We Cast A Shadow

In a near-future Southern city, an unnamed Black father works as an associate at a law firm where he competes for a promotion that could change his family's life. His primary motivation is to earn enough money to pay for his biracial son's demelanization treatment - a medical procedure that would make his son appear white. The narrator goes to extreme lengths at his workplace to be perceived as non-threatening and acceptable to his white colleagues, while his wife strongly opposes their son's proposed treatment. The workplace dynamics, family tensions, and father's increasingly desperate actions drive the narrative forward through a series of moral choices and confrontations. Set against a backdrop of heightened surveillance and discrimination, the story follows the father's navigation through a society where racism has evolved into new forms while maintaining its core brutality. The setting presents a world that has embraced technological solutions to racial identity while deepening its social divides. This satirical novel examines the price of assimilation and the complex relationship between parents and children, asking questions about identity, sacrifice, and what it means to protect those we love. The work stands as both a cautionary tale and a dark mirror held up to contemporary race relations in America.

Readers describe this satirical novel as uncomfortable, thought-provoking, and darkly humorous. Many draw comparisons to Get Out and Black Mirror. Readers appreciate: - The raw emotion and psychological depth - Sharp commentary on racism and colorism - Dark humor that heightens the social critique - The father-son relationship at the story's core Common criticisms: - Pacing issues in the middle section - Some found the ending unsatisfying - The satirical tone can feel heavy-handed - Several readers struggled with the unnamed narrator Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (6,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (500+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.9/5 (200+ ratings) "Brilliant but devastating" appears frequently in reviews. One reader notes: "The absurdity makes the truth hit harder." Another writes: "Like watching a slow-motion car crash - you want to look away but can't." Multiple reviewers mention needing breaks while reading due to the intense subject matter.

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📚 Maurice Carlos Ruffin wrote this satirical novel as his debut work, published in 2019 after spending seven years perfecting the manuscript. 🏆 The book was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and was named one of the best books of the year by NPR, Time, The Washington Post, and Entertainment Weekly. 🎭 The protagonist's name is never revealed throughout the novel, emphasizing the theme of identity erasure and reflecting how racism can strip away personal identity. 🗽 The novel draws inspiration from Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man" and George Schuyler's "Black No More," both classic works exploring racial identity in America. 🌍 Though set in a dystopian near-future, many of the medical procedures described in the book, including skin lightening and facial feature modification, are actually available and widely used in various parts of the world today.