12/18/2023 0 Comments Chicago in the crosshairs![]() Criticism of the resolution extended to the Republican party’s 2012 platform, which stated: “We strongly reject the UN Agenda 21 as erosive of American sovereignty.” An at-times tough (depending on your sensitivity to violence and abuse) but solid read, Crosshairs tells a story of battling against the insidious nature of fascism and white supremacy by being unabashedly yourself.APC is on the political fringes, but anti-Agenda 21 sentiment is moving into the political mainstream. She’s an evocative, vibrant writer whose voice and point of view are an exciting addition to the literary landscape. Instead, Kay’s story feels like a vessel for others and not their own. Kay’s cohorts jump off the page, but we never quite get a clear picture of who Kay really is, even with several drag queen flashbacks. Who Kay is feels underfed compared to other characters. It renders Kay a bit flat, particularly toward the end. Hernandez had several diversity readers involved in the project, so your quibble mileage may vary, but there are moments where it feels evident that a non-Black person is telling the story of this transmasculine femme Black person, regardless of the particular traits (queerness, multiracial/Filipino identity) the author and Kay do share. Marginalized people deserve to have their stories centered and not always exist as a sad lesson for white people Crosshairs may not be that. On the other hand, the story at times feels like tragedy porn. Hernandez’s voice and writing style lay vivid on the page, and her craft is evident from the jump. On the one hand, it is so vital to see queer people of color centered in stories, and there are a few moments where we do get to see Black and queer joy rather than pain. It does make it hard, however, to decide whether to recommend this book and to whom. Every few pages, something devastating happens, either in real time or recollection, rendering the story more harrowing – perhaps especially if you’ve ever been a victim of such abuse. Hernandez is unrelenting in her portrayal of the regular violence, assault and abuses faced by these Other-ized people in 'civil societies.' She excels in her ability to show the ease of even the most brazen fascism and the pervasiveness of the feelings and scenarios that elicit its subsequent rise. A demand for change, before it is too late. The second promise is that without change, we are hurtling toward disaster. If people with privilege can be motivated to take action against systemic oppression, souls can be saved and lives can be spared. Crosshairs leaves readers with two promises. It is full of loss and anger but still brimming with the joy of first romance, warmth of community, power of friendship, and importance of courage and pride. Despite this, Crosshairs holds love as a powerful core motivator. not an easy read, for either queer or racialized readers who may be reminded of historical and contemporary affronts and assaults to their communities or for those readers of privilege bearing witness to them and reckoning with their own complicity. ![]() Secondary characters are just as vibrant and lively. Readers will be enveloped in the joy of his self-discovery and fearful at the threats to his safety. Though his world is crumbling, he remains a strong and persistent force in the novel, with no shortage of heart for those around him. Kay is a warm protagonist, against all odds. The result is a narrative that charms readers into leaning in and then startles them into confronting a miserable set of circumstances. Over the course of the novel, the author uses unwavering frankness to evoke both optimism and unease. ![]() Each successive chapter seems to reveal something uglier, and the sense of urgency this brings to the story is almost intimidating. In prose that is sharp and honest, the novel serves as a glimpse into the anxieties of existing as other in daily life. Hernandez presents the disintegration of Canada into a bifurcated society of haves and have-nots, a story made all the more terrifying for how much of it has already come to pass.
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