Three fiction books to educate yourself about race
Zadie Smith, photography by Chris Boland on Flickr.
Three must-read fiction novels that tackle issues of racial injustice, recommended by Vanessa Tsao.
The Black Lives Matter movement has received overwhelming support and media attention in the wake of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of a white US police officer. Social media has quickly spread educational resources about police brutality and racism, but fiction books are mentioned less although fiction offers one the chance to step into someone’s shoes and empathise with their experience. So here are three great fiction books that explore race issues: two young-adult fictions by American authors and one contemporary novel by a British author.
“The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas (2018)
Angie Thomas’ bestselling book, which was also adapted into a movie, was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. It revolves around a Black girl, Starr Carter, who witnesses her best friend, Khalil, getting fatally shot by the police. Not only does she have to cope with the trauma, she also has to face the media’s portrayal of Khalil as guilty. Starr is overwhelmed by grief, anger, injustice, and she has to find her voice to stand up for justice.
“The Hate U Give” is not merely young-adult fiction, it reads like a collective, living memory; it is an extremely raw look into the horrors of police brutality and the scars it leaves on the entire community. Starr’s difficult journey towards finding her voice as she grieves while anger and chaos erupts around her reminds the readers that it is crucial to use your voice to combat injustice, no matter how terrifying it is or how much stands against you. As Star says, “What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?”
Thomas also crafts nuanced and complex relationships, with dialogue that brings laughter, joy and authenticity to Starr’s life: you’ll be moved by Starr’s courage and resilience as well as that of her family, but also chuckle at their witty conversations over dinner. “The Hate U Give” is a must-read—it inspires you to think about what you’re doing with your voice, with your individual agency, when confronted with the injustices of racism.
Angie Thomas, photography by seanbirm on Flickr
“Such a Fun Age” by Kiley Reid (2019)
Kiley Reid’s debut novel “Such A Fun Age” is not as emotionally gripping as “The Hate U Give”, but Reid’s breezy prose prods at the microaggressions and racial dynamics—namely white saviourism—that Black women are often faced with.
The novel centres around a young Black woman, Emira, and her experience babysitting at a rich white woman’s family. The novel begins with Emira being interrogated by the police who suspect she kidnapped a white child. The perspective shifts back and forth between Emira and her employer, Alix, illustrating how different they are in terms of race and class, and how their lives intertwine.
While it’s endearing that Emira forms a bond with sweet little Briar and loves spending time with her, the strange dynamics of Black women’s care work (and domestic labour) at the service of white families becomes increasingly obvious and discomforting.
Reid skillfully, and subtly, weaves her critique of white saviours: when Emira faces microaggressions or hears about Alix’s racist behaviour in the past, these moments slowly build up the underlying tension. Every character is three-dimensional, thus Reid demonstrates with nuance how well-meaning white liberals often overstep boundaries in their attempts to “protect” and “help,” unintentionally causing harm by taking away Black people’s agency.
“White Teeth” by Zadie Smith (2000)
Zadie Smith’s novel was published in 2000 and won the 2000 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction as well as the Guardian First Book Award, yet it remains an amazing multigenerational immigrant tale to this day. Beginning in 1970s London, the novel traces the lives of two wartime friends—Samad Iqbal from Bengal and Archie Jones from England—and their families. Set against the vibrant cultural and social tapestry of the decades leading up to the year 2000, “White Teeth” weaves a rich, complex web of the experiences of immigrants, touching on race, heritage, religion, and colonialism.
There’s a certain chaos that ensues at the bridging of the generational, colonial and religious mindsets—and Smith creates this so perfectly. The two families settle into the mundanity of life in England, one harbouring nostalgia for the past and another—a desire to leave it, and the stage is set for disorder when the Iqbal and Jones children come of age.
One striking thing about Smith’s novel is how refreshing the prose is. Every page is beautifully, deliberately crafted and the tongue-in-cheek omniscient narration is delightful. Smith absolutely nailed the dialogue, which brought her a plethora of fascinating and well-defined characters to life. Her highly candid characterisation does make characters hard to love at times, but it’s precisely this writing that amuses the reader. “White Teeth” is different from the other two books reviewed above, tackling issues of race in a very different manner and setting, but it is still such an iconic, wonderful piece of contemporary literature.
Activism can take many forms, large or small, and sometimes it can be as easy as starting from a point of empathy and openness to learn by picking up a book. With this, we can hopefully ensure that the prevalence of the Black Lives Matter movement will be sustained, that many people would incorporate activism into their lives in various ways, and perhaps then we can win in the fight against injustice. “The truth casts a shadow over the kitchen—people like us in situations like this become hashtags, but they rarely get justice. I think we all wait for that one time though, that one time when it ends right. Maybe this can be it.” - Starr Carter