Book Review: Closer by Miriam Gershow

Miriam Gershow's recent novel, Closer, explores the impact of Obama-era racism in a mostly white college town. This book is a serious read, and Gershow does not hold back when delving into a variety of social issues. One of the families has to deal with racisim as well as difficulty managing a special needs adult child. They also have a family member with dementia. The other families and high school administrators deal with different sets of problems, all realistic for this time period.

The risk, of course, is piling on too much and making the book feel like it is about everything all at once. But Gershow adeptly creates a throughline for the reader. Racism is the central problem that sets the story's events into motion. I cannot help but see the plot as a yearlong trust exercise where the characters fall backward blindly, not knowing if the other characters will catch them or let them get hurt and to what degree. Maybe no one will even notice they fell.

For me, this novel has three main strengths. First, it refuses to hold back on the social issues and systemic failures in this time period. Second, it offers a touch of humor at the right moments, just enough to make the story palatable to the reader without negating the difficult subject matter. Finally, the characters in this story are distinct, unforgettable, and relatable (even when they make mistakes).

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to readers.