Me (Moth) by Amber McBride

F

MCB

Moth lost her entire family in a car crash last summer, leaving her feeling invisible and unwanted in her aunt's home. But then she meets Sani, a half Navajo, half white boy with hair like a waterfall, struggling with a broken family, suppressed desires, and his mental health. Though no one else seems to pay Moth any attention, Sani sees her for what she is-beautiful, broken, and yet still so worthy of life's offerings. Together, the two steal away on a summer road trip, sharing the dreams they keep hidden and the spiritual practices they have in common. But when they reach Sani's motherland, the tribal lands of the Navajo Nation, a shocking yet obvious revelation rears its head. Though the traditions are distinct on their own, McBride artfully weaves Black Southern hoodoo traditions with those of the Navajo/Diné people, creating a beautiful and cross-cultural reverence for the earth, its inhabitants, and our ancestors. Readers will be consumed by the weight of McBride's intentionality from road trip stops to the nuance of everything that goes unsaid. Written in verse, this debut novel is hauntingly romantic, refusing to be rushed or put down without deep contemplation of what it means to accept the tragedies of our lives and to reckon with the ways we metamorphosize as a result of them. An excellent choice for lovers of poetry and for those who see the beauty in sadness