means diminishes how fantastic the writing was or the story she told. Yummy, Greek potatoes. I love them!
DeleteI have never read this author, and it sounds like I need to. This sounds like an intense read for sure. I am most curious about the different voices. To answer your question, I grew up in Idaho so I love all things potatoes.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I love most about King's books is that she always incorporates some magical realism in there, and she does it so well. Three cheers for Idaho, and it's good to hear its inhabitants are tater fans too.
DeleteI am not sure this book is my jam! But I loved the "potato" add LOL Sophie @bewareofthereader
ReplyDeleteI was truly inspired to see out potato dishes after reading this book, and now I wish I could have each and everyone of those dishes.
DeleteThis sounds so original and outside my normal reads. I'm curious:)
ReplyDeleteI have yet to read a King book, that didn't challenge me in some way, which I see as a positive thing, and I think she uses magical realism really well in her stories too.
DeleteI haven't read an A.S. King book in YEARS! The Dust of 100 Dogs was my first and only book by the author, and I remember really enjoying it. It was hard not to be completely sucked into the story, despite its darker elements. I feel like I need to do a re-read soon. Have you read it? This one sounds like it would be hard to put down!
ReplyDeleteLindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬
I haven't read that one, but I read 5 others, and all were pretty amazing
DeleteOoohhh this sounds good! I didn't even know about it until now! I'm definitely going to have to pick up a copy of this at some point!
ReplyDeleteI am always eager to read King's books, and I think it's been a few years since her last release.
DeleteI haven't tried this author yet, but I love that she manages to tackle so many tough topics. And boy, do you have me curious about the potatoes now, lol.
ReplyDeleteYep, potatoes were at the root of it.
DeleteI am going to have to add this one to my wish list. I really enjoyed this author's previous book, Still Life with Tornado, and I think that I have one more of her books on my shelf currently. I do like dark books and she has a wonderful way of telling a story. I am curious about the potatoes though.
ReplyDeleteStill Life was my first King book, and drove me to read more. I have been working through her backlist, and my love for her style grows with each one. I am not a huge fan of dark books, which is what I think kept me from giving this that extra star, but it doesn't diminish how impactful this book was. I just like to feel good, when I finish reading a book, and that wasn't going to happen with this one.
DeleteI like the sound of this author. It seems that she does things a little differently, and that can be so refreshing when it comes to reading. But at the same time it sounds like she knows how to deliver a very deep, heartfelt book even if it is a bit whacky and unusual too. I am going to have to look into her!
ReplyDeleteKing definitely does it differently. Her trippy style is reminiscent of Andrew Smith, and she hits hard and directly, when it comes to issues.
DeleteI am sorry I missed the tour. This sounds like some tough issues and well done so I will have to get this one on my TBR. Great review!
ReplyDeleteMary
That's King's thing. Her books always take on issues, and this one takes on a really touchy one. It's honest and unflinching.
Delete