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Colored Television was Barnes and Noble’s September book club selection. This is not one I planned to read on my own, though it does fit in with other novels I’ve read this year with the theme of race and colorism in America. The novel explores the experience of mulatto people in America and in that regard I would give it a very strong 4 stars.

There were several aspects of the novel I appreciated and enjoyed. Lenny was my favorite character, followed by Finn. I was not a fan of the narrator, Jane, or the choices she made. Lenny knows, embraces, and lives his identity. Jane doesn’t. She is struggling to write a TV script, yet her life mirrors TV. She is not an actor, but seems to live her life like a role based on wherever her current and ever changing housing situation takes her.

The author is very talented. She writes very distinct characters that stay true to who they are. The story was well written, but I didn’t like the end of the main story arc. It fit with and rang true to Jane’s character, but it didn’t ring true to what I would expect. I did like how the novel ended.

The narrative follows lie after lie. Characters avoid, manipulate, and dance around the truth. I don’t tend to enjoy this type of story, thus the three stars.