Reviews

The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson

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steel_city_peach's review

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Inspiring

This book caused me to feel a range of emotions. The strongest feeling was anger. The idea of living in a segregated community in the 1950s is haunting. I was drawn to the plot of an entire household being able to pass as white. Calvin’s loyalty to his roots was admirable. I loved that he wanted to be there for his people. His love for Lily was so sweet. It seemed like she empowered him to become a better person. The pace of the book really picked up at the end. I loved the frenzied tension that came with the chaotic finale. My absolute favorite part of the book was the epilogue. It was perfect. I got a little teary eyed when I read it.

This book will definitely appeal to fans of historical fiction. They’ll love the portrayal of the early days of the Civil Rights movement. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Books, and Kim Johnson for this advanced copy to review.

lourdeslo's review

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5.0

This was such a powerful read that I had to take a bit to digest. There were moments in this book that I had to really thank God for the sacrifices of those who have come before me. If you think this is another story of “passing” you are mistaken.
We follow Calvin and his family as they are moving from their home after a devastating loss. They are moving to a community that is white only. Calvin and his parents are so light skin that they are able to pass as white in a community that would torture if not unalive them if they knew they were black. Calvin nor his mom want to live a live if passing but Calvin’s dad believes it is the only way to get away from a life of pain and discrimination. Calvin can not accept this and when a new black student starts to attend his all white high school, he realizes that he can not live a life of passing while fellow black people around him are being treated less than ( and worse). This book mixes in real life events with this remarkable story.

I truly enjoyed this story but moments were hard to digest because to know how cruel people can be due to the color of your skin will never sit right with me. The story was powerful and engaging. I definitely recommend.

heidikundin's review

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4.5

4.5 stars

First off, I have to note that The Color of a Lie was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases. I loved both of Kim Johnson's previous works, This is My America (in my top 3 books of 2020) and Invisible Son, so I was eagerly anticipating this new book, and it didn't disappoint!

The story follows Calvin, a white-passing Black teenager as he attempts to build a new life in a whites-only Pennsylvania suburb after fleeing the horrors of tragedy in Chicago. I appreciated the thought-provoking narrative, especially since the topic of passing is less frequently discussed in historical fiction. Calvin's inner turmoil is palpable and gut-wrenching, and I liked his character a lot, but by the time I was halfway through the story, I started wishing that we were able to get to know a little more about the other sides of his personality as well. The glimpses that we are given (such as his "playing the trumpet" with Lily in the woods) were great and done really well, and I found myself wishing that there had been just a bit more of that to break up the main storyline and add even more depth to the character.

SpoilerI also wished the ending hadn't felt rushed and hastily steered towards the final resolution. Though the ending was justified and understandable, I wish it hadn't felt a bit like a forced happily ever after.

My criticisms here are absolutely nitpicky, though, and The Color of a Lie is a powerful read that effectively captures the emotional and societal turmoil that accompanied the early stages of integration following Brown v the Board. This was another solid read from Kim Johnson, and this just reinforced my commitment to immediately pick up any book she releases!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.