There You Are

There You Are (2019) by Mathea Morais; 304 pages

Spanning three decades, There You Are follows the lives of Octavian Monroe and Mina Rose as they navigate love, friendship, race, and music. They find solace with each other in grade school--Octavian, whose mother is dying of cancer and older brother whose behavior is becoming increasingly troubled, and Mina, a misfit who wishes she weren't white...experiences that inform much of their identities and the adults they become. Heartbreaking events bring them closer together, then tear them apart, until they must face one another again when they get the news that their beloved record store is closing.

The book centers mostly around University City and Rahsaan's Records, specifically--inspired by Vintage Vinyl in U. City's Loop district--and delves deep into the troubled race relations that have plagued St. Louis since its founding. This is certainly one of those books where you could call setting a character--anyone familiar with St. Louis will recognize much of the novel. That said, the characters themselves were vivid and charismatic, well-crafted by Morais to bring you right into the moment. A lot of big ideas are packed into these pages, but I was invested in the entire story arc and appreciated the closure at the end. I definitely look forward to more work by Mathea Morais.