THE ALL-NIGHTER READ

Devi S Laskar’s The Atlas of Reds and Blues (Fleet, approx €14.99, out June 6), based on terrifying experiences of her own, form the basis of this captivating debut. In 2017 near Atlanta, we meet Mother, an Indian-American woman in her forties who is gunned down in her driveway following a police raid on her house. Her three daughters are in school and her husband is not there (he rarely is, when he should be). As she lies bleeding on the ground, the narrative flashes not only through her life, but also to alternative scenarios which might have been. The story is elevated by its roaming structure: from the start at her job as a former crime reporter, her North Carolina childhood and fascination with Barbie dolls to constantly being asked where she was from – a move to an unwelcoming neighbourhood in the suburbs still sees her frequently questioned about her husband’s job and her daughter tormented by the other kids. The author’s lyrical prose depicts a woman who simply longs for a normal life – one that won’t be governed by racism, hate or prejudice.