Open House, by Ruby Lang

[sophia_sol]

Sequel to Playing House, and aaahh this one is so good too! Featuring a real estate agent and a founding member of a local community garden, and deeply rooted into a sense of the importance of community and heritage. Again I loved how the leads do their best to be thoughtful and respectful even when they're in a difficult position with respect to each other. And they just clearly like each other so much and see the good in each other, and both of them have issues they're working through but are clearly capable of growth, and ugh it's just so GOOD. And the scene where they end up spending hours together in a blackout and the darkness leads to openness and vulnerability and connection--amazing. And the complicated family dynamics are wonderfully drawn as well. And the sense of place in that big old townhouse Magda's trying to sell. And I could keep going! What a lovely book.

Comments

[brin_bellway]

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(Just to be clear: I am *not* upset with you. I know that it's very common for people to feel similarly about communities and heritages, even if it confuses me given that it's not how my own mind works.)

[sophia_sol]

would it make a difference to you if I made it clearer that in the context of the book, the heritage being celebrated is that of African-Americans? In a cultural context that dismisses the value of that particular heritage, I thought it was really nice how the book centred it as something that can be of worth. I just didn't think to specify because I was too deep in the headspace of a person who already knows what the book is about!