The Most Relatable Novel Up to This Point

I would have to say that out of all the books that we’ve read, I’m enjoying Black Swan Green by David Mitchell the most. Although I’ve probably already said this for a couple of books, I retract my previous statements and say that this is by far the most relatable books. It really mixes in humor with family and peer dynamics, something that I remember far too well from my “younger” years.

One of the things that I find so identifiable with this novel is the family dynamic demonstrated in the Relatives chapter. In my experiences with family gatherings, and what I think the author evokes really well, is how awkward those types of interactions can end up becoming. Like I think David Mitchell explains this really well, there’s parents boasting on the kids behalf and them awkwardly, yet politely trying to argue with each other. I acted just like Jason did having his extended family over; quiet and trying to act unnoticeable. As shy as I tried to be, my aunts would start talking about how my cousins got accepted into this prestigious something or other, and I knew my mom would pull the unwanted spotlight onto me. Just like Jason didn’t want some of his family members to know about his poetry win, I didn’t want people to know that I got my yellow belt in taekwondo.

And then there’s those two adults, and they each think they’re right, and the other is wrong, but neither will admit to anything. And the entire time they are trying to be as polite as possible. I can just picture my aunts arguing over something really random, but being persistent about it. I think that Michael and Brian really showcase the rising tension and I think it’s just a great depiction of something that’s actually quite commonplace. But unlike the other books that we’ve been reading, although there is tangible tension, the chapter is considerably lighter and more humorous. Small quips are made, and everything gets smoothed out more or less in the end.

In terms of peer dynamic, I also think that the author does a great job of describing that realistically. Just reading the section where Jason takes the bus, or when he’s explaining his peers social hierarchy, it mentally brought me back to my time in elementary school. My perspective was a bit different since I’m a girl, but the dynamic is there in essence. Even at a young age, people start being broken up into different social groups, and like Jason, I was somewhere in the middle. And there’s always that one popular kid that you thinks a moron, and one kid that gets picked on. These scenes are more enjoyable by how innocently oblivious David Mitchell makes Jason out to be, like when he doesn’t know what a particular insult means. I remember not knowing any swear words until I was way out of elementary school. It’s also really interesting to note how similar my experiences were to Jason’s situations even though we live in different parts of the world and in different decades.

Overall, I’m really appreciating this book because I find it very close to my own life experiences. Obviously not everything is exact, but it’s still fun to compare and contrast. I’m really looking forward to reading more of this book!