September 12, 2022
Drawing deeply from Dogon mythology, Crittendon’s uneven Afrofuturist adult debut (after middle grade nonfiction Life Is a Party That Comes with Exams) challenges beauty standards and societal expectations. The planet Swazembi is a color-rich vacation utopia and home to the Rare Indigo, “a regal tourist attraction and symbolic dignitary whose poise and sparkling black skin earn her the status of the most beautiful woman in the galaxy.” Lileala Walata Sundiata, the Rare Indigo–to-be, begins to lose her ability to shimmer as unexplainable scars appear on her body and mysterious voices start whispering inside her head. She struggles to find either a cause or a cure and seeks counsel from the previous Rare Indigo, Ahonotay, who went silent for 41 years after her inauguration. As alliances form and unravel, the voices in Lileala’s mind guide her to her destiny—and to secrets that will reshape the universe. Crittendon’s worldbuilding is imaginative and striking, full of lush visuals that tie the futuristic setting to African roots. After a strong start, however, the plot hits some speed bumps in the second half as the pace flags. Still, patient readers will be richly rewarded by a beautiful, expansive new world. Agent: Nikki Terpilowski, Holloway Literary.