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saraplanzreadz 's review for:
My Name Is Iris
by Brando Skyhorse
Iris is starting a new life. Recently divorced with a nine year old daughter Melanie, she is finally settling in. She has a new home and is looking forward to enjoying things she has always wanted to take part in. But one morning she awakens to find a wall has appeared in her front yard seemingly overnight. She can see it, as can her daughter, but no one else seems to notice it or tell her where it is from. And even stranger, the wall seems to be getting higher each day.
At the same time, something called "the Band" is becoming quite popular. This high-tech bracelet promises to change people's lives by becoming a seamless part of their day to day: no need for IDs, credit cards, or anything else. "The Band" will keep everything right there for the wearer. But if you want one, you have to prove that your parents are US citizens, and Iris is a second-generation Mexican-American. Her parents never became citizens. "The Band" starts to exacerbate the fear and racism taking over the country as people start to see it as a way to isolate and intimidate all under the guise of "keeping us safe."
How did I miss this book when it first came out? This near-future work of speculative fiction really struck a chord with me. It puts a spotlight on issues like immigration, sexism, racism, and xenophobia through an incredibly original storyline. Skyhorse perfectly captures the way that fear of "the other" can be used by organizations to create distrust amongst people in their own communities. I could truly feel the anger welling up inside of me as I read this because I recognize these tactics being used today, especially against those of Mexican descent. This book will open your eyes to how our own complacency, lack of critical thinking, and unconscious biases are taking us down a very dark path.
At the same time, something called "the Band" is becoming quite popular. This high-tech bracelet promises to change people's lives by becoming a seamless part of their day to day: no need for IDs, credit cards, or anything else. "The Band" will keep everything right there for the wearer. But if you want one, you have to prove that your parents are US citizens, and Iris is a second-generation Mexican-American. Her parents never became citizens. "The Band" starts to exacerbate the fear and racism taking over the country as people start to see it as a way to isolate and intimidate all under the guise of "keeping us safe."
How did I miss this book when it first came out? This near-future work of speculative fiction really struck a chord with me. It puts a spotlight on issues like immigration, sexism, racism, and xenophobia through an incredibly original storyline. Skyhorse perfectly captures the way that fear of "the other" can be used by organizations to create distrust amongst people in their own communities. I could truly feel the anger welling up inside of me as I read this because I recognize these tactics being used today, especially against those of Mexican descent. This book will open your eyes to how our own complacency, lack of critical thinking, and unconscious biases are taking us down a very dark path.