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Nominee for the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards
The Blueprint
A captivating debut exploring power imbalances, bodily autonomy, love, and the generational legacy of resilience.
The Blueprint is a harrowing novel set in an alternate United States—a world of injustice and bondage. Solenne Bonet, a young Black woman in Texas, lives in a society where an algorithm dictates her occupation, spouse, and residence. Seeking solace, she pens the biography of Henriette, her ancestor and an enslaved concubine. When Solenne becomes entangled with Bastien Martin, a high-ranking government official, she must decide, with Henriette's story as her guide, whether to escape the psychological bond that imprisons her.
The Blueprint is a harrowing novel set in an alternate United States—a world of injustice and bondage. Solenne Bonet, a young Black woman in Texas, lives in a society where an algorithm dictates her occupation, spouse, and residence. Seeking solace, she pens the biography of Henriette, her ancestor and an enslaved concubine. When Solenne becomes entangled with Bastien Martin, a high-ranking government official, she must decide, with Henriette's story as her guide, whether to escape the psychological bond that imprisons her.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2024
About the author
Rae Giana Rashad
1 book103 followersRae Giana Rashad writes southern speculative fiction, with her work featured on Literary Hub.
The Blueprint, a work of literary fiction interwoven with elements of speculative and historical fiction, is her debut novel. She holds an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington and lives in the Dallas area with her family.
The Blueprint, a work of literary fiction interwoven with elements of speculative and historical fiction, is her debut novel. She holds an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington and lives in the Dallas area with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
April 25, 2024
Through three timelines (1801, 2025 (I presume), and 2030), we follow two women, Henriette and Solenne, both connected and unprotected, misguided by white men, with a story that touches my soul. Imagine a world where you are assigned to the person with whom you’ll spend the rest of your life based on an algorithm.
A debut dystopian novel that showcases a broken system in which racism, misogyny, and the silencing of Black women lead to Solenne being in a situation where she confuses love with control (*not her fault). Solenne, your story has my heart. This story will be one I remember; it flowed so well. It’s a novel that you will continuously want to go back to if you put it down so you can understand its entirety.
The way Rashad writes this one makes two things certain. We aren’t far from where we came from, and we are so close to something like this happening that is being held in bondage. It’s eerie to think about, but not unimaginable, and I think that can be a very tough pill to swallow for some with this one.
I loved what I thought the main point of this was, which was that Black girls and women are expected to be everything but what they want to be. Expected to be quiet. Never anger easily. Always keep up an appearance. Choose the right thing, but not what’s right for them, but everyone around them. What can Black girl/woman do for you? It seems to be the approach most take when dealing with one. What do I get out of this interaction with a Black girl/woman? What can I take or control? They are often left at the mercy of scrutiny, predators, and dishonesty. This novel brings light to that topic.
Solenne is alone. Solenne needs love. Black girls/womem need love. They need patience. Solenne's story needed to be told and heard. This book deserves to be read. You may not agree with how it ends, but ask yourself this one question: “Did I listen?”
I would recommend this one to anyone interested in dystopian fiction with ties to power dynamics, mind control, racism, and slavery. I also recommend pairing this story with audio because Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s voice adds a layer of imagery as always.
A debut dystopian novel that showcases a broken system in which racism, misogyny, and the silencing of Black women lead to Solenne being in a situation where she confuses love with control (*not her fault). Solenne, your story has my heart. This story will be one I remember; it flowed so well. It’s a novel that you will continuously want to go back to if you put it down so you can understand its entirety.
The way Rashad writes this one makes two things certain. We aren’t far from where we came from, and we are so close to something like this happening that is being held in bondage. It’s eerie to think about, but not unimaginable, and I think that can be a very tough pill to swallow for some with this one.
I loved what I thought the main point of this was, which was that Black girls and women are expected to be everything but what they want to be. Expected to be quiet. Never anger easily. Always keep up an appearance. Choose the right thing, but not what’s right for them, but everyone around them. What can Black girl/woman do for you? It seems to be the approach most take when dealing with one. What do I get out of this interaction with a Black girl/woman? What can I take or control? They are often left at the mercy of scrutiny, predators, and dishonesty. This novel brings light to that topic.
Solenne is alone. Solenne needs love. Black girls/womem need love. They need patience. Solenne's story needed to be told and heard. This book deserves to be read. You may not agree with how it ends, but ask yourself this one question: “Did I listen?”
I would recommend this one to anyone interested in dystopian fiction with ties to power dynamics, mind control, racism, and slavery. I also recommend pairing this story with audio because Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s voice adds a layer of imagery as always.
August 18, 2024
"If sex ended racism, racism wouldn't exist."
I can't believe this is Rae Giana Rashad's debut novel. This is a masterpiece. Everyone should be reading this book. I can't wait for Rae Giana Rashad's future work.
The Blueprint is an alternate history/ dystopian novel about an America that could still happen. In this book, the Civil Rights movement led to a 2nd Civil War that lasted for 7 years. The government turned its guns on Black Americans and their allies. Martial law was invoked, and the military was given full reign to "restore peace." Things turned out even worse for Black people after this Civil War. The Founders of the Order overthrew the U.S. government. And a new form of slavery was instituted. Women lost almost all their rights and Black woman had no rights at all. Black people were given Louisiana as a free state and any Black people who couldn't move to Louisiana before 1962 became slaves. Louisiana basically becomes Haiti, it's overcrowded with few resources and it's devastated by 2 hurricanes in 15 years.
We follow Solenne a Black woman who lives as the "concubine"of a high ranking government official. As she works through her conflicted feelings towards her owner and she writes the story of her ancestor Henriette who was a slave back in the 1800s.
This book is bleak. It's a tough read but I was consumed by this book. I was scared to pick it up but once I did I really didn't want to put it down. This book is a Horror novel. It's a Psychological Thriller and it's something that could actually happen( Google Project 2025). I was shaking while I read this book. The villains in this book are so scary because they exist in our real lives and we need to do everything possible to keep them for having control.
The Blueprint might be my favorite book I've read this year. I want everyone to read this book. This book should be being talked about. This book should be a best seller.
I highly recommend The Blueprint
I can't believe this is Rae Giana Rashad's debut novel. This is a masterpiece. Everyone should be reading this book. I can't wait for Rae Giana Rashad's future work.
The Blueprint is an alternate history/ dystopian novel about an America that could still happen. In this book, the Civil Rights movement led to a 2nd Civil War that lasted for 7 years. The government turned its guns on Black Americans and their allies. Martial law was invoked, and the military was given full reign to "restore peace." Things turned out even worse for Black people after this Civil War. The Founders of the Order overthrew the U.S. government. And a new form of slavery was instituted. Women lost almost all their rights and Black woman had no rights at all. Black people were given Louisiana as a free state and any Black people who couldn't move to Louisiana before 1962 became slaves. Louisiana basically becomes Haiti, it's overcrowded with few resources and it's devastated by 2 hurricanes in 15 years.
We follow Solenne a Black woman who lives as the "concubine"of a high ranking government official. As she works through her conflicted feelings towards her owner and she writes the story of her ancestor Henriette who was a slave back in the 1800s.
This book is bleak. It's a tough read but I was consumed by this book. I was scared to pick it up but once I did I really didn't want to put it down. This book is a Horror novel. It's a Psychological Thriller and it's something that could actually happen( Google Project 2025). I was shaking while I read this book. The villains in this book are so scary because they exist in our real lives and we need to do everything possible to keep them for having control.
The Blueprint might be my favorite book I've read this year. I want everyone to read this book. This book should be being talked about. This book should be a best seller.
I highly recommend The Blueprint
October 18, 2023
Wow. This one is both captivating and thought-provoking. It deserves every one of its five stars. I can always tell when a story really grabbed me when I'm still thinking about it days later.
Set in a near-future United States, the story revolves around Solenne, a young Black woman struggling through a life with no personal agency. The strength of the story is in the structure.
The three timelines provide a multilayered narrative that draws haunting parallels between the lives of Solenne and her ancestor Henriette, both entangled with powerful white men. Reading Solenne's perspective as a teen alongside her perspective as an adult helps you feel for and understand this complex character. The author tackles what it's like being a girl navigating a world that wasn't created for you. Where do you go, who do you trust, and who do you love in a bleak world? The author leaned into the mental side of forced bondage by examining the lengths some men will travel to maintain control of another person. It scared me, pissed me off, and shocked me. I kept reading because I wanted for these women what I wanted for anyone: freedom and choice. I was rooting for these women to win, even in a world where that is nearly impossible. My heart!!
I think I went into it expecting it to be more genre/upmarket, but this is definitely literary. There are no easy answers, and nothing is spelled out for you. It is a beautifully written but heavy story. Some parts were difficult to read, but I love it when authors push boundaries to tell a story.
It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates powerful storytelling and a searing commentary on the human condition. I double-checked because I couldn't believe this was a debut. I'm looking forward to what this author does next.
Set in a near-future United States, the story revolves around Solenne, a young Black woman struggling through a life with no personal agency. The strength of the story is in the structure.
The three timelines provide a multilayered narrative that draws haunting parallels between the lives of Solenne and her ancestor Henriette, both entangled with powerful white men. Reading Solenne's perspective as a teen alongside her perspective as an adult helps you feel for and understand this complex character. The author tackles what it's like being a girl navigating a world that wasn't created for you. Where do you go, who do you trust, and who do you love in a bleak world? The author leaned into the mental side of forced bondage by examining the lengths some men will travel to maintain control of another person. It scared me, pissed me off, and shocked me. I kept reading because I wanted for these women what I wanted for anyone: freedom and choice. I was rooting for these women to win, even in a world where that is nearly impossible. My heart!!
I think I went into it expecting it to be more genre/upmarket, but this is definitely literary. There are no easy answers, and nothing is spelled out for you. It is a beautifully written but heavy story. Some parts were difficult to read, but I love it when authors push boundaries to tell a story.
It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates powerful storytelling and a searing commentary on the human condition. I double-checked because I couldn't believe this was a debut. I'm looking forward to what this author does next.
May 16, 2024
At first I felt like others have done what Rashad set out to do with this book more convincingly but after sitting with it for a while I realized that ultimately I don't think it's a quite fair assesment. Here's the thing, the others I've seen doing similar things focused on adults or teenagers and their coming of age. Here we have an adultified teenager who doesn't let us forget that she is in fact still a child, one that didn't actually get to be a child, she's immature and fumbling around because she is a kid. Rashad invites us to sit with our judgement of Solenne's actions many times by reminding us that she's basically a kid. It's not just a what-if story, it's an invitation to look at your expectations of black girls.
It was also a surprisingly quick read for a 300 pages long book,
It was also a surprisingly quick read for a 300 pages long book,
February 14, 2024
The Blueprint by Rae Giana Rashad is a dystopian story of a woman's journey to reclaim her power, about sacrifice, and choosing one's destiny. It is set in an alternative America where an uprising during the 1950s led to the re-enslavement of Black women and all rights of women were revoked.
It is loosely inspired by Sally Hemings and other enslaved Black women who became concubines to powerful white men.
The book focuses on Solenne's journey during the year 2030, where she becomes concubine to one of the most powerful government officials. As the story progresses, we see Solenne as a naive teen who doesn't really realize how her freedom has been taken away from her. As she has been taught from a very young age that this is just how things are supposed to go.
"𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒃𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝑴𝒚 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒔, 𝒎𝒚 𝒖𝒏𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆, 𝒂 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍, 𝒏𝒐 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉, 𝒏𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓. 𝑵𝒐 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎."
As she grows older and realizes that her voice, dreams, and aspirations do not belong to her, she starts to question everything and everyone.
This story was powerful, eye-opening and speaks volumes on not only how in the past Black women were considered objects but also an awakening and call to action of what can happen if women's rights and voices are taking away.
It is loosely inspired by Sally Hemings and other enslaved Black women who became concubines to powerful white men.
The book focuses on Solenne's journey during the year 2030, where she becomes concubine to one of the most powerful government officials. As the story progresses, we see Solenne as a naive teen who doesn't really realize how her freedom has been taken away from her. As she has been taught from a very young age that this is just how things are supposed to go.
"𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒃𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝑴𝒚 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒔, 𝒎𝒚 𝒖𝒏𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆, 𝒂 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍, 𝒏𝒐 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉, 𝒏𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓. 𝑵𝒐 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎."
As she grows older and realizes that her voice, dreams, and aspirations do not belong to her, she starts to question everything and everyone.
This story was powerful, eye-opening and speaks volumes on not only how in the past Black women were considered objects but also an awakening and call to action of what can happen if women's rights and voices are taking away.
February 27, 2024
This book was incredibly painful. Obviously, the blatant consequences of racism and patriarchy on the Black woman, the Black child, is a prominent theme and a terrible one. The legacy of slavery looking at Black women by a Black woman is shouted to the rooftops here but the look at abusive relationships, male privilege, and the loss of Black girl innocence at the behest of misogynoir was so incredibly heartbreaking. Reading Solenne grapple with an abusive man who does nothing but take, take, fucking take from her? My soul is pierced; the author left no stone overturned when it came to her mission to showcase the pain and vitriol that Black women are told is their legacy and cross to bear. There were some elements that were just so hard to read when I thought about my mind and soul during my first relationship, and how hard it took me to realize what was love and what was not. Sometimes I was so irritated at Solenne for just not SEEING who Bastien was but she knew no better, just like I did, not when we tell so many Black girls and women to not EXPECT anything better. You learn to be quiet and docile for so long you don’t even notice the chains on your wrists. It’s such an unbearable cross to be given and it’s one I live to reject each day that I am still afforded breath.
Sally Hemmings is a prominent figure in the book, seeing as Solenne plays Sally to Bastien’s Thomas Jefferson, and seeing how Solenne ends her story, it makes me wonder how we regard the different ways we regard women who wield power in a society that tried to stifle every shred of their autonomy. Is the conclusion of this book unfair? Absolutely. But I think this book courageously bears sympathy for women who are groomed into cycles of abuse, and displaying how the sacrifices that Black women have made for their descendants presents itself in so many different ways. This book just stirs up so many conversations about Black trauma and love and the stolen lives of female enslaved people and finding a sliver of agency in a world that turns its back on women (Black women, in particular) and the intricacies, the NUANCES of Black motherhood. It’s a book that’s going to live in my mind for a very long time.
The only critique that really stood out for me was the lack of world building that would have explained the dystopian setup of the book - we know this is an alternate history and the US has fallen into what is now “the Order,” an incredibly racist and patriarchal society (that, don’t get me wrong, is not that hard to imagine considering America’s climate) that was rose after the events of a second Civil War. All understandable but I still wanted a more realized history and understanding of this world. We get details here and there (like how revisionist chauvinists tried to argue away the real reason for the second Civil War, why Louisiana was picked as the unincorporated state) but I needed more. Honestly, Solenne’s story could have been made in a present day setting and would have still made waves, so if we were going to have this speculative alternate history, I would’ve wanted a bit more details and context as to what this new world is. Other than that, this was such an impactful debut. 🖤
Sally Hemmings is a prominent figure in the book, seeing as Solenne plays Sally to Bastien’s Thomas Jefferson, and seeing how Solenne ends her story, it makes me wonder how we regard the different ways we regard women who wield power in a society that tried to stifle every shred of their autonomy. Is the conclusion of this book unfair? Absolutely. But I think this book courageously bears sympathy for women who are groomed into cycles of abuse, and displaying how the sacrifices that Black women have made for their descendants presents itself in so many different ways. This book just stirs up so many conversations about Black trauma and love and the stolen lives of female enslaved people and finding a sliver of agency in a world that turns its back on women (Black women, in particular) and the intricacies, the NUANCES of Black motherhood. It’s a book that’s going to live in my mind for a very long time.
The only critique that really stood out for me was the lack of world building that would have explained the dystopian setup of the book - we know this is an alternate history and the US has fallen into what is now “the Order,” an incredibly racist and patriarchal society (that, don’t get me wrong, is not that hard to imagine considering America’s climate) that was rose after the events of a second Civil War. All understandable but I still wanted a more realized history and understanding of this world. We get details here and there (like how revisionist chauvinists tried to argue away the real reason for the second Civil War, why Louisiana was picked as the unincorporated state) but I needed more. Honestly, Solenne’s story could have been made in a present day setting and would have still made waves, so if we were going to have this speculative alternate history, I would’ve wanted a bit more details and context as to what this new world is. Other than that, this was such an impactful debut. 🖤
March 27, 2024
The writing and worldbuilding do not fully support the Big Ideas™ the blurb alludes to. It may be that I’m fresh out of reading Octavia E. Butler’s explorations of ‘what ifs’ to want to see a debut author pushing the envelope in any shape or form. It may also be that I’ve come across YA dystopian novels that are simply better and The Blueprint reads like not a very good one.
January 3, 2024
I don’t know if I will be able to convey how truly affected I am by this debut novel. From the first word, I was dragged in to a world scarily like our own (perhaps it could have been with a shift in political trajectory half a century ago). The reader is exposed to the hypocrisies and machinations of a government that has no qualms subjugating the “weaker” of society, justifying it as a way to protect and to guide those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to make decisions independently.
Our protagonist Solenne Bonet is at the complete mercy and whims of Bastien Martin, and the reader has the privilege of following her throughout the book; her thoughts, emotions, and sense of self are not her own and it becomes even more apparent as the novel progresses how she struggles with that. As the title suggests Sol uses her ancestor’s life as a guiding beacon for her own experiences in slavery and servitude. The fact that Rashad uses actual historical precedence as the basis for the overall plot is terrifying. It certainly isn’t something taught in US History classes.
The subtlety and pacing with which Rashad writes is what I found most shocking to me; Rashad does not use exposition to set the stage but rather she slowly unveils the horrors of living in a society where Black women and girls are property controlled by algorithms and software. I was still making realizations of the society nearly 80% through, just as horrified as the first time I realized her fictional society is far closer to the reality the US has today.
Rashad does an incredible job exploring the complexities of human thought, sense of self, autonomy (or lack thereof), and relationships – both platonic and romantic. Her understanding of abuses, not just physical, was heartbreaking to experience first-hand simply because of how well she presented it. Rashad has an amazing understanding on the human condition, and does even better conveying it in her novel.
I’m new to dystopian literature, and this was one heck of a book to start out with. It deserves every star it received, and I will certainly be watching out for her next book.
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.
Our protagonist Solenne Bonet is at the complete mercy and whims of Bastien Martin, and the reader has the privilege of following her throughout the book; her thoughts, emotions, and sense of self are not her own and it becomes even more apparent as the novel progresses how she struggles with that. As the title suggests Sol uses her ancestor’s life as a guiding beacon for her own experiences in slavery and servitude. The fact that Rashad uses actual historical precedence as the basis for the overall plot is terrifying. It certainly isn’t something taught in US History classes.
The subtlety and pacing with which Rashad writes is what I found most shocking to me; Rashad does not use exposition to set the stage but rather she slowly unveils the horrors of living in a society where Black women and girls are property controlled by algorithms and software. I was still making realizations of the society nearly 80% through, just as horrified as the first time I realized her fictional society is far closer to the reality the US has today.
Rashad does an incredible job exploring the complexities of human thought, sense of self, autonomy (or lack thereof), and relationships – both platonic and romantic. Her understanding of abuses, not just physical, was heartbreaking to experience first-hand simply because of how well she presented it. Rashad has an amazing understanding on the human condition, and does even better conveying it in her novel.
I’m new to dystopian literature, and this was one heck of a book to start out with. It deserves every star it received, and I will certainly be watching out for her next book.
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.
August 6, 2024
Black women see the future.
January 8, 2024
Rating: 5⭐️
Genre: fiction, science fiction, think handmaids tale but black
*Insert deep emotion-filled sigh* Thank you Harper Collins for the physical ARC, and Rae Giana Rashad for this story.
Beautiful, sophisticated are the first words that come to mind. I felt everything. Genuinely any emotion known to man could be said for how I felt at a certain part of the story.
It was composed in such an artful way. I had my own preconceived notions as to how it would unfold, but I had to throw those out and really just enjoy the story that was crafted. And I regret not a single minute of it. Literary fiction isn’t what I typically read, and that can sometimes affect how I’m able to sit in a story and enjoy it, but I had none of those issues with The Blueprint.
I will always give big shoutouts to my BIPOC authors, and this is fully one of those times. But it’s not a “this is my favourite black book”, it’s a “this is my favourite book” full stop. I want to say this is my favourite book of 2024 but yes it’s still early in the year. I can say, for sure though that this will make my top 5 and always be an automatic recommendation.
Genre: fiction, science fiction, think handmaids tale but black
*Insert deep emotion-filled sigh* Thank you Harper Collins for the physical ARC, and Rae Giana Rashad for this story.
Beautiful, sophisticated are the first words that come to mind. I felt everything. Genuinely any emotion known to man could be said for how I felt at a certain part of the story.
It was composed in such an artful way. I had my own preconceived notions as to how it would unfold, but I had to throw those out and really just enjoy the story that was crafted. And I regret not a single minute of it. Literary fiction isn’t what I typically read, and that can sometimes affect how I’m able to sit in a story and enjoy it, but I had none of those issues with The Blueprint.
I will always give big shoutouts to my BIPOC authors, and this is fully one of those times. But it’s not a “this is my favourite black book”, it’s a “this is my favourite book” full stop. I want to say this is my favourite book of 2024 but yes it’s still early in the year. I can say, for sure though that this will make my top 5 and always be an automatic recommendation.
February 22, 2024
Wow. If this book doesn't become a classic... this book shoul become part of literature history for the blunt, raw, poetic and tender exploration of a forgotten (ignored, written out) history, a hidden present... There's going to be many people who will be able to explain why this book is as good as it is, but this book will leave you feeling full of tender sorrow and anger because while this is a fictional world... there's so many girls like Solenne in history, now, and in the future.
January 22, 2024
[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE...
• The Handmaid's Tale, Vox
• Toxic relationships
• Exploring Black womenhood
I THOUGHT IT WAS...
A chilling and poignant work of speculative fiction about white dominance over Black bodies. After Civil War II, a new government is created wherein Black women who are descendants of slavery are assigned to white men at 15. When Solenne, originally assigned to a well-meaning gay man, crosses paths with one of the most powerful men in the government, her entire life becomes subsumed into him.
Rashad has done just enough world building to make this terrifying government system feel believable and suffocating. And while both Black men and women suffer from it, it's women that the system is carefully built to control, a necessity that we even hear one of the government men say. For men to be able to do anything they want, they need take away anything that could give a women, regardless of their race, agency and make it into law.
At the heart of this struggle for control is Solenne and Bastien. Their relationship is dark and twisted. You want to scream for its wrongness, even as you can understand how Solenne, young and impressionable, willingly folded herself into Bastien's arms.
As Solenne struggles against Bastien, so too did her slave ancestor against her master. There's something like a conversation that occurs between these two women throughout the book that I loved. It's the inclusion of her ancestor's story that reminds us that men's presumed ownership still persists, just manifested differently. But it also reminds us how we can draw strength and wisdom from our past, from the torturous paths our ancestors had to carve for us.
READ IF YOU LIKE...
• The Handmaid's Tale, Vox
• Toxic relationships
• Exploring Black womenhood
I THOUGHT IT WAS...
A chilling and poignant work of speculative fiction about white dominance over Black bodies. After Civil War II, a new government is created wherein Black women who are descendants of slavery are assigned to white men at 15. When Solenne, originally assigned to a well-meaning gay man, crosses paths with one of the most powerful men in the government, her entire life becomes subsumed into him.
Rashad has done just enough world building to make this terrifying government system feel believable and suffocating. And while both Black men and women suffer from it, it's women that the system is carefully built to control, a necessity that we even hear one of the government men say. For men to be able to do anything they want, they need take away anything that could give a women, regardless of their race, agency and make it into law.
At the heart of this struggle for control is Solenne and Bastien. Their relationship is dark and twisted. You want to scream for its wrongness, even as you can understand how Solenne, young and impressionable, willingly folded herself into Bastien's arms.
As Solenne struggles against Bastien, so too did her slave ancestor against her master. There's something like a conversation that occurs between these two women throughout the book that I loved. It's the inclusion of her ancestor's story that reminds us that men's presumed ownership still persists, just manifested differently. But it also reminds us how we can draw strength and wisdom from our past, from the torturous paths our ancestors had to carve for us.
January 29, 2024
gifted by the publisher
In an alternate US, a Black woman becomes a concubine of a powerful white politician. Reading the author's notes first might clarify the story and help understand Rashad's motivation. I find the writing too "aesthetic" and was confused about the plot due to the lack of distinction in narrative voices between the two timelines—a fascinating premise that didn't pan out.
In an alternate US, a Black woman becomes a concubine of a powerful white politician. Reading the author's notes first might clarify the story and help understand Rashad's motivation. I find the writing too "aesthetic" and was confused about the plot due to the lack of distinction in narrative voices between the two timelines—a fascinating premise that didn't pan out.
June 4, 2024
Another thought provoking read. Set in an alternative America where enslavement has been brought back. This book gave me a lot of feelings and had to process. A fantastic literary read!
Topics:
-Racism
-Slavery
-Dystopian
-Multiple Timelines
-Power Dynamics
Thank you Harper books for the gifted physical copy.
Topics:
-Racism
-Slavery
-Dystopian
-Multiple Timelines
-Power Dynamics
Thank you Harper books for the gifted physical copy.
January 12, 2024
I’m a little bit lost for words because this book was so incredibly beautiful. It’s so unique in the sense that it gives off a distinctly dystopian vibe—while also painting a truthful representation of history.
Rae’s prose waxes poetic—there were lines so beautiful that I actually had to reread them in awe. I will say, though—I started this book quite slowly (mood reader problems), but it really did pick up towards the middle. Rae does a wonderful job of writing an incredibly empathetic story, that while dystopian in nature, speaks to the truth of the plight of a black woman.
It’s truly such an insightful read that leaves plenty for you to ruminate over. I understand this came out fairly recently, and I’d encourage anyone looking for women’s/dystopian/historical fiction to pick it up.
March 7, 2024
Damn! This was not for me at all! The premise sounded good enough, but the cryptic, strange writing style of this did not connect me in any way to the story or the characters. I just did not care what was happening, and I ended up DNF’ing this book. I felt like the characters were not fully put on the page and the reader was thrown into the story blindly without any lead up whatsoever.
It was like if you did not get it, then YOU suck because you just do. This is what I can hear the author saying to those that do not fawn over her writing.
I feel like if this was handled by a different author, the result may have been a better executed novel.
DNF’d after 84 pages, with 12 chapters read…can’t say I did not try! 📚
On to the next!
It was like if you did not get it, then YOU suck because you just do. This is what I can hear the author saying to those that do not fawn over her writing.
I feel like if this was handled by a different author, the result may have been a better executed novel.
DNF’d after 84 pages, with 12 chapters read…can’t say I did not try! 📚
On to the next!
August 10, 2024
Terrifying and prescient - Rashad is a tremendous new talent.
April 10, 2024
Interesting alternative reality, and the author’s inspirations (many of whom I love) so clearly map onto her concept. However, the narrative was slow, repetitive, didn’t delve deep enough for me, and ultimately didn’t do the subject matter justice.
I’d hoped the story would better explore / share the thought processes and emotions of the protagonists (Solenne & Henriette).
Henriette was a veiled figure - we never truly enter her story, only Solenne’s relationship to it. And with Solenne, I found myself needing to constantly fill unexplored gaps in her reasoning and sentiments with imaginings of how *I* would feel / think in her shoes. In that way, the book felt a little DIY and more like a thought experiment than a fully fledged novel.
I’d hoped the story would better explore / share the thought processes and emotions of the protagonists (Solenne & Henriette).
Henriette was a veiled figure - we never truly enter her story, only Solenne’s relationship to it. And with Solenne, I found myself needing to constantly fill unexplored gaps in her reasoning and sentiments with imaginings of how *I* would feel / think in her shoes. In that way, the book felt a little DIY and more like a thought experiment than a fully fledged novel.
July 9, 2024
What really let me down was the shallow world-building. We get bits about a society post-Civil War II and this enforced slavery system, but it's vague. We don't know who they're fighting or much about the world outside. Unlike "The Handmaid's Tale," which dives deep into societal issues, this book leaves too many questions unanswered. Even though Solenne's story is engaging, I wanted more exploration of the world they live in—it just didn't go as deep as I hoped.
September 20, 2024
What an absolute stunner of a book; I cannot believe this is a debut novel. In an alternate history where there was a second Civil War, yet not very far from our own world (towards the future or the past), Black women are concubines to be owned and bred. It’s a horrific premise, based on the very real enslaved Black women who were concubines to famous white men.
We mostly follow Solenne, the teenage girl who is a concubine to one of the most powerful white men in the country, who is significantly older than she is. As the book alternates timelines between past and present, we begin to understand Solenne as not just a young woman yearning for freedom, but as a literal child who was raped, brainwashed, and emotionally abused into accepting her cage — until she doesn’t. Solenne is not stupid, by the way, but she is, again, a child. Her relationship with Bastien has notes of Vanessa and Strane from My Dark Vanessa. When I found myself confused or infuriated with her behavior, Rashad’s beautiful writing led me back to the core message of this book, that Black women cannot ever be who they wish to be, and it is unreasonable to expect a traumatized child to act as anything but a traumatized child.
I also want to write about the white people in The Blueprint since they’re basically a highlights reel of white supremacy in 2024 America. Solenne’s first assignment, James, though he doesn’t rape her and says all the right things about The Order and how wrong it is for Solenne to be property, never actually does anything to help her. He reminded me a bit of Kevin from Kindred. The politicians themselves are laughable in their lip service to meritocracy while simultaneously creating a race-based caste system. If you don’t see our own world reflected there, you’re not looking very hard.
Two small criticisms: I felt the pacing at times was a little off, with a few too many stops and starts, and I wanted so much more around the world-building. I’d also love a companion book that follows a Black man, as they have a different role in this world. Can’t wait to see what Rashad does next.
We mostly follow Solenne, the teenage girl who is a concubine to one of the most powerful white men in the country, who is significantly older than she is. As the book alternates timelines between past and present, we begin to understand Solenne as not just a young woman yearning for freedom, but as a literal child who was raped, brainwashed, and emotionally abused into accepting her cage — until she doesn’t. Solenne is not stupid, by the way, but she is, again, a child. Her relationship with Bastien has notes of Vanessa and Strane from My Dark Vanessa. When I found myself confused or infuriated with her behavior, Rashad’s beautiful writing led me back to the core message of this book, that Black women cannot ever be who they wish to be, and it is unreasonable to expect a traumatized child to act as anything but a traumatized child.
I also want to write about the white people in The Blueprint since they’re basically a highlights reel of white supremacy in 2024 America. Solenne’s first assignment, James, though he doesn’t rape her and says all the right things about The Order and how wrong it is for Solenne to be property, never actually does anything to help her. He reminded me a bit of Kevin from Kindred. The politicians themselves are laughable in their lip service to meritocracy while simultaneously creating a race-based caste system. If you don’t see our own world reflected there, you’re not looking very hard.
Two small criticisms: I felt the pacing at times was a little off, with a few too many stops and starts, and I wanted so much more around the world-building. I’d also love a companion book that follows a Black man, as they have a different role in this world. Can’t wait to see what Rashad does next.
June 18, 2024
Definitely dystopian. It is the Handmaid’s Tale for Black women. My problem was that I was sooooo confused for the first 1/2 of the book. I had no idea what was going on. There were three timelines…a Then, Now, and the 1800’s. But isn’t the 1800’s “Then” too?!?!
Ugh! It was super frustrating, I eventually went back and re read the first 50 or so pages! Ultimately I just plowed through.
The end of the book had closure to it, somewhat.
And what does the book cover have to do with the story?!?!?
I would have given it 2.5 stars but rounded it up to three ⭐️’s only because it was set in Texas and Louisiana, and I’m a Texas Girl at heart ♥️!
Ugh! It was super frustrating, I eventually went back and re read the first 50 or so pages! Ultimately I just plowed through.
The end of the book had closure to it, somewhat.
And what does the book cover have to do with the story?!?!?
I would have given it 2.5 stars but rounded it up to three ⭐️’s only because it was set in Texas and Louisiana, and I’m a Texas Girl at heart ♥️!
August 9, 2024
3.5, the writing in this book was absolutely stunning and heartbreaking at many times. I would absolutely read more from this author as she hopefully continues to publish. I only struggled with the world building in this near future dystopia/alternative history. For me, the social order and history was unclear through the majority of the novel.
June 28, 2024
Sad but BEAUTIFULLY written story! I can’t believe that this is a debut story. Ms Rashad has a beautiful way with words! Highly recommend!
August 1, 2024
I assumed this would be a dual POV but clearly i was wrong. This was a beautifully written book & my only issue is that at times I was a little bored.
June 7, 2024
Wow. Such a powerful story. Set in the not too distant alternate future here in the United States, this book tells the story of Solenne and her life as a woman in a society run by powerful white men. In this society black women are assigned to powerful white men as basically concubines to have babies for them. Reminds me a lot of the handmaids tale and in this current climate, doesn't seem too far fetched. Really gripping and beautifully written. Tragedy and triumph alike.
February 13, 2024
Set in a very near future in an alternate timeline where the mid-20th century Civil Rights Movement never happened, instead a second civil war was fought, the United States is toppled and an overt white supremacist regime is installed at the helm of the country now known as the Order whose federal seat now resides in Texas. In this reality Black citizens are categorized as Decedents of Slavery and are controlled by the state; men are conscripted as soldiers to quell civil unrest throughout the land, often losing their lives in the process, women are assigned to white men for a period of five years at age 15, then married off to Black men, always used as the men see fit, and of course their main purpose in life is as a vessel for procreation.
The story follows Solenne who, at age 15, becomes entangled with, Bastien, a high-ranking Order official being groomed as the next leader. Their relationship is controversial as Solenne, now aged 20, is not merely his assignment but instead lives as his concubine, both Bastien and Solenne believing love a part of their union. Intertwined with Solenne's reality is a biography she is penning of her ancestor, Henriette, who was brought from Africa to be enslaved in America as a teenager in 1801.
The Blueprint is an incredibly compelling piece of speculative literary fiction with undeniable echos of The Handmaid's Tale and historical relationships such as that of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. Rashad has created a feasible and recognizable world drawing not only from the roots of our history, but our present as well. This familiarity lends a fascinating and unsettling layer to the story as it explores themes of autonomy, choice, love, liberty, control, and power. There's much to chew on here and all told with lyrical prose. I couldn't put this down once I started reading.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy.
The story follows Solenne who, at age 15, becomes entangled with, Bastien, a high-ranking Order official being groomed as the next leader. Their relationship is controversial as Solenne, now aged 20, is not merely his assignment but instead lives as his concubine, both Bastien and Solenne believing love a part of their union. Intertwined with Solenne's reality is a biography she is penning of her ancestor, Henriette, who was brought from Africa to be enslaved in America as a teenager in 1801.
The Blueprint is an incredibly compelling piece of speculative literary fiction with undeniable echos of The Handmaid's Tale and historical relationships such as that of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. Rashad has created a feasible and recognizable world drawing not only from the roots of our history, but our present as well. This familiarity lends a fascinating and unsettling layer to the story as it explores themes of autonomy, choice, love, liberty, control, and power. There's much to chew on here and all told with lyrical prose. I couldn't put this down once I started reading.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy.
February 19, 2024
This debut is stunning. Rae Giana Rashad has crafted a novel that's horrifying and captivating, at once beautifully written and a tense tech dystopia that's at least three times darker than any Black Mirror episode. It's rare to see this level of ambition in a first novel, or at least one which sticks the landing. I'm such a structure hater—I have very strong notes on the plotting of most novels, but I admire the structure of Rashad's worldbuilding so much because she pulls off something difficult: she avoids lengthy exposition and drops us into this five-seconds-into-the-future nightmare, slowly letting us discover the implications and extents of this world. It gives the feeling of being as alone in the world as the protagonist. The Blueprint is a smart, well-researched novel that is able to drive home very clear messages without losing itself in sentimentality. I fear I will never stop thinking about this.
April 23, 2024
Unsettling + infuriating, and asked a lot of tough questions about power, innocence and complicity. Fascinating in a “whelp I guess things could always be worse” kinda way.
March 1, 2024
4.5 stars
Set in the near future, The Blueprint is a speculative fiction novel that follows Solenne, a young black woman, living in the area formerly known as Texas. In this alternative version of America, the 1960s Civil Rights movement did not happen, and instead, the U.S. underwent a second Civil War beginning in 1954, after which the country established military rule, reinstated slavery for Black women, forced Black men to be in the military, and outlawed reproductive choice.
In the Order (essentially the Confederacy), the lives of female descendants of slavery (DoS) are property - first of their fathers, then of the white patriots who pay to hold their contracts, and finally of a Black husband. In school, Black girls are trained to survive and serve men. At the age of 15, Black girls complete school and are assigned by the algorithm to an occupation and a white man, who corrects their behavior before they are sent home to marry a Black man and have his children, helping to create an endless supply of soldiers for the borders.
The Blueprint is told in three timelines, with the main one being Solenne's during 2030 where she is the concubine of Bastien, a powerful white government official. As the story progresses, we are provided with two additional timelines: 2025 which is Solenne's "then" timeline and 1801 which is the timeline of Henriette, Solenne's enslaved ancestor whose life she uses as a blueprint. Through these three narratives, readers come to understand Solenne as a naïve teenager who believes she has found love, and in doing so, relinquished her freedom and agency to a man who will never let her go. Once she begins to question things, Solenne realizes that her desires, voice, and existence does not belong to her. Instead, they belong to Bastien who says he’s devoted to her while working politically and privately to further restrict her freedom.
Rae Gianna Rashad crafted The Blueprint in a propulsive manner. At no single point are readers provided a thorough explanation of the world in which Solenne exists. Instead, Rashad slowly unveils the reality and horrors of the Order as Solenne realizes them herself. This subtlety and pacing yields a captivating, urgent story that deftly wields readers' emotions.
Solenne's narration is as raw and poetic as it is haunting. Through it, Rashad manages to tell the story in a blunt, yet tender manner that asks for empathy. Normally, I find it difficult to empathize with characters, especially teenage or young adult ones, that make poor choices after bad decisions after stupid selections. As women, we are not given the space to be naïve and trustful without consequences, and I find it difficult to see other women falling into that trap. However, Rashad supplies readers with the grace to understand Solenne and her thoughts. In doing so, Rashad underlines the complexities of the human condition and the plight of Black women.
The only thing I struggled with after finishing The Blueprint was the seeming lack of a clear thesis or conclusion. I was unsure what Rashad intended readers to take away. If you read other reviews, you will see that there are a myriad of opinions on what the book ultimately says.
Overall, The Blueprint is a powerful debut novel about agency, sacrifice, and the condition of women, particularly Black women, in the U.S. I highly recommend picking up this novel. I know I will be thinking about The Blueprint for a long time to come.
Note: I received an advance reader's copy from the publisher, Harper Books. Regardless, I always provide an honest, fair review.
Set in the near future, The Blueprint is a speculative fiction novel that follows Solenne, a young black woman, living in the area formerly known as Texas. In this alternative version of America, the 1960s Civil Rights movement did not happen, and instead, the U.S. underwent a second Civil War beginning in 1954, after which the country established military rule, reinstated slavery for Black women, forced Black men to be in the military, and outlawed reproductive choice.
In the Order (essentially the Confederacy), the lives of female descendants of slavery (DoS) are property - first of their fathers, then of the white patriots who pay to hold their contracts, and finally of a Black husband. In school, Black girls are trained to survive and serve men. At the age of 15, Black girls complete school and are assigned by the algorithm to an occupation and a white man, who corrects their behavior before they are sent home to marry a Black man and have his children, helping to create an endless supply of soldiers for the borders.
The Blueprint is told in three timelines, with the main one being Solenne's during 2030 where she is the concubine of Bastien, a powerful white government official. As the story progresses, we are provided with two additional timelines: 2025 which is Solenne's "then" timeline and 1801 which is the timeline of Henriette, Solenne's enslaved ancestor whose life she uses as a blueprint. Through these three narratives, readers come to understand Solenne as a naïve teenager who believes she has found love, and in doing so, relinquished her freedom and agency to a man who will never let her go. Once she begins to question things, Solenne realizes that her desires, voice, and existence does not belong to her. Instead, they belong to Bastien who says he’s devoted to her while working politically and privately to further restrict her freedom.
Rae Gianna Rashad crafted The Blueprint in a propulsive manner. At no single point are readers provided a thorough explanation of the world in which Solenne exists. Instead, Rashad slowly unveils the reality and horrors of the Order as Solenne realizes them herself. This subtlety and pacing yields a captivating, urgent story that deftly wields readers' emotions.
Solenne's narration is as raw and poetic as it is haunting. Through it, Rashad manages to tell the story in a blunt, yet tender manner that asks for empathy. Normally, I find it difficult to empathize with characters, especially teenage or young adult ones, that make poor choices after bad decisions after stupid selections. As women, we are not given the space to be naïve and trustful without consequences, and I find it difficult to see other women falling into that trap. However, Rashad supplies readers with the grace to understand Solenne and her thoughts. In doing so, Rashad underlines the complexities of the human condition and the plight of Black women.
The only thing I struggled with after finishing The Blueprint was the seeming lack of a clear thesis or conclusion. I was unsure what Rashad intended readers to take away. If you read other reviews, you will see that there are a myriad of opinions on what the book ultimately says.
Overall, The Blueprint is a powerful debut novel about agency, sacrifice, and the condition of women, particularly Black women, in the U.S. I highly recommend picking up this novel. I know I will be thinking about The Blueprint for a long time to come.
Note: I received an advance reader's copy from the publisher, Harper Books. Regardless, I always provide an honest, fair review.
April 18, 2024
A masterful work of historical and speculative fiction, Rashad weaves a story that is as beautiful as it is unsettling. In the not-so-distant future, Black Women are assigned all aspects of their lives based on an algorithm. If you’re lucky enough to be a white man in power, you can manipulate the system founded by the new governing body called The Order. Upon meeting our main character Solene, Bastian, the ruling power of The Order, reassigns Solene to his care, securing her under his ownership. While Bastian treats Solene with love and tenderness, there are underlying reminders of all the ways in which she is not truly free.
The story jumps back and forth between three timelines; Solene’s ancestor Henriette, a slave in 1800’s Louisiana, Solene’s adolescence, and the present day. While this jumping around was a tad confusing at first, the narrative develops a flow that strategically connects the past to Solene’s future. As the story progresses, Solene must decide if she possesses the strength to finally flee from Bastian’s chains. The novel is a gripping tale that urges you to think about government, body autonomy, racism, and misogyny. While a work of fiction, The Blueprint is a very real reminder of how the regression of equality poses a massive threat to today’s society.
I highly recommend The Blueprint for fans of Margaret Atwood and Christina Dalcher, or anyone interested in gaining a different perspective on very present issues
The story jumps back and forth between three timelines; Solene’s ancestor Henriette, a slave in 1800’s Louisiana, Solene’s adolescence, and the present day. While this jumping around was a tad confusing at first, the narrative develops a flow that strategically connects the past to Solene’s future. As the story progresses, Solene must decide if she possesses the strength to finally flee from Bastian’s chains. The novel is a gripping tale that urges you to think about government, body autonomy, racism, and misogyny. While a work of fiction, The Blueprint is a very real reminder of how the regression of equality poses a massive threat to today’s society.
I highly recommend The Blueprint for fans of Margaret Atwood and Christina Dalcher, or anyone interested in gaining a different perspective on very present issues
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