"ππ πππ, πππ ππππ, πππππππππππππ ππππππππππ πππππππππ. π°πππππππππ πππ πππππ ππ ππ. π¬ππ πππ π·ππππ π°πππππ ππππ πππ ππππ-ππππππππππ ππ ππππ." - Shola von Reinhold π―π―π―π―π―π―π― Reading many texts at a time has become common practice for me. Often I find patterns and connections across the texts, which could be my subconscious mind helping me to remember various and distinct narratives simultaneously. It may be pure coincidence - or nothing at all - upon which I dreamily apply meaning; patterns found where patterns are sought. π¦ When I picked up LOTE, I knew nothing but the cover. When I began reading I expected not a single connection to form between this & my other current reads. π¦ LOTE is a contemporary work of fiction, published for the #Twentyin2020 initiative promoting "Black Writers, British Voices". LOTE's protagonist, Mathilda, is a multiplicitous figure; she's creative & academic, driven & evasive, rebel & restorator. She is obsessed with forgotten figures of the 1920s art scene, specifically Scottish Black modernist poet, Hermia Druitt. π¦ Mathilda follows threads obsessively, seeking to discover everything she can about Druitt. Von Reinhold invites Black, queer historical figures out from the fringes and into the spotlight to stand beside their fictional counterparts. Side by side, I am unsure which belong to our world and which to Mathilda's; but I suppose that's the point... or part of it. I too am interested to learn more of the Bright Young Things and Black Modernism. π¦ Reminiscent -in specific ways- of Moshfegh's 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation', how does this contemporary exploration of art, aestheticism, and Black & queer erasure connect with Homer?! As it turns out, explicitly... π¦ LOTE reveals itself in unexpected ways & I don't want to spoil a thing. πSwipe through for a glimpse of the conscious link from von Reinhold to Homer... the fascinating way that these minor Homeric characters are applied, by Erskine Lily, as a way of understanding societal rejection of select identities. βRead it? I'd love to hear your notes on LOTE π€! https://www.instagram.com/p/CaAMNfLgnkl/?utm_medium=tumblr
