"The thing is, a lot of people agree with him! They think me talking publicly about racism is more offensive than an actual hate crime. People would rather I just kept my mouth shut and looked sad. Then they could white knight in and express sympathy without feeling uncomfortable."
Sisters Margaret (19) and Annalie (17), co narrators of Xixi Tian's This Place Is Still Beautiful, couldn't possibly be more different. Margaret is the academic achiever and the social justice warrior. In high school she'd made herself known and unpopular for her adherence to see something, say something. She'd been very happy to leave her small Illinois town behind for college in New York City. Annalie, in contrast, loves her town and its customs. She's more average academically, more social and popular with peers. When Margaret graduated high school she no longer felt tarnished by her sister's reputation.
The summer after her first year of college Margaret has started a prestigious internship. But when Annalie calls and tells her that a racist slur has been painted on their garage she drops everything to return and get vengeance...
Only to discover that her mother and sister haven't even called the police. While she wants the ones responsible caught and punished, they want the incident to blow over and be forgotten as soon as possible.
It's going to be a very long summer.
The public opinion too is split, especially when a video of the incident from a doorcam shows up on social media. While some are outraged by the act, others think Margaret should stop playing the race card instead of ruining some boys' bright future over a trivial prank.
This Place Is Still Beautiful, with its complex and nuanced look at issues and relationships is well suited to the cognitive and emotional development of YA readers.
On a purrrsonal note, I'm having a relaxing vacation after a very hectic semester. I'm starting in on my spring cleaning and getting ready for my hopefully last grad school semester.
A great big shout out and best wishes for a safe and joyous New Year's Eve goes out to my readers.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
No comments:
Post a Comment