The Awkward Truth by Lee Winter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Romantic love, social justice, and mystery all find a place in this book.
Many of Lee Winter's books (well all except the Hollywood ones, in my opinion) are structured around crimes and mysteries and deal with issues of social justice. And that make these books among my favourites in non-speculative (fantasy/sci-fi) fiction.
I had liked Felicity in Brutal Truth, perhaps because Maggie liked her, and it was delightful to have her as the protagonist in this one. The mystery that she needs to solve is interesting, and the charity and its employees, including Cooper, remarkable. Elena's kindness to Felicity endeared her to me (and I think I did like her already).
I specially enjoyed all the discussions about homelessness in New York and the issues that affect them (though I think the numbers mentioned are rather low? I am pretty sure it ranged on 350000 when I read about it a few years ago in NYRB). And it is appalling for rich countries to have so many homeless. Well, any country, but the settler-colonial and former imperial states, esp. What have they done with all their wealth looting others?
A friend of mine in San Francisco once showed me small horseshoe shaped metal bands that were inserted into the side of the road to ensure the homeless cannot sleep in those streets. It is really horrifying that a city's response is not to provide for the homeless, but to ensure they are even more deprived. On the other hand, that is the West's approach to immigration and other sorts of lacks in the Rest too. So, perhaps, not surprising. It is still shocking.
(view spoiler)[ Harvey is a beautiful man. I loved Rosalind's and Harvey's love and that whole scene, enacted in front of felicity was great. While I am not vindictive, Charles, I think did need to write off his entire life to community service. On the other hand, unless he learns, it is perhaps better to keep him away from that. (hide spoiler)]
I am really glad that the book touched up on one important point. That true love for animals cannot be at the expense of humans. This also extends to the West's as well as the elite of the Rest's environmentalists who agitate for 'animal rights' and pristine forests at the expense of humans who depend on them. There are ways to mutually co-exist while keeping within environmental principles, and working with the local communities and forest tribes is the best way to save both humans and non-humans (the planet of course can exist without all of us, I am sure).
It is these discussions, and the mysteries that make me love these books despite my lack of taste for the 'falling in love in 3 days' thing or loads of sex, though to be fair to the author, most f/f fiction (except YA) have that.
An absolutely well written and well-crafted book.
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