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hollyrosex's review against another edition
4.0
An incredibly interesting chronicle of race and violence in America, I love the style of prose and it made for a quick read with an important message. Slightly choppy in places, but it really embodies the idea of life flashing before your eyes. I’m always a fan of books that take place in a short space of time but tell the story of a lifetime, so Laskar’s style really worked for me in that way!
bibliokyra's review against another edition
4.0
"What does it mean to truly be invisible? Her stillness, her ability to remain calm while high-decibel insults are hurled inches from her face and ears. To pretend nothing has been said. To pretend deafness. Or her chameleon's ability to blend in, a nondescript body in a dark blouse and black jeans leaning against the pay phone at the hospital waiting room, or standing outside the courtroom's double doors or by the fire engine at the crime scene, yellow do-not-cross tape isolating one place from its larger context. To pretend the oak tree across the street's steadfast patience, to pretend paralysis. To watch but pretend blindness. Never look anyone in the eye. Or maybe restraint. Knowing her lack of reaction is the only thing keeping her alive, over and again. Knowing the first time she hits back is the last time she'll ever have the opportunity to do so."
Thank you @counterpointpress for sharing this beautiful book with me. Gorgeous cover design by @nlcaputo.
An unnamed narrator, Mother, has been shot after an unwarranted police raid on her home. As Mother bleeds out onto her driveway waiting for help, she tells her story. Through poetic disjointed fragments, Mother shares her experience with racism, sexism, and unrealistic beauty expectations as an American-born child of Bengali immigrants.
Because of their skin color, Mother's daughters endure ostracism in school and Mother tells them they must be strong to earn respect. Mother's husband, her "Hero", is constantly traveling for work and is unaware of the struggles that his family face. Mother is tired of walking on eggshells and trying to please everyone around her, tired of being resented and disrespected. Mother paints us a vivid picture of her transformation from compliance to resistance.
This gut punch of a book is raw, poignant and eye-opening. I recommend THE ATLAS OF REDS AND BLUES for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of the oppression and hardships that a woman or person of color faces in America to this day.
Thank you @counterpointpress for sharing this beautiful book with me. Gorgeous cover design by @nlcaputo.
An unnamed narrator, Mother, has been shot after an unwarranted police raid on her home. As Mother bleeds out onto her driveway waiting for help, she tells her story. Through poetic disjointed fragments, Mother shares her experience with racism, sexism, and unrealistic beauty expectations as an American-born child of Bengali immigrants.
Because of their skin color, Mother's daughters endure ostracism in school and Mother tells them they must be strong to earn respect. Mother's husband, her "Hero", is constantly traveling for work and is unaware of the struggles that his family face. Mother is tired of walking on eggshells and trying to please everyone around her, tired of being resented and disrespected. Mother paints us a vivid picture of her transformation from compliance to resistance.
This gut punch of a book is raw, poignant and eye-opening. I recommend THE ATLAS OF REDS AND BLUES for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of the oppression and hardships that a woman or person of color faces in America to this day.
zeba's review against another edition
3.0
Mixed feelings on this one:
What I liked:
- The prose was lovely, and did a great job conveying the emotions/ feelings of the protagonist
- I can see why the style of writing is divisive, but personally I enjoyed the back and forth styling piecing together different episodes of the characters life
What I didn’t like:
- I understand that the whole point of the story is to focus on race & racism. However, by focusing only on this there’s a lack of depth to her character, which in turn makes it difficult to see her as anything beyond that (and I say this as a British pakistani woman). I’d struggle to tell you much else about her personality, motivations, aspirations etc
- The ending was too abrupt. I felt like there was a chapter missing.
What I liked:
- The prose was lovely, and did a great job conveying the emotions/ feelings of the protagonist
- I can see why the style of writing is divisive, but personally I enjoyed the back and forth styling piecing together different episodes of the characters life
What I didn’t like:
- I understand that the whole point of the story is to focus on race & racism. However, by focusing only on this there’s a lack of depth to her character, which in turn makes it difficult to see her as anything beyond that (and I say this as a British pakistani woman). I’d struggle to tell you much else about her personality, motivations, aspirations etc
- The ending was too abrupt. I felt like there was a chapter missing.
raewood's review against another edition
5.0
I'm completely blown away by this book. The language is nuanced, the structure is ingenious and adds great profundity to the story itself. Laskar lays bare both banal cruelties and and balanaties that make cruelty all the more unbearable in single sentences. A novel that speaks to microaggressions experienced by woc in the South, while also acknowledging the unique version of this faced by an Indian American woman universally assumed to be either Black or a foreigner. Not for those who dislike ambiguity, but an incredibly impactful read nonetheless
bookalong's review against another edition
5.0
A Powerful, Emotional and Beautifully Written Book!
This book is stunning! Inside and out! It grabbed me right from the beginning and didn't let go. Laskar has crafted a beautiful novel. Written in the most poetic prose she covers heavy subject matter, Racism, Stereotypes, Misogyny, Bullying and Police Brutality. This book is an emotional rollercoaster! As you watch a mother try so hard to raise her daughters and to be proud of who they are while they face unjustified harassment and bullying. It is completely heartbreaking but undoubtedly worth reading. This is such an important book. Reccomended reading!
•
THANK YOU so much to the Publisher for gifting me this stunning finished copy!
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For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
This book is stunning! Inside and out! It grabbed me right from the beginning and didn't let go. Laskar has crafted a beautiful novel. Written in the most poetic prose she covers heavy subject matter, Racism, Stereotypes, Misogyny, Bullying and Police Brutality. This book is an emotional rollercoaster! As you watch a mother try so hard to raise her daughters and to be proud of who they are while they face unjustified harassment and bullying. It is completely heartbreaking but undoubtedly worth reading. This is such an important book. Reccomended reading!
•
THANK YOU so much to the Publisher for gifting me this stunning finished copy!
•
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
phnx's review against another edition
3.0
A wonderful look inside the life of a woman of color and the struggles she experienced in regards to race. The way the book was written was unique, presenting a "life is flashing before your eyes" kind of experience. However, I think this book had a lot more it could have offered. If provide no sense of closure, no sense of familiarity with the characters and where they are going. It was all about the past, nothing much about the present, and doesn't explain what is going on to trigger her predicament. It's like she wanted to write a novel, but instead just write down a bunch of thoughts and strung them together.
rcsreads's review against another edition
5.0
The Atlas of Reds and Blues begins with a woman bleeding to death on her driveway, shot by the police. Her life flashes before her eyes and it's these flashes that the novel follows.
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The narrative is urgent and jumpy, moving through time in a non-linear fashion to reveal Mother's journey to this point. It's a life full of micro-aggresions and racism which reflects how little has changed in America and the terrible consequences there can be when people stand up for themselves.
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I loved the writing style and could easily have read the whole book in one sitting. I definitely recommend that everyone grab a copy of this one when it's released on the 6th June.
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Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy for review.
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The narrative is urgent and jumpy, moving through time in a non-linear fashion to reveal Mother's journey to this point. It's a life full of micro-aggresions and racism which reflects how little has changed in America and the terrible consequences there can be when people stand up for themselves.
.
I loved the writing style and could easily have read the whole book in one sitting. I definitely recommend that everyone grab a copy of this one when it's released on the 6th June.
.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy for review.
dekilein's review against another edition
4.0
What an interesting way to structure a book. A lot of small chapters that are complete out of order describe the life of our main character including her laying on the floor shot by police that shot her in her own driveway.
caroray's review
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
unrelated to actual content, but I wouldn't recommend buying the paperback, the spine broke after one read through
review: I have a hard time connecting to lyrical, paper cut out, books, but this one especially fell flat for me. I appreciate what it was trying to do, but overall not for me.
review: I have a hard time connecting to lyrical, paper cut out, books, but this one especially fell flat for me. I appreciate what it was trying to do, but overall not for me.
aishwaryashenolikar's review against another edition
1.0
I had been wanting to read this book for a really long time. The Goodreads description sure had me impressed. I think it is time for me to not rely on Goodreads description all the time.
Okay, so about the book. I get what the underlying message the author was trying to communicate. The second-rate judgement. The implying racism. I get it. It’s important to write on these matters. But writing about them & having a voice are two different things. The thing that most bothered me was the writing style. What Goodreads mentions as ‘lyrical prose’ is nothing but ‘lazy writing’. It is a different style for me to read, yes. But, I am very open to new styles especially when it comes to books. This one just didn’t do it for me. The story is butchered into a million parts. It is really difficult to understand the link of one thing to other: whether it’s her childhood continuation or her adulthood continuation & how it all holds up together.
I cannot stress how difficult it was to read the book. It was pointless & fails to set a tone with the American or Indian or any reader.
Check out the full book review here: http://www.mindscapeinwords.com/2020/03/the-atlas-of-reds-and-blues-mindscape.html
Okay, so about the book. I get what the underlying message the author was trying to communicate. The second-rate judgement. The implying racism. I get it. It’s important to write on these matters. But writing about them & having a voice are two different things. The thing that most bothered me was the writing style. What Goodreads mentions as ‘lyrical prose’ is nothing but ‘lazy writing’. It is a different style for me to read, yes. But, I am very open to new styles especially when it comes to books. This one just didn’t do it for me. The story is butchered into a million parts. It is really difficult to understand the link of one thing to other: whether it’s her childhood continuation or her adulthood continuation & how it all holds up together.
I cannot stress how difficult it was to read the book. It was pointless & fails to set a tone with the American or Indian or any reader.
Check out the full book review here: http://www.mindscapeinwords.com/2020/03/the-atlas-of-reds-and-blues-mindscape.html