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Black Card

Chris L. Terry (Goodreads Author)

4.32 · Rating details · 63 ratings · 24 reviews

With dark humor, Chris L. Terry’s Black Card is an uncompromising examination of American identity. In an effort to be “black enough,” a mixed-race punk rock musician indulges his own stereotypical views of African American life by doing what his white bandmates call “black stuff.” After remaining silent during a racist incident, the unnamed narrator has his Black Card rev ...more

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Published August 13th 2019 by Catapult

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4.32 ·

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· 63 ratings · 24 reviews

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Aug 01, 2019 karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: from-publisher-or-author

UPDATE: so i went to chris' reading at books are magic and it went great, and afterwards it was all compressed signing-line longtime no see catching-up: howza wife and kid and swapping freelance woes

and then O LET US POSE FOR A PICTURE TOGETHER

rude.

(view spoiler)

NOW AVAILABLE!!!

chris terry wrote another book! and it is great! i loved his debut, Zero Fade, which—being a small press YA title—did not get nearly as wide a readership as it deserved, and if there is any just ...more

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Aug 16, 2019 Paris (parisperusing) rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2019, authors-of-color, black-authors, books-i-read-for-fun, books-on-blackness, debuts, publisher-sent, reads-for-understanding

It pains me, what I have to say about Chris L. Terry's Black Card. This novel could have been so much more effective than it was, but its potential, sadly, was marred by its own neediness of misapplying every black stereotype you could imagine. That isn't, however, the bone I have to pick with Black Card — it was the lazy unwillingness to correct or debunk these stereotypes.

In an effort to win back his "Black Card" — a spiritual token of black acceptance that’s made real in the book — after bein It pains me, what I have to say about Chris L. Terry's Black Card. This novel could have been so much more effective than it was, but its potential, sadly, was marred by its own neediness of misapplying every black stereotype you could imagine. That isn't, however, the bone I have to pick with Black Card — it was the lazy unwillingness to correct or debunk these stereotypes.

In an effort to win back his "Black Card" — a spiritual token of black acceptance that’s made real in the book — after being a silent bystander to a racist incident, our unnamed tragic mulatto (half-white, half-black) does "black stuff" to appeal to the whims of his white friends while trying to earn the respect of a Magical Negro figure called Lucius, who nevertheless remains unsatisfied with his attempts to prove he is black.

The issue with these stories, unbeknownst to white people, is they are terribly predictable and formulaic, as any black person will tell you: TM employs token black person to "teach" them how to be black, TM struggles to explain their identity crisis to all-white friend group, TM remains passively negligent of very blatant acts of racism against blacks, TM tries (and sometimes succeeds) to charm Mona, the one black girl of his life who is reduced to a stepping stone on his journey, TM "finds" his blackness via "old school hip-hop and R&B" at the behest of white people, TM confronts white person/friends to no avail whatsoever, and despite these bland efforts, TM somehow arrives at the conclusion that their mixed-ness doesn't erase their blackness, and that blackness itself cannot be "taught" while forgetting to correct the problematic assumptions that led him to this revelation to begin with. (How, Sway?)

This may sound cruel, but I have to be honest. What turned me off most about this book is the fact that the storyteller — who is already so far removed from the black experience as it is for being half-white and white-passing — has the insolence to mock blackness in a way with no practical purpose that isn't self-serving. Any time the speaker makes even the slightest endeavor to confront racism/stereotypes against black people, he essentially gives up.

Again, no correction.

There are moments in this book when the narrator cringingly and continuously inserts a random R&B song or hip-hop reference or bursts into bits of black sketch comedy (?), those when he and his Magical Negro are mocking Ebonics — like "practicing our 'muhfukkas'" (??) — and then another when he learns something traumatic has happened to Mona — the only girl he pines after in the entire book — yet makes no real effort (besides sending a weak-ass text message) to check on her well-being. The latter incident also struck a nerve with me, as the only "real" black female character in this story is subjected to violence at the hands of someone seemingly-white, and with impunity, I might add. Did I mention there's even the introduction of the "wigger" type in this story? Because, what would such a trope be without one? Eh.

Not a single page wastes space to cherish black stereotypes, yet refuses to make equal efforts to deconstruct those ignorant ideas, as if to say, "It is what it is." For what it's worth, I did appreciate the narrator's (albeit short-lived) discourse with Mona in which they challenge notions of blackness being synonymous with playing into stereotypes in one's actions, speech, and behavior, which is why I was all the more disappointed this wasn't delineated upon throughout the entirety of the book.

Overall, Black Card does little at all to refute the very serious, very racist theories white people have about black people as it is but satirizing blackness, our language, and our mannerisms, in an effort to solicit sympathy for any tragic mulatto figure is dangerously problematic. Nothing's the matter with using satire to educate your readers, as good satire is designed to do, but if you're going to indulge in stereotypes against black people, then you should keep that same energy towards correcting them.

Period.

With all due respect, though, thanks Catapult for gifting me a free copy of this book.

If you liked my review, feel free to follow me @parisperusing on Instagram. ...more

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Feb 04, 2019 Catapult rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, fall-2019

Black Card is the satirical story of a mixed-race punk rock musician who, determined to win back his coveted Black Card, is suspected of a violent crime in early 2000s Richmond, Virginia, and is confronted with the alienation and everyday aggressions experienced in an absurd world divided by race.

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Jul 01, 2019 Amelia rated it it was amazing

BLACK CARD takes the teenage search for the self through a sharp and surreal map of punk-southern-rap-rock Virginia, drawn and crossed in racial lines and guided by the heart and wit of Chris Terry’s indelible characters. A kickflip classic.

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Jul 02, 2019 James Spooner rated it it was amazing

Chris Terry beat me to the punch. This book has all the stuff I’d put into a book of writing about my own life.
He writes about mixed race identity and punk rock in a way that only someone who has lived it could.
I recommend this to anyone who has an interest in either.

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May 06, 2019 Uriel Perez rated it it was amazing

Chris L. Terry’s hilariously unnerving novel, ‘Black Card,’ grapples with questions of racial identity, pitting one mixed-race, punk-rocking barista against an alarmingly racist circle of friends and strangers, a police investigation that views him as the prime suspect of a violent crime, and the existential threat of having lost his Black Card, the lone tie to his Blackness.

‘Black Card’ is probing, revelatory and deftly toes it’s way through the murky waters of the bi-racial experience. Chris L ...more

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Sep 07, 2019 Nia Forrester rated it it was amazing

Shelves: difficult-or-taboo-subject, literary, male-pov, profound

You ever read a book that you're just happy was written? 'Black Card' is one such book for me. I mean, there have been a couple of those this year, but this one in particular felt timely and important. I read about this book long before it was released, and admit I was somewhat disappointed that it was going to be satire. I like writing, thinking, speaking, reading about race and identity, race and politics, race and relationships ... and it feels weighty, but like it deserves that weight. It fe You ever read a book that you're just happy was written? 'Black Card' is one such book for me. I mean, there have been a couple of those this year, but this one in particular felt timely and important. I read about this book long before it was released, and admit I was somewhat disappointed that it was going to be satire. I like writing, thinking, speaking, reading about race and identity, race and politics, race and relationships ... and it feels weighty, but like it deserves that weight. It feels like we don't often contemplate its meaning seriously, and hide behind platitudes like, 'race is a social construct' or 'race is a fiction', neither of which acknowledges that quite apart from the physiological or biological, race can and does have real significance. So anyway, because of that, experimental treatments of the subject usually wind up making me annoyed. But Chris L. Terry, I know, was writing in part from personal experience as a biracial man who pursued life choices not considered "Black enough." Because of Chris Terry's own experience, I understood why a satirical approach might give him both the distance and freedom to express what he wanted, no matter how outrageous others might find it. And also, he knows things about this experience that I cannot, so I can only approach his treatment of it with a completely open mind.

In 'Black Card', our unnamed protagonist is a punk rocker. As an aside, Chris Terry, like the protagonist, was a punk rocker, a choice which helped him inadvertently 'pass' as white at times. He notes that punk grew from ska, a Jamaican music form that is very much Black, but yeah ... since most people don't know that, punk gets labeled as white when it's roots are not. Anyways, I digress. With his Black father and white mother, the protagonist never experienced what he believes is "real Blackness." He doesn't walk correctly, use the right slang, wear the right clothes, look completely identifiably Black (except to Black people who he says know how to recognize each other in a hostile world -- I say that all the time!!), nor listen to the "right" music. But thankfully he has "Lucius" his Blackness spirit guide who helps him earn his Black Card by critiquing his responses to occurrences both routine and exceptional in his daily life.

What would a Black man say? Do? Think? in each of circumstance? Our protagonist doesn't always know, so Lucius coaches him. That coaching is by turns comic, stereotypical, tragic and poignant, distracting us from, then eventually leading us to understand both the complexity of the biracial protagonist's existence (Black, yet not; white, yet not) and the way Blackness seems to exist both within him (his father's blood) and outside of him, in the belief systems of people around him about what Black people are like.

Lucius is his externalized Blackness come to life, illustrating all of the stereotypes about Black men from the verifiable to the ridiculous (e.g., high swagger quotient, pronouces 'motherfucker' MUH-FUKKA with emphasis on the MUH); but he is also the sage who will lead our protagonist to a core realization about who he is, and what it means to be Black.

I enjoyed this book. But, if you don't enjoy experimental devices in fiction, you could find it exasperating. Almost all of the characters are there to illustrate a point about race, so it might be frustrating when their "storyline" is not tied up neatly, or even much developed beyond their utility to make that point. Nevertheless, I highlighted a lot of this book, and recommend it. It satisfied me, completely. ...more

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Aug 23, 2019 Dave rated it it was amazing

I had high expectations and this book totally exceeded them. I don't often laugh out loud when reading but this book got me a few times. I can't recommend it enough. I've already given away one copy as a gift and it's only been out like a week.

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Aug 09, 2019 Jonathan rated it really liked it

“it’s easy to lose it when you’re looking for yourself”
.
4.5
.
Black Card is a satirical novel that reads almost like a memoir. It delicately explores life of a mixed race man living in the old confederate capitol of Richmond Va. Terry has created a work so searing and truthful that it makes you question the very logic which it defies. Facing off against topics on the hot stove of society these days and written with such complex fury that made it so effortless to fly through these pages. I also had ...more

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Jul 21, 2019 Lizenbyl rated it liked it

This book is about a young gentlemen trying to figure out is he "black" or is he "white." The book started out slow and had a minimally effective plot. Book was a quick read.

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Jul 02, 2019 Tony DuShane rated it it was amazing

A super fun read right from page one.

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Sep 13, 2019 Kaitlin rated it it was amazing

I read the majority of this book in two very long sittings (one at a bar, one at the Manhattan DMV, to give you an idea of how long) and, while I actually think it might be better-suited to short spurts, like a commute, I did really enjoy immersing myself in its world for that long. And while for quite a bit of this book I was thinking more along four stars, by the end I really felt like there was something a little brilliant about the novel, though it was tough to put my finger on exactly what. I read the majority of this book in two very long sittings (one at a bar, one at the Manhattan DMV, to give you an idea of how long) and, while I actually think it might be better-suited to short spurts, like a commute, I did really enjoy immersing myself in its world for that long. And while for quite a bit of this book I was thinking more along four stars, by the end I really felt like there was something a little brilliant about the novel, though it was tough to put my finger on exactly what.

The unnamed narrator (an author proxy, but it’s fine) is a mixed punk rocker living in Richmond. He’s so light skinned that he often passes for white around white people (but not around black people); all his friends are white (as punks tend to be); and he feels wildly uncomfortable around black people, including the girl he likes, who he perceives as thinking (not altogether incorrectly, at times) that black people don’t see him as “black enough.” The narrator feels caught between cultures—he wants to be black, but doesn’t feel he’s earned it by liking “white stuff.” Enter The Black Card, which he earns as a kid after many a “training session” with his friend Lucius. But after witnessing a racist situation (a bunch of hicks using the n-word indiscriminately, because they didn’t see any black people in the area and thought that made it okay) and not intervening, Lucius takes the Black Card away. And the narrator is desperate to get it back.

Look, here’s the thing about this book—it balanced very precariously. Between humor and seriousness, between “race is a construct” and “race is very real,” between success and failure as a conceit. I was pretty much waiting around for this book to collapse in on itself—it should have. But it didn’t. It’s not perfect—for example, there’s all these characters introduced, but you really shouldn’t expect much to come of them. The book is about the narrator and his journey, and so the cast doesn’t really matter much when it comes down to it. (Although the narrator is SUPER lame when it comes to dealing with the girl he’s crushing on getting attacked, in pretty much every way—that was kind of rough to watch, but mostly because it’d be how a lot of 21-year-old kids would react. I.e., with no sensitivity whatsoever and making it about themselves. But still, hard to read.)

But what made this book a little bit brilliant was Lucius. He’s introduced as the narrator’s friend but, over time, you realize that no one ever speaks to Lucius. He’s always there, but no one notices him. Because he’s actually the narrator’s spirit guide to blackness. The narrator feels so far removed from black culture that he made himself up his own magical negro to teach him how to be black. And Lucius is every black stereotype in the book—because that’s the only definition of blackness that the narrator has to work with when manifesting him. Lucius says it best himself: “We cut on the TV and see the same mess as white people. It gets in our heads, too.” It would; media is pervasive, and very often terrible to black people—it relies on stereotypes both thoughtlessly and maliciously. Chris Terry’s Black Card engages with those stereotypes thoughtfully in order to prove his point: that race doesn’t matter, except that it really does. ...more

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Aug 24, 2019 Rebecca H. added it

The novel Black Card contains a literal Black Card that its narrator is desperately trying to win back. He’s the son of a black father and Irish American mother, and his skin color means he can pass as white—at least some of the time, with some people. His looks are ambiguous enough that he’s never sure how people perceive him, and he’s unsure what to think about himself. IS he black enough? Why doesn’t he feel like he is? His friend—imaginary friend?—Lucius originally gave him his Black Card, b ...more

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Sep 06, 2019 Matt Glaviano rated it liked it

Shelves: 2019, fiction

3.5 stars.

Subject matter-wise, and for the story within the writing, I'd rate this higher. I loved the profusion and conflict of racial, political, and even musical ideologies. I always love a book that take music seriously, and makes it integral to the plot; from that POV, being reminded to listen to Curtis Mayfield and Outkast was welcome.

The pace of the narrative didn't always work for me. The first 100 pages didn't feel like they were going anywhere, and I was concerned that a larger plot mi ...more

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Sep 10, 2019 Aaron rated it it was amazing

One of the stock pieces of writing advice for writers is "write what you know". This dude took it to heart. It rings true, just about everything rings so sincere and tactile that it's really ridiculous. From the cringey racism of white people at karaoke night, to the logistics of dirtbag punk band touring. It's a quick read, everything moves the plot forward, and there's enough magical realism/flashbacks/diversions that nothing ever gets slowed down by real life. I've never had a struggle with r ...more

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Sep 12, 2019 Lavon Youins rated it it was amazing

I myself am biracial (Black/Korean) who lives in the South, so I know firsthand the struggle concerning confederate monuments, microaggressions committed by friends - and having them allow others to openly racially-antagonize you directly. I also know the struggle of having to atone for turning your back on the maintained struggle of one's race in favor of a better chance of a good day. I also know forgiveness of self.
What Terry has done is not just written a story that is deeply personal to him ...more

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Jul 05, 2019 Luann rated it liked it

I received this from Goodreads as an ARC. As a white female, it was a very interesting read. I was thinking as I was reading about my grandchildren who are mixed, hoping that they will be able to continue to find their way in a world that's not always easy to navigate. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

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May 25, 2019 Christy Rogers rated it it was amazing

Black Card is searing yet approachable. It's complex and layered, yet the message is so simple. The unnamed narrator and his imaginary guide demonstrate the complexities of race in today's society, particularly in the divided south. Race is not just a side of a coin. It has nuances and layers, all perfectly displayed through Terry's warm but discomfiting novel.

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Aug 31, 2019 Lee Barnes rated it it was amazing

A quick, affecting read about a biracial person's experiences of coming to terms with their intersectional identity in Richmond, VA. Black Card challenges racist tropes and cliches through a self-aware satirical lens, while simultaneously providing levity with a touch of magical realism.

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Sep 15, 2019 Alexander P. rated it it was amazing

One of the best of 2019. Brilliant prose, spot-on descriptions, and a main character you wish to spend more time than this wonderfully-paced novel gives you. This is definitely a book Terry should be eating off for years to come.

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Aug 27, 2019 james r. hise rated it it was amazing

Where do I start?!
This book was riveting. I couldn't put it down. It was powerful, emotional and completely relatable. The characters are so we'll developed I felt like I was reading a story about my friends. I can't wait to see what Chris L. Terry writes next!

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Jun 24, 2019 Erika Kraus rated it it was amazing

Shelves: goodreads-giveaway

I won this book in the giveaway! I was entertained and interested throughout the story and I already have someone in mind to pass it along to!

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Aug 10, 2019 Sarah Langan rated it it was amazing

I got an advance copy of Chris Terry's Black Card. It's a propulsive coming of age story, about a mixed race kid who doesn't know who he is, or whether he should listen to the voices in his head.

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Jul 15, 2019 Pete Hsu rated it it was amazing

This is my kind of book! Smart, funny and heartbreaking.

The unnamed protagonist is a mixed-race black guy in Virginia who’s trying to navigate his conflicted desire to: (1) continue participating within the levels of racist America while also (2) desperately (re)claim his black identity. It’s a heartfelt and entertaining read that takes a stark turn forcing the narrator to confront what it really means to be a black man in America.

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Drew rated it it was amazing
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Dustin Kurtz rated it it was amazing
Mar 11, 2019

Michelle Pallutch rated it really liked it
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About Chris L. Terry

Chris L. Terry

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Chris L. Terry is the author of the novel Black Card, about a mixed-race punk bassist with a black imaginary friend. NPR called Black Card, "hilariously searing." Terry's debut novel Zero Fade was on Best of 2013 lists by Slate and Kirkus Reviews, who called it, "Original, hilarious, thought-provoking, and wicked smart...not to be missed."

Terry was born in 1979 to a black father and white mother. ...more