I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was last week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about The Grand Scheme of Things by Warona Jay. Thank you to Rachel Quin and Footnote Press for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Meet Relebogile Naledi Mpho Moruakgomo.Or, for short, Eddie: an aspiring playwright who dreams of making it big in London’s theatre world. But after repeated rejections from white talent agents, Eddie suspects her non-white sounding name might be the problem.
Enter Hugo Lawrence Smith: good looking, well-connected, charismatic and . . . very white. Stifled by his law degree and looking for a way out of the corporate world, he finds a kindred spirit in Eddie after a chance encounter at a cafe.
Together they devise a plan which will see Eddie’s play on stage and Hugo’s name in lights and expose the theatre world for its racism and hollow clout-chasing. But as their plan spins wildly out of control, Eddie and Hugo find themselves wondering if their reputations, and their friendship, can survive.
Publication Date: 12th September
TW: racism, microaggressions, homophobia, infidelity, cheating, manipulation
My Thoughts:
The Grand Scheme of Things is a thought-provoking and character-driven narrative that looks at the performative representation of the performing industry. It is sharp and precise, but leaves plenty of room for nuance and the mess that can be wrapped up in being human.
I am a simple woman. I hear a pitch that includes Yellowface by R. F. Kuang and I am sold. The Grand Scheme of Things has that same satirical bite, taking on racism within the theatre industry. It tackles representation in various forms, with a takedown of the agenting side of the profession, but primarily on the tokenistic or performative ‘inclusion’ that the industry can be guilty of. There is a sense of box-ticking or putting on appearances without actually doing the work. Naledi and Hugo experience that startling shift with their pretence, which soon spirals and ends up weaving in various other people. I liked that messiness and how Jay explored the ramifications on other people. It very much has ripple effects and rips apart relationships. There is a sense of how far either of them may go to continue the lie, but it also speaks to how much more people of colour may have to do to be recognised even slightly on the same scale as their white peers. It is insidious and provocative, pushing into morally murky territory at times. Jay thrives in that grey though and does not present easy answers. Instead there are just flawed people trying to play a system that will never reward them.
Speaking of which, Naledi and Hugo are quite complicated characters and not always likeable. Naledi, or Eddie, is creative and passionate, voicing a lot of valid critiques of the industry and the racism woven into it. There is a particular scene with an agent that speaks to similar experiences often heard in the industry. However she can lose sight of everything in the single-minded pursuit of her goal, not always caring as much about the effect her actions have on others. Hugo has this same mindset, but it is built up a tad more subtly, showcasing how pigeon-holden women of colour can be whereas white men may be considered more leniently by society for the same actions. Jay illustrates this clearly on the final few pages, giving one last twist of the knife. Both are weighed down by expectations and there is an interesting thread around family that is explored throughout. The bottom line is though that Hugo more than has a safety net in his privileged background that is another world to Eddie.
On a final note, I loved the use of second person narration within this book. While it took me a while to get used to it (I’m a first or third person preferrer), I ended up loving it as it allowed us to flip between characters nicely. It mirrored the styling of dialogue on the stage or a monologue given by an actor, adding a meta touch to the narrative. In a way it is a dialogue but not a direct one, emphasising that fundamental distance between Eddie and Hugo that cannot be fully bridged.
Also, I’d like to delve into Nettle by Bex Hogan. Thank you to Zephyr for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A wild misfit in the human world, Nettle is enthralled by the glamour of the faery realm, with its two moons and scarlet stars. She grows close to Conor, a human stolen centuries before, and she also falls under the spell of mysterious Ellion, a Shadow Faery. To try to help her beloved grandmother who is fading in her world, Nettle makes a pact with the faery king. He’ll heal her grandmother in exchange for Nettle completing three tasks. She agrees, not realising that deception lurks in this enchanted place, and that she has been tricked…
In this dangerous fantasy kingdom Nettle discovers, too late, her part in an age-old love story and the price she will pay.
Publication Date: 10th October
TW: manipulation, imprisonment, grief, torture, illness
My Thoughts:
Nettle captures the twisted, atmospheric darkness of the original fairytales and imbues it with heart in its excellent characterisation.
Our titular character is a brilliant protagonist, wanting to do anything to protect the only family she has ever known. She has a great sense of loyalty and love, as well as plenty of wits and creativity. Hogan’s characterisation is strong, with Nettle leaping off the page and straight into my heart. Nettle has a keen sense of right and wrong & works to fight the injustices she comes across. As with all good fairytales, there is a layer of mystery too. I loved Hogan’s exploration of found family and creating a community around us that we love. Nettle has only ever had that with one person, meaning she will go to any lengths to protect it. The romance threaded in is a lovely addition as well, feeling like an extra layer rather than defining Nettle. Her fierce and cunning nature would never allow for that anyway. For me, she was defined by her longing for freedom to exist simply as herself.
Hogan has never been one to shy away from darkness in her writing and Nettle is no exception, delving into the tricksy side of the fae. It focuses on manipulation and pretence with impossible tasks and deals. There is a cruelness inherent to proceedings, with fae treating humans like playthings. They are either manipulating them for their own entertainment or treat them with a cool indifference, a superiority that removes their humanity. The writing pulls you into this duplicitous world that is filled with both beauty and danger in equal measure. Some of the side characters send shivers down your spine and others charm you in an instant. Plenty lurks beneath the perfect appearance. I also liked the focus on deals and the importance of exact wording, else something unexpected be taken.
Nettle is a wonderful slice of faery magic, tempting and duplicitious.
A Short Book Lover 
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