Dig

Five teenagers in Pennsylvania navigate their complex family histories while dealing with poverty, privilege, and buried secrets. Their seemingly separate stories connect through hidden relationships and shared bloodlines. The narrative follows The Freak, CanIHelpYou?, The Shoveler, Malcolm, and Loretta as they face issues of racism, abuse, drug addiction, and economic inequality. A dying woman's potato farm becomes the unlikely nexus where past and present intersect. King's experimental structure mirrors the fractured nature of family trauma and intergenerational pain. The novel examines how racism and white supremacy embed themselves in American families, while exploring themes of inheritance - both genetic and cultural.

Readers note the book's complex, non-linear structure and multiple viewpoint characters make it challenging to follow initially. Many appreciate how the seemingly disconnected narratives eventually connect to explore themes of racism, privilege, and generational trauma. Liked: - Raw, unflinching examination of difficult topics - Unique narrative style that mirrors characters' fractured experiences - Strong character development and emotional depth - Meaningful exploration of family relationships Disliked: - Confusing structure and pacing in first third of book - Some found it too dark and heavy - Difficulty keeping track of multiple perspectives - Abstract/surreal elements felt jarring to some readers Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (6,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (180+ ratings) "Takes work to get into but pays off beautifully," notes one Goodreads reviewer. Another states: "The fragmented style perfectly captures teenage mental health struggles, but made the story hard to follow at times."

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📚 A.S. King wrote Dig in response to her own family's generational trauma and complicated relationship with potato farming in Pennsylvania. 🏆 The novel won the 2020 Michael L. Printz Award, one of the most prestigious honors in young adult literature. 🌱 The potato, a central metaphor in the book, was historically viewed as a "poor person's food" in America despite being a nutritious and versatile crop. 👥 The seemingly unconnected narrative threads of five teenagers eventually weave together to reveal they are all descendants of the wealthy potato farming Hemmings family. ✍️ A.S. King wrote the first draft of Dig in just six weeks, though she spent years processing the personal experiences that inspired the story.