3 Reasons to Read ‘The Removed’
After reading Brandon Hobson’s novel, The Removed, I’ve chosen to reflect on the story of the Echota family by sharing three reasons you should read this haunting novel of grief, culture, trauma, and family.
You’ve had to battle grief and navigate the trauma of loss.
In some capacity, we’ve all had a face-off with grief. Whether you’ve lost someone in your immediate family or watched the way death drastically altered someone you love, there is at least one character from The Removed you will resonate with. Grief is powerful and oftentimes difficult to navigate, both personally and vicariously. Brandon shows how the trauma response to grief appears differently for everyone - even for those that grow up in the same home and are suffering from the same loss.
“Time heals all” they say, but does it really? The story starts with a brief introduction to Ray Ray Echota, the son of Maria & Ernest and the brother of Sonja & Edgar, who unfortunately meets death at an early age at the hands of a white police officer. 15 years later we see the way each family member is in their face-offs with grief. Maria Echota has a profound sadness and emptiness that many people will suggest “only a mother could feel”, whereas Ernest Echota is in a battle with Alzheimer’s. Ray Ray’s older sister, Sonja, spends a lot of time alone and dating younger men, and Ray Ray’s younger brother, Edgar, found a way to outrun his pain with drugs.
As the reader, being on the outside of this Cherokee family allows you to see your trauma responses and resonate with at least one character, if not all.
You’re actively developing your cultural and intercultural competence.
Speaking of resonating with the Echota family, The Removed introduces readers to Cherokee folklore and how it appears as another character. Folklore and other stories that have been passed down through generations serve as the ‘why’ in many cultures, which is why I found it fascinating the way Brandon Hobson used it to invoke both empathy and compassion in his readers.
To consistently avoid stories where the culture is different from your own, or to be brash… it doesn’t put whiteness on a pedestal, is a disservice to your understanding and development as a reader.
You gravitate towards the theme of family, biological or found.
Family means and looks a lot different from person to person and with more stories that showcase the variety of family, it tugs on this need to accept that we do have a say in who we love and how we love. The Removed is told from multiple points of view that give the reader insight into the family’s choices and the free will to develop a personal relationship with each family member.
Maria Echota is longing for a mother-son bond, with Ray Ray dead and Edgar far away physically and mentally, she’s given the chance to take in a foster child who with time is a reflection of her beloved Ray Ray and miraculously brings Ernest present with his memories intact. This is a fine example of the family’s culture and the way they interpret the workings of life as they are continuously processing their trauma/grief.
Family is known for being a haven for unconditional love and a source of devotion, where family members are willing to do anything to prove their love. In the end, we see that this is true for each member of the Echota family.
You can purchase a copy of The Removed by Brandon Hobson from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Bookshop, or anywhere else books are sold.
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