We Deserve Monuments
The Writers' Book Club Selection for January
Join us on Wednesday, January 31 at 7:00 pm ET for the January Writers’ Book Club as we discuss:
We Deserve Monuments, by Jas Hammonds
"An absolute must read." —Buzzfeed"
"A gripping portrayal of the South's inherent racism and a love story for queer Black girls." —Teen Vogue
Family secrets, a swoon-worthy queer romance, and a slow-burn mystery collide in We Deserve Monuments, a YA debut from Jas Hammonds that explores how racial violence can ripple down through generations.
2023 Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent Winner
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2022
A Kirkus Best Books of 2022
A School and Library Journal Best Book of 2022
A B&N Best Book of 2022
A Parents Magazine Best Books of 2022
People magazine's Best Children's Books of 2022
Click here to read a fascinating interview that author Jas Hammonds gave to Shondaland about We Deserve Monuments.
Click here to listen to Hammonds interviewed on NPR all about the book.
Click here to read another great interview with Hammonds in which they discuss strategies for overcoming self-doubt.
To reserve your spot for the discussion, click below for our Eventbrite page.
$1.00 Minimum (Suggested Dues: $5.00)
Discussion Questions:
In what ways did the narrative voice of We Deserve Monuments both enhance and limit the storytelling? What was your response to the occasional shifts to the third-person omniscient POV? Did you find those chapters effective? Why do you think Hammonds chose to tell the story this way?
The past is very much prologue in We Deserve Monuments. From a craft perspective, what were some of the methods Hammonds used to weave in the complicated backstory? How effective do you think they were?
In what ways did Hammonds use the history of racial violence and oppression in the south to illuminate our current struggles with white supremacy in America? Do you feel the south was scapegoated or stereotyped in any way? Could this book have been set anywhere else in the U.S.?
How did Hammonds employ key elements of the setting to inform character development, forward the plot, and echo/reinforce the central themes of the story?
We Deserve Monuments is very much the story of how three generations of Black women confront overlapping systems of oppression in America, including racism, misogyny, and homophobia. Think about each of these characters: Mama Letty, Zora and Carole, Avery and Simone. In what ways do these intersectional oppressions shape and distort their lives?
Although Avery is the protagonist, Mama Letty is the true heart and soul of this book. She is both a profoundly difficult and sympathetic character. How did your reactions to her shift over the course of the story? What choices did Hammonds make to manipulate your responses? How did the novel overall leave you feeling about Mama Letty?
The ending of We Deserve Monuments leaves many questions unresolved. To what extent do you feel this was a deliberate choice Hammonds made, and how effective do you think it was?
Although We Deserve Monuments was published as a young adult novel, in many ways it reads like adult fiction. What choices did Hammonds make that “feel” more YA to you? What choices “feel” more adult? How well do you think they succeeded in creating a satisfying crossover between the two?
There’s often a tendency among debut authors to throw everything but the kitchen sink into first novels. By turns, We Deserve Monuments is a contemporary coming-of-age novel, a fish-out-of-water story, an intergenerational family drama, a queer YA romance, a story of teen girl friendships, a historical novel about the Jim Crow south, and a murder mystery. How well did Hammonds pull all of these off? Were any more or less effective than the others for you?
Although We Deserve Monuments asks many difficult and complex questions, perhaps the most crucial is this: What does justice look like in a violent and discriminatory system of racial oppression? How successfully did the novel answer this question for you? Was that answer satisfying, uncomfortable, or both? Why do you think you feel this way?
Also, there’s still time to reserve a spot for our rescheduled Zoomie, hosted by Jennifer Richard Jacobson:
To Tell, Or Not To Tell
Suspense delights readers. As do major plot twists and reversals. However, knowing when to withhold information and when to reveal, can be like walking a tightrope while carrying a squirmy octopus. Provide too much information (or too much teasing), and the story loses narrative drive. Provide too little information and readers can end up feeling frustrated or duped. In this Zoomie we’ll explore ways of achieving maximum tension without teasing or deceiving.
Remember that all ticket holders will receive a link to a video recording of this event, which will be available to watch for one month after the Zoomie. So, even if you can’t attend the night of the presentation, you can watch (and rewatch) it at your convenience later on!
Reserve your spot now on our Eventbrite page.
