The Book of Colour is a novel by British author Julia Blackburn, published in 1995 by Pantheon Books. Blackburn's first novel, the book was praised by critics and shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction.
 | |
| Author | Julia Blackburn |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Pantheon Books |
Publication date | September 12, 1995 |
Background edit
The Book of Colour was the first novel by Blackburn, a writer previously best-known for her biographies.[1] Blackburn stated the novel was based on her own family history.[2]
Summary edit
The narrative begins with a missionary on a 19th-century island in the Indian Ocean. His actions form the basis for the remainder of the story which follows his descendants. The novel explores themes of racial intolerance and guilt.[1]
Reception edit
The Book of Colour was mostly well-received by critics. Writing in the New York Times, Michiko Kakutani called the book "a dense, poetic tale of a family's inheritance."[3] Kirkus Reviews said the book was a "first novel of beauty and accomplishment".[1] Publishers Weekly offered a mixed review, describing the novel's central question as "dishearteningly rhetorical".[4]
Awards edit
The Book of Colour was shortlisted for the inaugural Women's Prize for Fiction in 1996.[5]
References edit
- ^ a b c "The Book of Colour". Kirkus Reviews.
- ^ "The Book of Colour - Julia Blackburn".
- ^ Lesher, Linda Parent (17 November 2015). The Best Novels of the Nineties: A Reader's Guide. ISBN 9781476603896.
- ^ "The Book of Color by Julia Blackburn - Publishers Weekly".
- ^ "The Book of Color by Julia Blackburn - Publishers Weekly".