Review | The Color of a Lie

Summary: The Color of a Lie

When Calvin and his parents move from Chicago to the Levittown suburbs in Pennsylvania, he’s torn between leaving his culture and older brother behind in the black neighborhoods and assimilating into the all-white neighborhood. Meeting and falling for the new black girl in his town doesn’t help as he finds himself caught up in organizing to get more Black teens into his school. But things quickly turn dangerous for him and his friends as loyalties are tested across the board.

The Good

What a powerhouse of a story! This book is endlessly fascinating and insightful, and I learned so much about Black American history, especially in the 1950s. Racial passing has been explored in some popular media, but it isn’t something I’ve read about at all in kidlit, so it was a fresh theme that this book does an excellent job of exploring the dynamics of passing and the emotional impact it had not just on Black people but on all persons of color, including Jews.

Another topic this book had me furiously researching was the history of the Levittown suburbs. Apparently, they’ve been the subject of several podcast episodes like this one, but I totally missed them. The author gently and yet unflinchingly examines the racial segregation that was common in these suburbs during this time period.

Besides all these important themes, this book wins for its accessibility, particularly on audio. I don’t consider myself a general fan of historical fiction, but I just devoured this one because of the thriller elements and the fast-paced narrative style. It is suspenseful, and I blew through the audiobook in less than a day, just on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. Although segregation features heavily in the plot, it didn’t feel too depressing to read.

I loved the characters in this story, such as Calvin and his friends at school and Lily, with whom he falls in love. One last thing I loved was the mention and inclusion of historical figures like Emmett Till, Jackie Robinson, Billie Holiday, and Thurgood Marshall, whom Calvin meets in the story.

Content Notes

Here are some specifics to know about the content.

Content Warnings

• Death: One character dies in the story
• Alcohol/substance abuse: Mentions of an adult character smoking
• Sexual content: Calvin and Lily kiss and make out–not graphically described
• Religious content: None
• Language: None
• Violence: Mentions of lynching and setting Black homes on fire but not graphically described

Diversity

• Ethnic: Racially diverse cast includes Black, White, and Jewish characters
• Sexual orientation: Calvin’s brother is gay

Recommended for ages: 12+

Good for kids who like:

• Historical fiction
• Books with a thriller element
• Stories with a romance subplot
• Books about racism and activism
• Stories about Black history

Publisher Details

Buy This Book

More Book Reviews

• The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais
• My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel
• Jackpot by Nic Stone