WE DESERVE MONUMENTS

Tamika Katon-Donegal poignantly defines the characters who enter the world of 17-year-old biracial, queer Avery one summer. Avery is uprooted from her home in DC and moved to the small Georgia town where her grandmother, Mama Letty, is terminally ill. Immediately, she addresses numerous challenges. The first is clearly defined by Katon-Donegal's portrayal of the cantankerous Mama Letty, who hints at tensions in the family's past. Avery herself is recovering from the cruelty of her ex-girlfriend. Katon-Donegal demonstrates the welcoming, sensitive relationships she establishes with her new Southern friends, one of which evolves into romance, despite community prejudice. Katon-Donegal expresses just the right amount of racial tension, along with the mix of comfort and terror that Avery experiences. S.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]