The Removed

In The Removed, National Book Award finalist Brandon Hobson weaves a poignant tale of the Echota family, grappling with the enduring pain and injustice stemming from the tragic death of their teenage son, Ray-Ray, fifteen years prior. As the family prepares for their annual bonfire, which commemorates both the Cherokee National Holiday and Ray-Ray's memory, they navigate personal struggles—Maria’s Alzheimer’s, Sonja’s obsessive romance, and Edgar’s battle with addiction—while experiencing a profound merging of the spiritual and physical realms. Richly infused with Cherokee myths and folklore, this novel explores themes of loss, family, and the powerful legacies of trauma, offering a haunting meditation on what it means to confront the past.