White Tears (by Hari Kunzru)

A Tournament of Books book and this one is... well, it's weird. But the more I think about it, and the experimental course it takes, the more I like it.

It's definitely like side A and side B of a record, which is appropriate since it focuses on a lost blues record by Charles Shaw. Except it turns out the record (and Shaw) was an invention of our two young, white protagonists, Carter and Seth. Or was it? 

This is one to read with an open mind. I don't know how to fully describe it except that it's challenging and fascinating, and does definitely veer far, far away from the "privileged white kids appropriate black music" that it looks like at the beginning.

I can see people hating this book. I was like, "Wait, what is happening right now?"  But I ultimately ended up loving it.  Very interested in the Tournament discussion on this one. And happy to have been introduced to this weird, experimental, but ultimately satisfying novel.