SEPT
September
recap.
Book: Oye ✦ Author guest: Melissa Mogollon
Here’s a recap of what we discussed at the latest Queer Between the Lines meetup.
Highlights video
What we discussed (more detail)
1) The format: a one-sided phone call
- A few of us found it disorienting at first (working out “who’s speaking”), but once it clicked, it felt immersive — like being dropped into a live conversation.
- We talked about how the limitation actually becomes the point: we only ever get one person’s perspective, and we still build a strong sense of Mari as a presence (even without hearing her voice directly).
2) The italic sections (flashback / inner world)
Melissa shared that the biggest craft challenge was: how do readers learn what they need, if Luciana wouldn’t naturally say it out loud to Mari?
- The italic sections became a way to show the “full scene in Luciana’s head” — memories, context, and internal thoughts — while the spoken parts are what she chooses to share.
- We also noted how this creates an interesting layer: you can see what Luciana reveals vs. what she withholds.
3) Character arcs & relationships
- Luciana: the arc we kept coming back to was anxious control → calmer acceptance, particularly toward the end when she starts respecting Abu’s wishes rather than trying to “save” her.
- Abu: we spoke about how Abu feels like the true protagonist in many ways — starting as a funny caricature and then becoming more layered as her history is revealed.
- Mari: we talked about how Mari can read as distant, but also as someone needing space to cope — and how that sibling dynamic can be brutally honest, then instantly loving.
4) The author Q&A (Melissa Mogollon)
Melissa talked about:
- Why this unusual format was the only one that felt “right” for the story (she tried more traditional POVs, but they didn’t work).
- How restrictions can be creatively energising (even if she wouldn’t necessarily write the next novel in the same structure).
- Audiobook adaptation: the narrator uses a different tone for the italic sections, which some readers find clarifies the reading experience.