As I was reading There There by Tommy Orange, I found that the concept of spider webs became an ongoing motif: a trap and a home. The thing about a spider web is that to truly see it, you have to stop and stare. You cannot just look, you must see. You may notice the web, you may not. But who truly takes the time to study it unless they are, in one way or another, caught in it? 

There There is a historical fiction novel told from 12 points of view. There There closely follows different Native Americans of all walks of life as they get ready for The Big Oakland Powwow. Orange throws the reader into this spider web of love, loss, addiction, life, and death. 

I have never experienced a book that has so many stories within stories. The way Orange writes is masterful. Orange reiterates throughout the book that it is vital for Indigenous people to share their stories. 

To make sure they were not forgotten. 

To make sure they were seen. 

He does exactly that through his writing. He takes realistic characters with realistic struggles and highlights them. Tells their stories. This piece is raw. Open. You can feel the character’s pain. You can feel their loss. It stretches across every part of the book. Through every new point of view. It stretches across time. 

There There is unapologetically life-like. One of the reasons it is such a captivating book is because it does not sugarcoat anything. It is such a refreshing perspective in a world that is careful not to say anything bluntly. Orange also makes sure not to sugarcoat history. The prologue addresses horrific crimes committed against Indigenous people. It also explains  why so many Native Americans are in cities: assimilation. Some readers skip the prologue of books, but this one was crucial to my overall understanding of the book.  

Each character only has a few chapters to shine, but the characters are all so well-developed. Again, Orange’s storytelling is masterful. Every perspective is unique and raw, while simultaneously being incredibly diverse not only through age, sex, and lifestyle but also through the writing itself. I have never read a book that includes first, second, and third-person points of view throughout the narration. It adds individuality to the already diverse set of characters. 

I recommend being fully immersed while reading There There. I found myself lost numerous times because of abrupt time jumps or because the name of a character (one of many) slipped my mind. This is not a book you read just to read; this is a book you read to understand. You read it to understand the characters, their struggles, their relationships, their history, their culture, and their life. Orange has written a book you could spend weeks dissecting in Book Club and still lose pieces within the sea of pages.

There There is written in six parts: the prologue, part one, the first half of part two, interlude, the second half of part two, part three, and part four. By the end of part four, I had absolutely no idea how to comprehend the ending. I immediately reread several of the previous chapters. How the characters all come together at the end is nothing short of insane. 

The entire fourth part, the powwow, is insane. Orange describes powwows as a way to celebrate culture and community. Orange brings his characters to a place where those feelings of not belonging could have subsided, a place many of them felt drawn to. But instead, he brings the powerful reminder that even at a powwow their generational hurt festers and bleeds like an old wound always ready to tear again. The beat of the drums turns into the deafening cry of bullets. The dances, already full of loss, morphs into one of fear, a dance of life and death. Laughter falls away into screams. 

I have often heard other readers mention finishing a book and then staring at a wall for an hour afterward because it leaves them feeling that empty. I heard this in a joking manner. Or so I thought. This book has had me trapped within its pages for far longer than it took to read. I have gone on tangents about it to multiple loved ones as I still try to comprehend it all. 

The storylines are so complex and the way they intertwine at the end is even more so. All of the unknowns add to the complexity. I finished the book with so many questions. Orange purposely leaves holes in his story, a frustrating and admirable parallel to many of his characters who feel as if they have holes within themselves. 

I feel the need to read this book again so I can fully understand it. Orange writes in such a thought-provoking way. Everyone should read this book, but only if they have the foresight to read it correctly. You can only learn as much as you are willing to understand. The more I think about There There, the more I have discovered there is more to this book than it seems. The symbolism, the relationships, the struggles. It gives an insightful perspective of life in a city as a Native person. It also provides a raw perspective on dealing with addiction, loss, and identity. This book forces you to stop and study the spider web.