My last post was my entry to the Fall Writing Frenzy contest. The protagonist of my little story was a young girl helping her mother see the leaves change color “one last time” after her mom’s cancer came back.
So, today I saw this Twitter post by Kaitlyn Sanchez, one of the sponsors of the contest:
I need a good writing challenge, so I decided to come up with a story from the antagonist’s POV. In the case of my original Fall Writing Frenzy story, the antagonist isn’t a person. It’s a disease. Cancer. Yikes.
Challenge accepted! Here’s my story, which I also kept to the word limit of the original contest.
The Day I was Beaten
People hate me. Wait, that’s not a strong enough word. People despise me. I get called “the C word”—as if my name is too evil to speak. There are T-shirts and bumper stickers proclaiming “Cancer Sucks”—and worse, believe me. But, I have to keep this clean for kids.
Not that I normally watch out for kids. I mean, I grow uncontrollably fast in their tiny bodies just as easily as I grow in adults—another reason I’m so despised.
One recent autumn day, I felt ‘death ray level’ loathing directed at me by a little girl riding in a convertible with her parents. The family was saying goodbye. Making memories to cherish once my work in her mother’s body was done.
But they don’t know what I know.
Exactly 24 years later, that little girl—all grown up—will receive the Nobel Prize in Medicine for curing cancer. She’ll dedicate that award to her mother, and hold up a small shadow box containing a leaf. Her father will lead a standing ovation at the ceremony, with a lone tear rolling down his cheek.
That’s what I know. That autumn day was the beginning of the end for me.
Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca
February 2021, Quill Tree Books
Red, White, and Whole is a beautifully written and descriptive novel told completely in verse. The rich details about the 1980's pop music, fashion and styles will introduce young readers to a decade long before they were born, and fill older readers (like me!) with nostalgia for our teen years.
Just as she did with Midsummer's Mayhem, author Rajani LaRocca brings food to life in ways that engage the senses and makes your mouth water. I'm definitely craving curry, samosas, and paneer as I'm writing this review!
More than anything, however, this book is about family. Main character Reha loves her family, and they love her. Her parents, like many who relocate to another country, surround themselves with a support network of other people who share their culture and traditions. In addition to this, she has extended family in India. Reha will need the support of all of these people when her mother is diagnosed with Leukemia.
But, Reha also has her school friends and she wants to fit in with them. What 13 y.o. doesn't? But since her mom makes her clothes and her family comes from another country, the reader easily sees how Reha feels as if she sticks out.
I found myself identifying with Reha's struggle to fit in between two worlds--America and India. She doesn't feel as if she truly belongs in either one for much of the novel. The beautiful truth about this story is how universally relatable Reha's journey is. We've all walked that tightrope of our own hopes and dreams vs. our parents' expectations for us. In Reha's case, this is compounded by the fact she's an only child and her parents have sacrificed so much to give her opportunities.
The novel's format suited this poignant story beautifully, as the author skillfully used verse to heighten the emotional impact of some of the most touching scenes. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to crying in a few places. You might want to grab a few tissues before you settle in to read.
This would be a great novel for 4th and 5th grade classrooms. Especially in rural areas like the town in which I currently live. Kids would enjoy the exposure to the different foods, celebrations and attire from Indian culture. I highly recommend this upcoming novel. 