We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds is a young adult novel that explores themes of family, grief, identity, and the search for truth. The story follows 17-year-old Avery Anderson, who moves from Washington, D.C. to her mother’s hometown in rural Georgia to care for her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. Avery’s relationship with her mother is strained, and returning to Georgia forces them to confront their complicated family history.
As Avery adjusts to her new surroundings, she forms friendships with Simone Cole, a Black girl from a prominent family in town, and Jade Oliver, a white girl whose family has deep roots in the community. These relationships begin to unravel secrets about her family’s past, including a long-standing, racially charged murder that was never fully addressed.
Throughout the novel, Avery grapples with her sexuality, her family’s unresolved trauma, and the ways in which racism and history continue to shape the present. The title, We Deserve Monuments, reflects the characters’ search for recognition, justice, and acknowledgment of their pain, as well as the need for healing and reconciliation.
The novel is a poignant reflection on how generational trauma, racism, and family dynamics intersect, all while providing a compelling coming-of-age narrative.
If audiobooks is your jam, I really liked the narrator for this book. I loved the story. I have always been drawn to historical fiction books. I loved the modern feel the author brought to the story.
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