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A review by tanyamariereads
Black Card by Chris L. Terry
4.0
Black Card by Chris L. Terry is a fast and impactful novel following a nameless, mixed race narrator. The story takes place in the early 2000's in Richmond, Virginia. The narrator is determined to win back his "Black Card" which was originally bestowed to him by his friend, Lucius. The narrator sees Lucius as his guide to reclaiming his black identity. This isn't an easy feat being in a predominantly white area of Richmond and having to deal with microaggressions from his band mates and the public in general. The narrator has to grapple with more than he originally bargained for in order to fully claim his race identity.
This novel really resonated with me. Growing up in a predominantly white environment meant there was a time when I was confronted with my own race identity crisis. Much of it was within my own head, but it's hard to truly sort through and understand while you're young. Chris L. Terry does a great job of displaying that internal battle onto the page. By using satire and a small dose of magical realism, Terry reveals the internal and external conflicts that are dealt by mixed race individuals. This was a slow burn at first, but the ending was tied well together and I can see this story impacting many readers.
This novel really resonated with me. Growing up in a predominantly white environment meant there was a time when I was confronted with my own race identity crisis. Much of it was within my own head, but it's hard to truly sort through and understand while you're young. Chris L. Terry does a great job of displaying that internal battle onto the page. By using satire and a small dose of magical realism, Terry reveals the internal and external conflicts that are dealt by mixed race individuals. This was a slow burn at first, but the ending was tied well together and I can see this story impacting many readers.