Sofa Spotlight - Apex Hides the Hurt, Colson Whitehead

I think this may be my last Colson Whitehead read this year, but it was certainly a good one to end on. In true Colson Whitehead style this is so much more than what the main narrative would have you believe.

The surface story is about a town that wants to change its name and so hires a consultant to come and give some recommendations. Said consultant arrives and the story follows his experience of the town, its people and its history. He also has an injured toe which he has covered over with an Apex plaster. Which is really what the deeper meaning is about. Apex or the sticking plaster hides the hurt. We can cover over the problems, but they are only hidden, and often fester beneath whatever it is that we have covered them with.

Another thought-provoking aspect to the novel was the meaning of names and qualities we attribute to things on account of their name. It is certainly worth contemplating assumptions we make about people or places based on their name. And that is the point of the story, the people want a name for their town that will make outsiders assume that it is the place to be.

I still think that The Intuitionist and Nickel Boys are stronger novels, but this isn’t far behind and if you’re looking for your next read this should be it.