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A review by bibliokyra
The Atlas of Reds and Blues by Devi S. Laskar
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.