Lessons in Love and Other Crimes
A journey through love, hate, and personal resilience
Format:Paperback
Publisher:The Indigo Press
Published:15th Apr '21
Should be back in stock very soon
This novel delves into the intersection of love and hate, showcasing Tesya's struggles against personal and societal challenges. Lessons in Love and Other Crimes is both heart-wrenching and hopeful.
Inspired by the author's personal experiences with hate crime, Lessons in Love and Other Crimes is a poignant exploration of the complexities of love and the impact of societal prejudice. The narrative is framed by essays that provide context, reflecting on a lifetime filled with microaggressions and their cumulative effects on individuals. Through this lens, the story unfolds, revealing the often overlooked yet deeply felt emotional scars left by such experiences.
The protagonist, Tesya, embarks on a hopeful new chapter after leaving a job marred by anonymous hate crimes. Returning to London, she steps into a new lecturing position and begins a passionate, albeit tumultuous, romance with the mysterious Holly. However, this fresh start is soon overshadowed by a resurgence of hostility, as Tesya becomes the target of a relentless and insidious race hate crime at her workplace. This unsettling turn of events forces her to confront her fears and the harsh realities of her situation.
As Tesya grapples with her mounting paranoia, she finds herself in search of fundamental human desires: love, acceptance, and a safe haven. Meanwhile, her assailant is meticulously documenting his manifesto, plotting his next move. Lessons in Love and Other Crimes weaves together themes of resilience, vulnerability, and the quest for belonging in a world fraught with challenges.
69 new books by Black and POC authors out in 2021
‘Centred on the fall-out of a race crime, this multi-layered literary debut is an occasionally heartbreaking read, and a story you won’t be able to get of your head.’
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/g35042485/best-books-black-poc-authors-2021/?slide=58
-- Layla Haidrani * Cosmopolitan UK *‘Believe me, this book is going to shake things up for all those who read it.’
-- Katherine Lit Adventures (@every.atom.reads) * Instagram *‘Texting’s Not Touching’
https://visualverse.org/?ct=t%28EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_5_9_2019_14_42_COPY_02%29&mc_cid=21ed854bec&mc_eid=b0353fd57e
-- Elizabeth Chakrabarty * Visual Verse *‘Books to read in 2021’
‘Elizabeth Chakrabarty’s Lessons in Love and Other Crimes which immediately grabbed my attention. I love how it is bookended with essays which contextualise the story – about Tesya who leaves her job after being subjected to a hate crime.’
https://theasianwriter.co.uk/2021/02/08/books-to-read-in-2021/
-- Farhana Smith * The Asian Writier *‘Chakrabarty’s story is so stark that no reader could turn away, like so many of us turn away from or dismiss issues that do not directly affect us.’
https://twitter.com/jayzaff/status/1379109172105580547/photo/2
-- Juliano Zaffino * Twitter *Lessons in Love and Other Crimes by Elizabeth Chakrabarty
‘Lessons in Love and Other Crimes is a gripping read, with rich characters, compelling prose, and a riveting plot. But it is also so much more. On each page, it encourages us to consider the inarguable reality of racism.’
https://lunate.co.uk/reviews/lessons-in-love-and-other-crimes-by-elizabeth-chakrabarty
-- Mariah Feria * Lunate *‘It's a scintillating, beguiling and eye-opening read and without a doubt my favourite book of 2021.’
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3933330672
-- Lou * Goodreads *Lessons in Love and Other Crimes by Elizabeth Chakrabarty, review: an innovative hybrid novel
‘a multi-layered and thought-provoking work’
https://inews.co.uk/culture/books/lessons-in-love-and-other-crimes-review-innovative-novel-motives-impact-hate-crime-967894
-- Alys Keys * The i *Review: Lessons in Love and Other Crimes
‘A surprising combination of charming romance and tense criminal investigation to narrow down a predator, these two genres put into play by Chakrabarty have a somewhat abrasive relationship with each other throughout the text, but their opposing forces are a perfect pairing.’
https://dura-dundee.org.uk/2021/05/25/lessons-in-love-and-other-crimes/
- Long-listed for Desmond Elliott Prize 2022 (UK)
ISBN: 9781911648222
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 20mm
Weight: 259g
288 pages