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A review by catsbooks_uk
The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste
5.0
I'm absolutely loving the current influx of writers of colour, telling their stories with all the fierceness and magic that has been largely missing from bookshelves in the past.
This is a heartfelt tale of family and magic, with allegories of racism and discrimination that are handled exceptionally well. It feels determined rather than heavy-handed, and the protagonists react and manage their situations as well as can be expected; we feel for them with every challenge they must face. It reminded me of when I first saw the X-Men cartoons: no matter how it appears, hate is something to be fought against, as personal power is reclaimed. The author shows the battles that must be fought within a magical context, and the messages are clear and proud, completely engaging from the first pages. I also had to smile at the backhanded nods to 'real world' discrimination (the 'WASP' acronym being reclaimed in particular!).
I'm pretty sure I'm not the target audience here (white middle-aged British woman!), but I'm absolutely recommending this book. My niece - an amazing young woman of colour - openly challenged her English teacher as to why they didn't study books that featured people like her. This would be a fine addition to any curriculum or library, as I've no doubt that while traditional teachers would approve of the writing quality, smart young readers will hold it close to their hearts for the story and characters.
Thankyou, Bethany Baptiste.
This is a heartfelt tale of family and magic, with allegories of racism and discrimination that are handled exceptionally well. It feels determined rather than heavy-handed, and the protagonists react and manage their situations as well as can be expected; we feel for them with every challenge they must face. It reminded me of when I first saw the X-Men cartoons: no matter how it appears, hate is something to be fought against, as personal power is reclaimed. The author shows the battles that must be fought within a magical context, and the messages are clear and proud, completely engaging from the first pages. I also had to smile at the backhanded nods to 'real world' discrimination (the 'WASP' acronym being reclaimed in particular!).
I'm pretty sure I'm not the target audience here (white middle-aged British woman!), but I'm absolutely recommending this book. My niece - an amazing young woman of colour - openly challenged her English teacher as to why they didn't study books that featured people like her. This would be a fine addition to any curriculum or library, as I've no doubt that while traditional teachers would approve of the writing quality, smart young readers will hold it close to their hearts for the story and characters.
Thankyou, Bethany Baptiste.