Art by: Amy
This month, Risen presents the first edition of The Lit Club, hatched to bring monthly recommendations and reviews of books by people of color for people of color. While there are so many talented authors out there, the majority of those praised aren't of color, so we have made it our goal to bring to light these talents. Our recommendations span different age groups and genres, so that they can be enjoyed by all readers of color, whether they be old or young. October highlights a number of important issues. In every single one of our Lit Club posts, we will be including and discussing books that touch on these monthly topics. This month our recommended and reviewed books include topics such as domestic abuse, hispanic heritage, LGBTQ+ history and more.
Recommendations:
Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo! by Pat Mora and Libby Martinez
Genre: Children's literature
The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste
Corinne begins to notice odd occurrences after that night. First she spots a beautiful stranger speaking to the town witch at the market. Then this same beauty, called Severine, turns up at Corinne’s house, cooking dinner for her father. Danger is in the air. Sure enough, bewitching Corinne’s father is the first step in Severine’s plan to claim the entire island for the jumbies. Corinne must call on her courage and her friends and ancient magic to stop Severine and to save her island home.” - Amazon
Genre: Horror/Supernatural
X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon
Malcolm Little’s parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that’s a pack of lies—after all, his father’s been murdered, his mother’s been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There’s no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer. But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he’s found is only an illusion—and that he can’t run forever.
X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.” - Goodreads
Genre: Young Adult
The Accidental Native by J.L. Torres
Rennie soon finds himself working to expose the government's lies, though he risks losing his job, his home and even the woman he loves.” - Goodreads
Genre: Nonfiction
Reviews:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
(tw: transphobia)
This book was wonderfully written with beautiful and realistic characters and situations I, personally, could relate to. The portrayal of family, relationships between parents and their children and the troubles that may separate them (ex: Dante’s older brother in jail, Dante’s father's past in the war) were all so realistic and well executed in this novel. There may have been little bouts of transphobia from the characters parts in this book, but was an overall pleasant and well thought out read.
Adele’s rating: 4.8/5 stars
Julio’s Day by Gilbert Hernández
(tw: trypophobia, child abuse)
This book may star a Hispanic family, but it's not as important a topic in the book as the graphic novel presents a small amount of dialogue, and didn't seem to be one of the main points of the book. We also follow him through the years with minimal hints to the year and little to no distinction between Julio’s dreams and reality and Hernández’s characters. Hernández clear point in this graphic novel was not tell a story, but to show us one, and he executed that wonderfully. Hernández’s style is very particular in this book, minimalistic in art and dialogue, and may put off some people, but I truly enjoyed piecing together what he didn't tell his readers and the simple, yet effective art style used in this novel.
Adele’s rating; 3.9/5 stars
The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
(tw: rape, domestic violence, child abuse)
Alice Walker manages to write so honestly that it’s often difficult to grasp the concept that this novel is a work of fiction. Unexpectedly, Walker challenges traditional gender roles in a book set in the Deep South. Somehow, she manages to keep The Colour Purple from being too disheartening: there are definitely moments of humour and pure human joy throughout the book, making it a bittersweet read.
Cia’s rating; 4.5/5 stars