review: The Leaving Room

I actually finished reading this a few weeks ago, but just didn’t have the opportunity to write a review. With the NBAs being announced tonight, I really needed to get this posted.

Kate Messner referred to the story as ‘atmospheric’, a description with which I have to agree. Here, author Amber McBride storifies a liminal space where Gospel is the Keeper of the Leaving Room. She tends to young people before they move on from life. Gospel cooks, provides recipes, and even plays games to comfort her guests and ready them to transition. , There’s a routine to the process she’s been given until Melodee arrives and things begin to change. In typical McBride fashion, the lines and verses evoke a story that is more shadow play than structure.

I do wonder how well this book will appeal to teens. It is certainly more new adult than young adult. Its complexity requires a level of reading skill that will limit the book’s appeal, as fine literature often does. While that’s not typically a consideration for the National Book Award, it is for other awards.

The committee has such a varied selection of books that it will be quite interesting to find out which they select, and perhaps chat with some of the committee members tonight and find out why.

Filed under: Reviews