A Journey with Mixed Feelings: A 3-Star Review of "Rainbow Black"
"Rainbow Black" by Maggie Thrash is a book I genuinely wanted to love. It tackles complex themes and offers a narrative that promises depth and emotional resonance. However, despite its potential, the book and I didn't quite click, mainly due to the writing style.

The Good
The story dives into intricate themes that resonate with contemporary issues, especially those surrounding queer identities. The characters are well-crafted, each with their own set of complexities that make them feel real. The plot itself is engaging, offering a rollercoaster of emotions that keeps you invested in the characters' journeys.

The Not-So-Good
While the story and characters were compelling, the writing style was a hurdle for me. It felt somewhat disjointed, making it challenging to fully immerse myself in the narrative. This is purely a matter of personal preference, but it did affect my overall reading experience.

The Verdict
"Rainbow Black" is a book that will likely resonate with many, but it wasn't entirely my cup of tea. I appreciate the depth and the themes it explores, but the writing style kept me at arm's length. Hence, I'm giving it a solid 3 stars. It's worth a read, but be prepared for a writing style that may not be everyone's taste.

This novel is a journey! Mostly stylized as a memoir, this felt like a dark, deep character study more than anything else. What happens when all the systems that are supposed to be in place to support and protect youth not only fail them but actively harm them? The Satanic panic in the 1980s was very real, and it did ruin many lives and traumatize countless others. Without being sensationalist, this story looks at how traumatic events like that are more than just a headline for those who live with them. It is painful, sometimes graphic, and feels authentic and honest. Some reviews highlight this as a thriller, which I suppose isn’t wrong, but it feels more like footage from a car accident in slow motion. The interior perspective clues us in right away that things aren’t great, and probably won’t get better.

I don’t know if I’m doing this story justice, here. I really, really enjoyed the writing style. The dialogue all felt genuine, the prose direct and to the point, and compelling. Since finishing it I have been contemplating what was gained and lost from the memoir-style of writing, and I do think I would have enjoyed it more without that edifice, if we didn’t have the occasional jumps into the future, but I’m not sure. It feels like the structure, which isn’t particularly novel, is doing some of the heavy lifting, and there might be more interesting character growth to witness if this style wasn’t used. But having said that, I think the conventions of the format were well-employed. It was really hard to put down and the chapters all ended with just the right amount of tension that I really had to just keep going but never felt like I was being manipulated. It is weird to talk about world-building, since this is set in the real world, among real life events, but it is still appropriate, I think, because the author has done a great job of situating this story in placer and time. The semi-rural New England setting, the relationships with sibling, parents, and classmates, all the little bits and pieces, they really are great. They help this story feel real, and that makes the stakes, the danger, feel that much more immediate.

Ultimately, the central character and her story is tragic, regardless of any personal growth or catharsis that may or may not come by the end. Although a very specific story rooted in a very specific cultural event, this type of trauma and violence is still felt by queer youth today, and that touchstone with contemporary reality really made me invested in the characters. I found the primary character really engaging, the story stirred all sorts of emotions from frustration and rage to fear, concern, and overwhelming empathy, and the writing strong and perfectly matched with the subject matter and story. Some parts in the beginning were a little drawn out for me, and I am still on the fence about how this story might have hit without the memoir-style format to fall back on, but those are minor quibbles. I really enjoyed this book—I tore through it, and it not provoked genuine emotion but also forced me to investigate my own ideas of morality and justice. I haven’t read the author’s other work, but as far as an adult-fiction debut goes this is amazing, and it makes me excited to see what else she will do.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Harper Perennial, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Such an interesting read! Loved the more memoir perspective of it! Jo was a very interesting character, and I loved the interactions between the couple as well! More of a slow burn, but well written and kept me engaged the entire book!

This book definitely has a wide range of emotions. Some topics such as child molestation are harder to deal with. Which is what young Lacey’s parents have been accused of from the children in their day care and many believe Lacey to be a victim herself. It seemed like the therapist was feeding the memories to her which was a struggle.
The death of Lacey’s sister set her on a course for her adulthood to be as rough as her childhood.
Although Lacey has worked hard to live a quiet life it is all about to come crashing down on her.

I would have preferred to know the “satanic panic” description of this book to be exact in that phrase, as a warning.

Overall it was well written to matter hard the subject matter.

Thank you #NetGalley #RainbowBlack #HarperPerennial for this ARC

"Rainbow Black" is a gripping queer thriller centered around a young girl caught in her parents' trial and her subsequent life in Canada. Accused of child sexual assault, Lacey fiercely fights for her parents' innocence. When things sour, she escapes with her transgender best friend to Canada, forging a new path.

The novel strongly emphasizes queer themes, with Thrash embracing lesbian and transgender identities authentically. The book's first half shines brightest, while the second half feels less captivating and somewhat out of place. Unanswered questions linger about Lacey's parents and the enigmatic fate of éclair. Despite enjoying the novel, the ending falls short of satisfaction, exposing flaws in the legal system and the misplacement of blame. Lacey's parents' case raises speculation about satanic panic versus genuine guilt.

I liked a lot of things about “Rainbow Black,” though I struggled at times with the author’s writing style. It’s the story of the fascinating and colorful life of Lacey Bond, the child of two hippie parents who ran a daycare called Rainbow Kids that got swept up in the Satanic panic mania dominating the U.S. at the time.

The story follows her life from childhood to a tangled adulthood, in which Lacey becomes Jo Scottish, a law clerk to an esteemed judge and a fugitive for fourteen in Quebec, Canada, from a murder she committed to protect Gwen, a transgender woman and now her girlfriend, who was being bullied by her half brother. In Quebec she rose from the streets to make for herself a glamorous life, and is an activist for separatism. The relationship with Gwen is complicated, unraveling at times under the weight of the secrets that drew them together.

The book is at its most interesting when it gets into the nitty gritty of manipulating the memory of witnesses and the fallout, often violent, of the victims who were wrongfully accused as they attempt to resurrect their lives in some semblance of normal. It reminded me very much of witch hunts or the McCarthy era. Anyone who was different got subsumed by the hysteria, and Lacey, aka the media’s infamous Satan Daughter, an out lesbian at a dangerous time to be queer, was a prime target.

I loved the complicated relationship between Jo/Lacey and Gwen, though they didn’t really act much like fugitives given the careers they chose. I liked the queer Bonnie and Clyde angle, and how they were imperfect, messy and toxic, but grew with each other through it all. I loved how they showed the homophobia of the time, Jo’s anger issues and recklessness, and the frank, sensitive handling of her first lesbian experience, with a former social worker who raped her. I also was fascinated with the evolution of her relationship with her parents.

I could tell the author got her start in memoirs because this read very much like a memoir, but Jo’s life was way more interesting than the plot itself. The pacing dragged a ton when Jo as narrator did way more telling than showing in much of the book. I could see this book working way better as a movie.

All in all this was a fascinating book, a story of love, redemption and courage, and a telling condemnation of mob mentality, with lots of relevance to current times.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

A quick read! It started off fast paced and interesting, but I thought it lagged in the second half unfortunately. A decent end however.

"rainbow black" is a wild queer thriller about a young girl at the center of her parents' trial and her life afterwards in canada. when lacey's parents are accused of child sexual assault, thirteen-year-old lacey believes they are innocent and fights viciously for them to be found not guilty. when the case goes sour, she runs away with her trans best friend to canada and they begin a life of their own there.

the queer themes in this novel are very strong. lesbian and trans identity is never questioned by thrash, but embraced. it's great to see a queer author write queer stories.

the first half of this novel was the strongest and most interesting. the second half is less engrossing and feels a bit out of place. we never truly get the answers we want; what did lacey's parents really do? what really happened to èclair? i enjoyed this novel, but the ending did not feel satisfying to me at all. if anything, it shows how disgusting the legal system is and how the wrong people get charged with the wrong crimes. yet, when it comes to lacey's parents, one must wonder if satanic panic caused the allegations, or if her father truly did hurt children.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.