The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store (2023)-James McBride
This book took me so long to get through
Content Warnings: Racism, sexual assault, rape, antisemitism, confinement
Representation: Black, Jewish, deaf, disability
Favorite Quote: “To her, the world was not a china closet where you admire this and don’t touch that. Rather, she saw it as a place where every act of living was a chance for tikkun olam, to improve the world.”
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store opens with a mystery element that misleads readers about the tone of the book and quickly shifts to largely mundane interactions between members of a predominantly Black and Jewish community throughout newly obtained wealth, sickness, and changing dynamics between neighbors. This then leads to a lackluster conclusion that only vaguely satisfies the mystery introduced in the beginning.
Each chapter in The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store shifts between a large ensemble of characters, many of which are inconsequential to the story and difficult to follow along with. Some characters, however, stood out as especially compelling and likable. I would have liked to see these select characters given more life though, as the dialogue is limited beyond what furthers the plot directly so it is difficult to connect deeply with any of the characters.
The shifting of perspectives also makes it a challenge for readers to follow along with the different plots as they intersect. This style has the potential to tie together into something very interesting and impactful but came short of this by sheer confusion. Furthermore, some plots are far more engaging than others, making select chapters feel like a drag to read in order to return to the main storyline.
I wanted to enjoy this book but the actual story diverted so far from my initial impression of what the book would be about and the writing style felt very inaccessible. I’d have liked to see there be more focus and direction throughout the novel. The conclusion in particular felt tacked on despite being what the novel was ultimately building up to.