By Imasha Costa – Arts & Literature Editor
- Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo
Winner of the Booker Prize in 2019, this book dives into the lives of twelve British women, most of them black, as they move through the world in different decades. The novel looks not only at their struggle, but the love and joy shared between different characters as their lives intermingle with each other. It is an exploration of how race, gender, history, and economic status affects the experiences of these women.
- This Hostel Life – Melatu Uche Okorie
Melatu is a writer and a scholar, who was born in Nigeria before moving to Ireland in 2006. Whilst living in Direct Provision for nearly eight-and-a-half years, she began to write. This book tells the stories of migrant women who live in a hidden Ireland. It depicts the everyday struggles of a migrant woman – from living in Direct Provision to experiencing racism in Ireland. Her writing depicts the injustices of the Direct Provision system that are present in the country and also the racism that migrant women experienced whilst living in Ireland.
- Children of Bone and Blood – Tomi Adeyemi
If you’re interested in reading a young adult fiction series, Adeyemi’s debut novel might be of interest to you. Drawing inspiration from West-African mythology and the Yoruba culture, this coming-of-age story allows the characters to discover their abilities that eventually help them shape the world with their actions. It is a world of magic and mythology that also examines racism, oppression, slavery and the separation of caste.
- This Mournable Body – Tsitsi Dangarembga
Written in the second person, this novel channels the hope and potential of a young woman and a growing nation, leading readers through a journey of what happens when hope is gone. This is the final book in a trilogy that started with Nervous Conditions in 1988, and has been longlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize.
- The Sun is Also A Star – Nicola Yoon
Written by a Jamaican-American author and already having been turned into a film, this story follows a young couple who fall in love whilst the family of the main character – Natasha – faces deportation. It may seem like a cheesy Young Adult book where the depiction of falling in love may not be realistic, because it is. However, it depicts the story of illegal immigrants who have lived in a country for most of their lives before being asked to leave again. This is reality for many people.
- The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
Originally written as a short story, this highly acclaimed novel covers police brutality and a fraction of what is happening within the United States to this day. This novel brings to light the
controversy between police brutality and the #BlackLivesMatter movement, which comes alive within this story highlighting how police brutality affects the community.