Immediately after finishing this book, I didn't think I'd enjoyed it very much. I open my notes & highlights, I've highlighted paragraphs on paragraphs on paragraphs - all of which still make sense to me, without complete context. That tells me I did, in fact, enjoy this. The first section, A Fool's Gold, was the standout to me; no surprise if you read my reviews often, as dissection of the 'mother' role is my kryptonite.

Across all sections of this book, Natasha Brown gives readers numerous opportunities to identify with the characters she creates. Written from a perspective of victimization, you navigate topics like sexism, classism, racism - a lot of the '-isms.

Admittedly, comprehending this took a lot more thinking that I'd anticipated. This wasn't a book I could coast through or give only partial attention to. That being said, I'm going to wait until I have a little more mental bandwidth before I dig into her debut, Assembly.

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Natasha Brown and Random House for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!}

The writing is sharp and clear, and really pulled me in. The opening chapter, which chronicles a surprising act of violence, was my favorite part of the story. I loved the structure of the novel-it is unexpected and engaging. There are lots of characters and provocative questions regarding truth, power, class, race that I don’t feel like were fully explored - however, the author packs an impressive amount of plot into five chapters. Recommended to anyone in the mood for a smart, through-provoking read that doesn’t offer easy answers.

Thank you very much to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

the majority of the novel feels like it doesn't really get to the point but it's by design. the beginning starts out with something wider: a young man is nearly killed by a gold bar at an illegal rave. then the novel gradually zooms in by following a journalist who wants to uncover the truth of this crime. i don't think brown sticks the landing but what i found most compelling was in how brown explored language and how there is something intuitive about constructing an argument that resonates. in particular, there's something intuitive about scientific process and how humans rely on this process to make sense of the uncertain. however just because the scientific process is utilized doesn't mean everyone will come to the same conclusion, but it's the act of relying on that sense of rationality that can be dangerous if left unchecked.

The book begins with a man almost killed after being struck by a solid gold bar at an illegal rave. In the aftermath, a young journalist begins to uncover the truth, drawing connections between an amoral banker landlord, an iconoclastic columnist, and a radical anarchist movement that has taken up residence on the farm.

This short yet insightful novel is a character-driven narrative that is similar to the themes and captivating writing of Brown's debut, Assembly. However, the key difference is in the narrative structure. While Assembly is told from a single POV, Universality has multiple POVs. The first chapter initially felt a bit overwhelming with the introduction of numerous characters.

What intrigued me most about this novel, as highlighted in its synopsis, is its exploration of language, "the book focuses on what we say, how we say it, and what we really mean." At the beginning, the journalist is determined to reveal the truth of the events, a truth that I, as a reader, initially accepted. However, as we dive deeper into the perspectives of various characters, it becomes clear that each one posseses their own version of the truth, ultimately positioning themselves as victims in their own narratives. Significant themes throughout the book include the cultural wars within journalism, classism, and race, all of which contribute to its thought-provoking depth.