Kirkus-Style Review
Lakewood by Megan Giddings
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hrilling and contemplative, Lakewood portrays the raw
ethical and moral issues which affect many low-income families and exposes the
historically-overlooked reality of scientific experimentation on the black
population in America.
Lena Johnson, a black
college student, is at a crossroads in her life. Her grandmother has just died
and left the family with considerable debt and her mother is suffering from an
unidentifiable, incurable illness. When Lena is presented with the mysterious
opportunity to take a high-paying job in the remote town of Lakewood, Michigan,
she drops out of college and does not look back. At first, her job seems too
good to be true—she’s making more money than she ever imagined and is able to
pay for her mother’s health insurance coverage. She is asked to sign a nondisclosure
agreement, but lying to her family and friends about her job is a sacrifice she’s
willing to make. But when Lena realizes her job is actually a secret, government-funded
medical experiment focused on people of color, she finds herself in probable
danger. Lena’s situation brings to mind the Tuskegee Experiment of the 1930s
when black men were invited to participate in medical study in which they would
be treated for bad blood. However, the men never received treatment, but were
instead inflicted with syphilis. The true goal of the experiment, unbeknownst
to its participants, was to observe what untreated syphilis looked like. Aware
of the horrifying reality of the Lakewood project, Lena must choose between her
own well-being and the security of her family. What’s actually happening in
Lakewood, and what is the true cost of health and financial stability?
An unforgettable, must-read debut novel which sheds light on both
racial and social injustice with a sci-fi twist that makes you take a closer
look at the world around you.
Pub Date: March
24, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-291319-7
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Amistad/HarperCollins
Categories: LITERARY FICTION, dystopian fiction,
science fiction
Hi Juliana!
ReplyDeleteI liked that you ended your description of the book with a question for readers to ponder. That question adds a bit of intrigue to the novel, which is fun. Also, I really appreciated your inclusion of the various categories that the novel falls into. For readers, it’s very helpful to know what kind of book they’re potentially going to read, because there may be aspects of the book that a review will make readers aware of that they might not have found out otherwise on their own.
Hi Juliana,
ReplyDeleteLakewood sounds like a chilling read, and you did an excellent job with the summary of the plot. You told me just enough to get me interested, but left out the one thing that really got me hooked: What experiment are they conducting at Lakewood? Your last sentence is also a perfect recommendation for the book. I'm definitely adding it to my To Read list.
Hello Juliana,
ReplyDeleteThis does seem like a really good thriller. I can't help but feel that it could make the reader be on edge as they continue to read. Whenever something does seem to be too good to be true, that's when you should start feeling suspicious because there has to be a catch somewhere. I like how you draw comparisons with this book and the Tuskegee Experiment from the 1930s. You did a great job on the review.
Hi Juliana,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this review of a very timely piece of literature. You did an excellent job providing insight without revealing/spoiling the ending of the book.
As I read through your post, I was reminded of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. A non-fiction work, it also deals with the topic of the moral implications and generational repercussions of historical scientific experimentation on Black communities in America. While it may sometimes be uncomfortable for us to recognize our unsavory past, it is necessary to think critically and engage critically with works like these. I'm excited to add this one to my TBR.
Thanks again for your post!
-Daniel Thurston
Juliana,
ReplyDeleteWhen I first moved the the United States, it was a truly bizarre endeavor for me once I started reading some of the history regarding the then-secret population experiments, especially as many were focused on experimentation of particular races, like the American blacks. It is odd even more so that these trails were not that far removed from our day, maybe a few decades, and these memories are fresh is so many individuals of the population's descendants. I have not read this title but am familiar with some of the subject matter that deals with unwitting subjects being the guinea pigs of various chemical exposures. Thank you for bringing up this book as I would very much like to see how the sci-fi twist gives the recent history of these events a unique perspective.
Fantastic review! Very well written, timely, and intriguing! Great conclusion as well. Full points!
ReplyDelete