Bitterroot
Bitterroot is an intricate novel—a tapestry of family dynamics, generational trauma, and the pursuit of social justice in a small town.
In Steeplejack in Idaho’s Bitterroot Mountains, Hazel, a forensic artist, is used to seeing death up close. But then her husband dies in a car accident, and her twin brother, Kento, is assaulted. Kento’s attack is orchestrated by a member of the town’s anti-LGBTQ+ community––the ex-husband of Corinda, Kento’s surrogate mother. Threatened by homophobia and racism, Hazel learns to navigate her new normal. As she defends her brother, she unearths unsettling revelations about her late husband and her own Japanese heritage.
The prose is captivating and immersive, and the story pulsates thanks to its rich, small-town atmosphere. Hazel’s emotional descent mirrors the bleak winter landscape as she trudges through the slushy snow; her fury mirrors the tempestuous thunderstorm that plunges the town into darkness. And in the course of people’s purposeful, realistic exchanges, moments of dark humor shine through: Hazel’s mother-in-law makes an irreverent comparison between her son’s ashes and “a bag of dog poo.” And Hazel possesses a dry wit, rolling her eyes as she deals with whiny Corinda.
Character dynamics drive the narrative. The connections between Hazel, Kento, and Corinda are intimate; their switching alliances are unpredictable yet engaging. Themes of racism, homophobia, and intergenerational trauma intersect as Kento’s struggles as a gay man of Japanese descent are juxtaposed with Hazel’s privilege as a white-passing woman, illuminating complex layers of identity and oppression.
In the novel Bitterroot, a woman comes to terms with her past and challenges her present circumstances in order to seek redemptive justice.
Reviewed by
Allison Janicki
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
