Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion
2017 Read Harder Challenge
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Task #24: Read a book wherein all point-of-view characters are people of color
Ste wrote: "This is a tricky one for me. I've done some research and decided to pick A Tale for the Time Being since it matches the criteria. The thing is: maybe it's because I'm still too earl..."Homegoing meets the criteria. And it's really good!
I'm reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie... and I'm loving it!
How about "Their Eyes Were Watching God"?
Shannon wrote: "How about "Their Eyes Were Watching God"?"Been a long time since I've read it, but if I recall correctly, it fits.
I'm reading A Change of Heart by Sonali Dev. Really enjoying it so far!
If you've read Daniel Jose Older's Shadowshaper, the follow-up novella Ghost Girl in the Corner works for this task!
Selection Day by Aravind Adiga works for this! It could also possibly count for a sports book. It follows two Indian boys from the slums trying to become famous cricket players.
Chessa wrote: "If you've read Daniel Jose Older's Shadowshaper, the follow-up novella Ghost Girl in the Corner works for this task!"I had planned to read Shadowshaper for this task--does it work too??
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova Great book, queer content, and so many characters of color!
Cheryl wrote: "Chessa wrote: "If you've read Daniel Jose Older's Shadowshaper, the follow-up novella Ghost Girl in the Corner works for this task!"I had planned to read Shadowshaper for this task--does it work ..."
Yes it does
Rainey wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "Chessa wrote: "If you've read Daniel Jose Older's Shadowshaper, the follow-up novella Ghost Girl in the Corner works for this task!"I had planned to read Shadowshaper for this task..."
:)
Tania wrote: "I'm reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie... and I'm loving it!"I am reading this right now too! For 5. Read a book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative and am already looking at her other books and finding where they can fit! Sooooo good.
Would Roxane Gay's "Untamed State" qualify for this?
Devil in a blue dress has been on my TBR list for a while. Would it count for this challenge?
I'm planning to read Homegoing for this, but I feel like I've also seen it talked about for other tasks. Does anyone know if it checks any other boxes? I'm trying not to dig too much into the plot details so I can go into it fairly fresh.
I think I'm going to read Beloved by Toni Morrison for this one.
Two authors you could consider: Rohinton Mistry and VS Naipaul. I might read A House for Mr Biswas by Naipaul for this one. Naipaul is one of my fav authors.
I'm unclear despite it being mentioned a few times in this thread. So for clarity, are we saying The Sellout would qualify for this?
The whole idea of these challenges is - if you think it counts then it counts.
I finished The Mothers this week and am counting it for this task.
Julia wrote: "Any of the Peter Grant Series by Ben Aaronovitch would work.Rivers of London and so on... I am using the current one: The Hanging Tree"
Ooh this whole series has been on my TBR list for ages! Thanks for suggesting this! :)
I read The Mothers by Brit Bennett. Highly recommended. It would also work as a debut novel and a local book for people in southern California. It's set in Oceanside, CA.
Justin wrote: "I'm planning to read Homegoing for this, but I feel like I've also seen it talked about for other tasks. Does anyone know if it checks any other boxes? I'm trying not to dig too much into the plot ..."It's also a debut.
Kylie wrote: "I read The Mothers by Brit Bennett. Highly recommended. It would also work as a debut novel and a local book for people in southern California. It's set in Oceanside, CA."I'm also reading The Mothers for this.
I just started reading The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Does anyone know if it qualifies for this task?
For this challenge I am reading Pachinko. It is really good so far
Dorianna wrote: "I just started reading The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Does anyone know if it qualifies for this task?"I think it would fit better for the immigrant task. I honestly don't know if Vietnamese count as people of color.
Ira wrote: "Does the Underground Railroad meet this criteria? I bought it but haven't read it yet."No, I just finished reading it for the challenge and found out there was at least 2 other POV that was from white characters. The majority of the book is from a slave or free black POV, but just not all of it. It is written by a man of color, but I don't believe it is considered a classic, so it doesn't fit #17 either. Anyone know if Fledgling meets this challenge?
Elyse wrote: "Dorianna wrote: "I just started reading The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Does anyone know if it qualifies for this task?"I think it would fit better for the immigrant task. I ho..."
I don't know why I didn't think of that. Thanks.
I've started reading Human Acts by Han Kangand though I wasn't reading it for this challenge, I have realised that it would fit this task so that's a bonus :-)
Dorianna wrote: "Elyse wrote: "Dorianna wrote: "I just started reading The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Does anyone know if it qualifies for this task?"I think it would fit better for the immigr..."
FTR, Vietnamese people are actually considered "people of color"
Kylie wrote: "Justin wrote: "I'm planning to read Homegoing for this, but I feel like I've also seen it talked about for other tasks. Does anyone know if it checks any other boxes? I'm trying not to dig too much..."Ah, didn't think of that! I went back and read Heart-Shaped Box for that challenge, but no matter. Reading Homegoing regardless.
Does anyone know if The Hate U Give has multiple POV? I want to read this one and would love if it could fit this category
Becky wrote: "Does anyone know if The Hate U Give has multiple POV? I want to read this one and would love if it could fit this category"Not sure but the challenge doesn't say it has to have multiple POVs, just that any POV is a person of color. That's the way I took it.
I decided to read one of the Inspector Singh books - a light hearted mystery. https://www.goodreads.com/series/5156... The one I'm reading is A Curious Indian Cadaver
Has anyone here read A Brief History of Seven Killings? And if so, does this count for the challenge?
I've just started Wind/Pinball by Haruki Murakami. I'm not sure about the POV characters, but if they're Japanese would that count for this challenge?Generally Murakami sets his fiction in his native Japan.
Anne wrote: "I've just started Wind/Pinball by Haruki Murakami. I'm not sure about the POV characters, but if they're Japanese would that count for this challenge?Generally Murakami sets his fiction in his nat..."
Yes, Asian people are people of color.
A Curious Indian Cadaver was a fun book! There is one Western character but he is so minor, I discounted that. The story centres on a runaway bride from an arranged marriage - the mystery becomes even more entangled as more family secrets are exposed. The story also includes bits about the tensions between the Sikhs, Hindus and Moslems in India.
I just finished reading Urban Tribes: Native Americans in the City. It's a ya nonfic focusing on First Nations people living in US/Canadian cities. It has a number of perspectives through interviews, essays, poetry, and art that are all through the eyes of First Nations people.
Teresa wrote: "Yrinsyde, that's in my TBR list."Is this spelled correctly? I can't find it on GR or when googling.
Kate wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Yrinsyde, that's in my TBR list."Is this spelled correctly? I can't find it on GR or when googling."
Yrinsyde is a person's username, the recommended book is A Curious Indian Cadaver.
Carolina wrote: "Kate wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Yrinsyde, that's in my TBR list."Is this spelled correctly? I can't find it on GR or when googling."
Yrinsyde is a person's username, the recommended book is [book:A ..."
Oh goodness, thank you for correcting my goofy misreading!
Jennifer wrote: "[The Sun Is Also a Star] is one of my favorite books of 2016. I highly recommend it, and it fits this task perfectly."
For those of you who are nit-pickers like me, I just finished The Sun Is Also a Star and I was hoping to use it for this task, but there are a few short chapters from the POV of white characters who are tangential to the story. I think anyone who wants to count it absolutely should, and it's an AMAZING book (I don't regret reading it even a little!). Still, I'm going to look for one that 100% satisfies the task since I'm a perfectionist about these things.
For those of you who are nit-pickers like me, I just finished The Sun Is Also a Star and I was hoping to use it for this task, but there are a few short chapters from the POV of white characters who are tangential to the story. I think anyone who wants to count it absolutely should, and it's an AMAZING book (I don't regret reading it even a little!). Still, I'm going to look for one that 100% satisfies the task since I'm a perfectionist about these things.
I read Battle Royale by Takami for this, "a book that is set more than 5000 miles from your location", and "a debut novel".
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Ten Women (other topics)Kafka on the Shore (other topics)
The Sun Is Also a Star (other topics)
Caramelo (other topics)
The Three-Body Problem (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Mohsin Hamid (other topics)Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (other topics)
John Lewis (other topics)
John Lewis (other topics)
Rabindranath Maharaj (other topics)
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I remember reading Zadie Smith's White Teeth last year and even though it doesn't match the criteria (it has a white British male character's pov), that book felt way more like it stood in its own feet. I felt like the voices were genuine and made me question personal assumptions that I had.
So, I don't know. I'm thinking about DNFing A Tale for the Time Being, and picking up Homegoing instead, but I'm not sure if this one meets the criteria. Does anyone know?