RAIN RISING

In the aftermath of a brutal attack, a Black girl and her family discover that healing is progress, not perfection, as they strive to replace their sorrow with things they love.

Eighth grader Rain Washington lives with persistent sadness she can’t seem to escape. Even the doting attention of her beloved older brother, Xander, who goes by X, only offers brief reprieves from the unhappiness that consumes her. She wishes her name were more creative, believes her skin is too dark, and wants her body to be smaller. Her struggles are compounded by her father’s absence and her single mother’s work schedule. It seems that the worst is yet to come after X becomes the victim of a brutal attack by White fraternity members while visiting a college with a football teammate from his elite prep school. The attack’s aftermath challenges Rain’s limited coping mechanisms. New friendships and a healing circle facilitated by the school counselor provide Rain and her family the opportunity to confront generational trauma, develop healthy coping responses, and forge a new path forward with the tools to heal from current and past hurts and depression that may be genetic. The clear writing is authentic, gentle, and smooth, successfully exploring complex emotions and weighty topics, including poverty, self-harm, and racism. The even pacing is perfection. As Rain rises, readers are left rooting for her and others walking her journey.

A gorgeous debut: a necessary, cathartic, immersive healing experience.