2016: The year of ______

(Image credit: REUTERS/Jim Young)

published 30 December 2016

There are plenty of people who would be happy to shut the door on 2016 and forget it entirely. But as bad as 2016 was (and it was often very bad), it was also a year of stunning upsets, victories, and excitement. However optimistic or pessimistic you might be feeling in the waning days of December, there is no argument that the events of 2016 are going to have long-lasting reverberations.

So, how best to sum it all up? Here are a few attempts to nail down exactly what this messy (and occasionally beautiful) year has been all about.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.