Title: In Every Mirror She is Black
Author: Akinmade Åkerström
Publisher: Parresia Publishers
Year of Publication: 2021
Number of Pages: 398
Category: Fiction
As soon as you take a peek inside this book, you get the feeling that it’s going to be a quick and simple read. After reading a few more pages, you come to the realization that this is more than simply a straightforward account of three Black women who all currently make their home in Stockholm, Sweden.
Akinmade Åkerström’s debut novel, In Every Mirror She is Black, is a remarkable piece of writing that has the potential to be adapted into a film very successfully. On the other hand, getting used to the book takes some time because the first few chapters aren’t exactly an easy walk in the park.
On the pages of the book, the lives of Kemi, who is in Sweden for work, Brittany, who is there for romance, and Muna, who is longing for a place to call home, come to life. You will also obtain a better understanding of the Swedish way of life.
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The author delves into a wide range of topics all throughout the course of the novel. These topics include love, racial discrimination, classism, mental health, and how difficult it is to build a sense of belonging in unfamiliar surroundings.
The reader will have the ability to empathize with the characters and the reactions they have to the situations they are in. You won’t be able to help but cheer for Kemi, and you’ll feel bad for Britany at some point, and you may find yourself questioning the inclusion of Muna’s tale in the book. It would have been more appropriate to publish this collection of stories as a series of three different books rather than as a single volume.
Although Jonny van Lundin is identified in the summary as the white Swedish man who connects the three women, he is not exactly what he appears to be, and the position he plays in the lives of all three women is very different from what the blurb says he would play in their lives.
The narrative is given some diversity by the inclusion of passages written in a variety of languages, including Swedish and Yoruba. You will discover that this book is a wonderful resource for you to use in your efforts to develop your Swedish language skills.
When you get to the end of the book, you’ll be wondering how the women’s tales will eventually intersect, but that doesn’t really happen.
If you are looking for a book to read over the course of the summer that is easygoing and carefree, you should put this one on your list of possible selections to read.
About the reviewer
Titilade Oyemade is a business executive in a leading organisation and holds a degree in Russian Language. She’s the convener of the Hangoutwithtee Ladies Event and the publisher of Hangoutwithtee magazine. She spends her weekends attending women conferences, events and book readings. She loves to have fun and to help other women have the same in their lives. Email: [email protected] Social: @tiipreeofficial
