Review: I Rise by Marie Arnold

I Rise is a coming-of-age novel that transports you into modern-day Harlem with all its beauty and political imperfections. It follows Ayomide (Ayo) as she struggles to deal with balancing the norms of her teenage years and the pressures of activism. Ayo yearns to be a ‘normal’ teenager and embrace her youth. However, with a mother who runs the largest political movement in the country, she must prioritise her mother’s mission for equality over her own wants. Her whole world is turned on its axis when her mother is shot and she is now given the responsibility to stand up and take on those who caused the life-altering event. 

This book is filled to the brim with poignant messages and offers a daring insight into the lives of those affected by everyday racism and police brutality. It is also a beautifully written homage to Black culture in all mediums from J.Cole and Nina Simone to Nikki Giovanni and Sojourner Truth. Not only does Arnold delve into the beauty of Black culture and its people, but she also pays stunning tribute to the victims of police brutality and the consequences for their families and those they leave behind. The themes in this book are ones that have gripped the world over. It addresses the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and how integral support for these movements is. The novel does not shy away from the uncomfortable truth of the racism that is suffered daily by many people all over the world. It does not shy away from controversy and Arnold does a brilliant job of calling out the micro-aggressions and the double standards of our so-called ‘modern’ society. 

The book is very accessible and I would recommend it to everyone. I was blown away by Arnold’s writing and how eloquently she weaved both the hardships and beauty of her culture into this novel. The characters are complex and each adds a layer of depth to the novel. I was delighted to see such great representation in this book with strong Black female leads. The pursuit of justice is eye-opening and handled perfectly.

Shauna Dalton