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The Bookish Bri's Reviews > The Blueprint
The Blueprint
by
by
Through three timelines (1801, 2025 (I presume), and 2030), we follow two women, Henriette and Solenne, both connected and unprotected, misguided by white men, with a story that touches my soul. Imagine a world where you are assigned to the person with whom you’ll spend the rest of your life based on an algorithm.
A debut dystopian novel that showcases a broken system in which racism, misogyny, and the silencing of Black women lead to Solenne being in a situation where she confuses love with control (*not her fault). Solenne, your story has my heart. This story will be one I remember; it flowed so well. It’s a novel that you will continuously want to go back to if you put it down so you can understand its entirety.
The way Rashad writes this one makes two things certain. We aren’t far from where we came from, and we are so close to something like this happening that is being held in bondage. It’s eerie to think about, but not unimaginable, and I think that can be a very tough pill to swallow for some with this one.
I loved what I thought the main point of this was, which was that Black girls and women are expected to be everything but what they want to be. Expected to be quiet. Never anger easily. Always keep up an appearance. Choose the right thing, but not what’s right for them, but everyone around them. What can Black girl/woman do for you? It seems to be the approach most take when dealing with one. What do I get out of this interaction with a Black girl/woman? What can I take or control? They are often left at the mercy of scrutiny, predators, and dishonesty. This novel brings light to that topic.
Solenne is alone. Solenne needs love. Black girls/womem need love. They need patience. Solenne's story needed to be told and heard. This book deserves to be read. You may not agree with how it ends, but ask yourself this one question: “Did I listen?”
I would recommend this one to anyone interested in dystopian fiction with ties to power dynamics, mind control, racism, and slavery. I also recommend pairing this story with audio because Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s voice adds a layer of imagery as always.
A debut dystopian novel that showcases a broken system in which racism, misogyny, and the silencing of Black women lead to Solenne being in a situation where she confuses love with control (*not her fault). Solenne, your story has my heart. This story will be one I remember; it flowed so well. It’s a novel that you will continuously want to go back to if you put it down so you can understand its entirety.
The way Rashad writes this one makes two things certain. We aren’t far from where we came from, and we are so close to something like this happening that is being held in bondage. It’s eerie to think about, but not unimaginable, and I think that can be a very tough pill to swallow for some with this one.
I loved what I thought the main point of this was, which was that Black girls and women are expected to be everything but what they want to be. Expected to be quiet. Never anger easily. Always keep up an appearance. Choose the right thing, but not what’s right for them, but everyone around them. What can Black girl/woman do for you? It seems to be the approach most take when dealing with one. What do I get out of this interaction with a Black girl/woman? What can I take or control? They are often left at the mercy of scrutiny, predators, and dishonesty. This novel brings light to that topic.
Solenne is alone. Solenne needs love. Black girls/womem need love. They need patience. Solenne's story needed to be told and heard. This book deserves to be read. You may not agree with how it ends, but ask yourself this one question: “Did I listen?”
I would recommend this one to anyone interested in dystopian fiction with ties to power dynamics, mind control, racism, and slavery. I also recommend pairing this story with audio because Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s voice adds a layer of imagery as always.
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