Fiction literature has a way of sucking you into a story and not letting go until you turn the very last page of a book. It takes you through the ups and downs and has you crying and questioning whether your tears spur from happiness or utter sadness. However, there is always that point in a book where the author subtly describes the main character, and more often than not, the main character tends to be white. Whether she or he has milky skin or contrasting blue eyes, or golden blond hair, the glorification of white characteristics can get a bit overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with these features- green eyes and red hair can be amazing. However, it becomes a bit tiring when this is all I read about in literature that doesn’t pertain to slavery or Africa. Forgive me for questioning why black men and women can’t be as intriguing on the covers of paperback romance novels. Or why we can’t read about a Latina girl solving a murder case and inevitably falling in lover with her Asian boss. There’s a difference between not allowing race to interfere with a storyline and flat-out exclusion.
The past couple years especially have been the peak of book-to-movies franchises with films based off of books such as Fifty Shades of Gray, Me Before You, and The Fifth Wave, and many more to come such as The Girl On The Train. However, with this spew of novel-based movies comes the inevitable lack of diverse characters and in turn actors. Ultimately, only books with strong followings and support will have the opportunity to get turned into films, which may allow the films to reach a wider audience. So, if the only books that we support are those with predominantly white characters (cough cough Nicholas Sparks) then we will continue to see the endless cycle of a less diverse media.
Diverse fiction isn’s as uncommon as I’m making it out to be. Trust me, it exists in an abundance of Barnes and Nobles bookshelves, you just have to know where to look. And yes, sometimes it may take venturing over to the Ethnic/Black literature section, but it’s completely worth it to see someone else’s story portrayed in 300 pages- even if it’s a bit fictional. Stories that feature diverse characters offer something else entirely, a whole new perspective on life that is typically ignored. Diverse fiction takes you into other countries, other cultures and shares insight that can’t otherwise be uncovered by anyone else other than the source themselves. Perhaps it’s time to leave behind the traditional story of a cowboy from Alabama and etch your way into San Juan or Lagos or Mumbai. Sometimes, it pays off to leave behind classic stories to find something new that you’d regret if you hadn’t just put down the paperback with Fabio on the cover.
Again, not to say that novels and films that do feature Caucasian characters aren’t equally as amazing, but sometimes it’s okay to include other races into plot lines. If anything, don’t do it for yourself, do it for the millions of ethnic book nerds that yearn to see more of themselves portrayed in their passion and shared with the rest of the world.
If you’re still having trouble finding your way into the wonderful world of diverse fiction try these masterpieces:
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A captivating tale of a young African woman who attempts to find her bearings in America while running her blog. Adichie takes you through odd jobs, failed relationships, and the life that you leave back home, immigrants especially can relate to this quirky but life changing novel.
This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz
Díaz portrays the oddities of love through multiple short stories based around the loud and intriguing culture of the Dominican Republic. Through his protagonist, Yunior, Díaz will have you simultaneously laughing and bawling in a matter of seconds.
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
The dry humor of this ‘success story’ is pure genius. This novel explores India’s class structure and the power of self-improvement and determination, also a wry satire on how to ‘beat the system’.
