How We See The Gray, by Rachel León: A Big 'Ole Dose of Empathy

At last week's release party for Rachel León's debut novel, How We See The Gray, León's editor, Megan Stielstra, told the crowd that reading this book had literally made her a better person. What a compliment! And you know what? That's true for me too. 

They say reading novels inspires empathy -- that walking a mile, even a fictional one, in someone else's shoes helps you see the world differently and gives you a better understanding of someone else's struggles. It makes sense, but I don't know how you prove that's true. At the very least, what is unquestionably true is that reading a novel helps you learn about things you didn't know about before. And that's the first step toward empathy -- toward being a better person. 

How We See The Gray interrogates the fraught foster care system through the eyes of social workers, children, parents, and foster parents. Set in Rockford, Illinois over the course of a year (June 2018-June 2019), we follow these characters through pain, success, lies, heartbreak, elation, addiction, hilarity, peace, and just about everything in between.

The gray in the title could be a reference both to the moral murkiness of an overmatched and underfunded foster care system, but also, and more importantly, it's a nod to how we should see every person as nuanced, neither good nor bad. Of course, it's not always easy to square in our minds people who have done bad things but aren't bad people. The currency of our current moment is the hot take -- the loudest and angriest voices drown out more reasoned, measured thought. Nuance is an endangered species. But people deserve more than snap judgment. No one should be defined by their worst moment. 

As I approached the end of this engaging novel, this line just smacked my gobs: "We believe this world would be kinder if people's default response was curiosity, rather than judgment." RIGHT?! I MEAN, RIGHT?!

But this is a novel, and we read novels, yes to learn, but mostly to be entertained. And let me be clear about one thing: This novel is very entertaining. It's not even the least bit preachy. Even if at times it's hard to read because it's emotionally painful, it's still a whole lot of fun.

León is a skillful and deft writer, constructing the stories in multiple points-of-view into a cohesive whole. It never feels fractured or discontinuous, as narratives in this structure sometimes do. 

Finally, the disclaimer: I do know Rachel. She is a friend. Whenever you pick up a friend's piece of writing, there's always that niggling voice in the back of your brain that goes, "What if I don't like this? What'll I do?" But I can tell you with a clear conscience: I liked this quite a bit. I mean, I REALLY liked this. It feels different -- like something fresh and original and (probably because it's from a small press) unlike anything else out there right now. Very highly recommended! 

(One last really stupid note: I've been struggling this whole post not to make a "How We See The Fifty Shades of Gray" joke. But EL James went with the British spelling "grey" [I know, the character's name is Grey], so it wouldn't have worked anyway. 😎 ) 

Top 10 Most Anticipated Fall Books

Friends, we are going to have some work to do this fall. Luckily, it'll be a labor of love. 

The already-announced (and I'm sure there are more coming) autumn slate of books is, in a word, huge -- books with page counts matched in weight only by the stature of the authors who have written them. If you're like me, you're totally here for a season of doorstops! (Not every book on my list is long, but a good percentage of them are!) Here's my list of top 10 books I can't wait to read this fall. 

(Reminder: Preorders are massively important for authors and publishers, AND, when you preorder with the links below, I get a little kickback, which I can use to buy more books, which I can then tell you about. Everyone wins.)

The Disappearers, by Marlon James (Sept. 1, 640 pages) -- I couldn't find my way into James's latest fantasy series, and so I'm really excited for this, his first "non-fantasy" novel since the absolute masterpiece that was 2014's A Brief History of Seven Killings. The Disappearers (be careful, it's NOT The Disappears, and typing The Disappearers just looks like a mistake. But it's not. I've quintuple checked.), about "the murder of a gay man in 1980s Jamaica and its tragic consequences" sounds like it's in a similar vein as Seven Killings. And similar heft. Woohoo!

Under Story, by Chloe Benjamin (Sept. 1, 502 pages) -- This will be my first time reading Chloe Benjamin and I cannot wait! The early reviews for this novel, which sounds like a combination of Richard Powers's environmental fiction, Emily St. John Mandel's universe, and even maybe a little David Mitchell, are absolutely breathless and ecstatic. It's described as "a modern epic of science and soul." All in! 

Taipei Story, by R.F. Kuang (Sept. 8, 288 pages) -- It's a pretty big upset that of all the books on this list, a new R.F. Kuang novel is the SHORTEST one. 😂 The proficient Kuang returns with a novel about a woman searching for clues about her family history. This seems to lean more realism than fantasy, but with Kuang, there are sure to be surprises. 

Exit Party, by Emily St. John Mandel (Sept. 15, 320 pages) -- St. John Mandel for me is always a MUST read. Beginning in Los Angeles in 2031 after the US has collapsed (holy shit, that's only five years from now...but yeah, doesn't seem too far-fetched, does it?) and jumping through time and place (including a domed colony on the moon), this sounds like quintessential St. John Mandel. 

Hollywood Ending, by John Green (Sept. 22, 320 pages) -- Nobody has broken the internet (for good news, at least) for a long time, but John Green almost did when he announced this new novel. The man is beloved. And this new novel, about a pair of young actors maybe falling in love, sounds extremely lovable and charming, as well. 

American Hagwon, by Min Jin Lee (Sept. 29, 656 pages) -- Even the biggest bro reader you know read Pachinko. So a new novel from Lee, and even longer this time, is hugely exciting. A family saga set in near-modern times over three continents, the novel is about how small actions ripple into huge repercussions. 

Ply, by Hernan Diaz (Sept. 29, 464 pages) -- Diaz is a writer/magician. You read his work and go "Wow, how did he do that?" This is a speculative piece set in a distant future where humans are trying to reestablish how to connect with one another and coexist with nature. Promises to be wild. 

The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman, by Deesha Philyaw (Sept. 29, 432 pages) -- Oh man, this sounds so delightfully scandalous and fun. A woman marries a megachurch pastor 15 years her senior, and then on the eve of her greatest success, is rocked by a revelation of secrets from her past. This is Philyaw's debut novel after her award-winning and hugely loved collection of short stories, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. 

Life Out of Order, by Audrey Niffenegger (Oct. 6, 544 pages) -- Okay, wow, what an absolutely wonderful surprise. Indeed, a gift. This is a sequel to the beloved novel The Time Traveler's Wife, which I still think about frequently (and every time I visit the Newberry Library). The story centers on Henry and Clare's daughter, Alba, who has the same "Chrono-Displacement Disorder" as her father. This novel, also, is the runaway winner for this year's best title. So many layers! 

The Brightness, by Chad Harbach (Oct. 27, 672 pages) -- My MOST anticipated book of this fall is the return, after 15 years, of The Art of Fielding author Harbach. This was an audible gasp situation when the owner of our bookstore texted me a photo of an ARC of this book from Winter Institute. The Brightness sounds like a "friendship-through-the-years" story, which, you know me: I freakin' love.