So, have you been following this story?

The one about the publicity campaign for the YA book with the blackface video?

It's been going on for weeks (or longer?) now, but I only just stumbled across it due to the Io9 link above.

Yikers.

From what I've seen—and yes, this is based solely on only having read articles/essays/rants (and, to be fair-minded, the author's rebuttal) about it and being excruciatingly uncomfortable while watching the video—it does look hugely problematic. But I'd love to hear from someone who's actually read the whole book.

Comments

[Annie]

Part of me really hopes it's a thoughtful book that examines the nature of racism, but that video gives me major reason to doubt.

[Angela H.]

A few weeks ago, this title was on auto-approve on NetGalley. I downloaded it then but haven't been able to muster up the courage/detachment to read it yet. You should check out if it's still up there if you feel like subjecting yourself to it.

[tanita]

o_0

Had heard nada.
And wow - auto-approve, eh?
I ... no. I don't think... Life is just too short to be annoyed. And what if I think it's STILL racist after I read it?? Hm.

[willaful]

I'm surprised there hasn't been more about this in the YA blogs. It's all over the romance blogs. Like mold. I usually prefer to check things out for myself, but you couldn't pay me to read that book.

[Leila]

There's coverage of the first three chapters at xojane. Judging by that (and everything else I've seen/read), I think... it is not the book for me.

[CC]

From what I gather, buried in one of the extensive takedowns of the book, it's published through a vanity press and so my cynicism meter is bouncing.

At the very least it answers the burning question "How on earth did this offensive, juvenile idiocy get published?"

[Charlotte]

Here's Debbie Reese's take on it, at American Indians in Children's Literature-- http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2012/08/indigenous-peoples-in-victoria-foyts_5.html