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A review by saarahn
Tradition by Brendan Kiely
5.0
Powerful- will frightfully resonate with its readers.
Brendan Kiely takes you on a journey. The reader steps into the shoes of two teenagers tackling their college years at Fullbrook, a prestigious haven for the privileged. He's a new scholarship kid. She is the daughter of Fullbrook's first female student. He wants to belong but feels out of his depth. She's given up with that, sworn off dating and false friendships and is all for reclaiming herself for herself. She can't wait to get out.
This is a book that forces you to step up and listen. Quite like a piece of controversial art, you just have to give it the attention it's due. A book that means something. We never want to know everything, no one likes feeling uncomfortable. We hide away from the truth, we don't ask the harder questions. It's easier to deny the truth than it is to confront it. We never get too close- not until it's too late and the damage has been done. I'm thinking of an incident, and I'm sure you are as well. Rules are there for a reason, we laugh when they're broken: innocent rebellion. But there's always more to it. Always. But hey, “Don’t worry... They’re not really going to do anything about it. They never do.”
No one ever does. Traditions are difficult to destroy, they're seeped in history, sentimentality and patriarchy.
A tough battle. You have to stand your ground. Never give up. You have to work harder to gain respect, to earn it. You'll have to prove yourself. It's even harder if you're female, the respect from others doesn't come naturally. Kiely gets that: toxic masculinity, the persistent rape culture. This is just what is needed in the wake of the sexual harassment claims. Traditions, the old way of doing things, the easy manner of minding your own business, of compliance, sweeping crimes under the rug, looking past the elephants in the room, justifying sexist remarks... And on it goes. "Burn out the old. Bring in the new."
Make this your next read!
I received this book through NetGalley.
Brendan Kiely takes you on a journey. The reader steps into the shoes of two teenagers tackling their college years at Fullbrook, a prestigious haven for the privileged. He's a new scholarship kid. She is the daughter of Fullbrook's first female student. He wants to belong but feels out of his depth. She's given up with that, sworn off dating and false friendships and is all for reclaiming herself for herself. She can't wait to get out.
This is a book that forces you to step up and listen. Quite like a piece of controversial art, you just have to give it the attention it's due. A book that means something. We never want to know everything, no one likes feeling uncomfortable. We hide away from the truth, we don't ask the harder questions. It's easier to deny the truth than it is to confront it. We never get too close- not until it's too late and the damage has been done. I'm thinking of an incident, and I'm sure you are as well. Rules are there for a reason, we laugh when they're broken: innocent rebellion. But there's always more to it. Always. But hey, “Don’t worry... They’re not really going to do anything about it. They never do.”
No one ever does. Traditions are difficult to destroy, they're seeped in history, sentimentality and patriarchy.
A tough battle. You have to stand your ground. Never give up. You have to work harder to gain respect, to earn it. You'll have to prove yourself. It's even harder if you're female, the respect from others doesn't come naturally. Kiely gets that: toxic masculinity, the persistent rape culture. This is just what is needed in the wake of the sexual harassment claims. Traditions, the old way of doing things, the easy manner of minding your own business, of compliance, sweeping crimes under the rug, looking past the elephants in the room, justifying sexist remarks... And on it goes. "Burn out the old. Bring in the new."
Make this your next read!
I received this book through NetGalley.