Rafiki Book Circle

I loved the story idea behind this book. The protagonist- Furo Wariboko, a black man living in Lagos, Nigeria wakes up on the day of his job Interview and finds out he is white. A new skin color and identity changes his fortune. He gets a good job and lives a good life which he couldn´t afford as a Black man.

Below are some of the themes that resonated most with me.

White Privilege

Set in 2015 Nigeria, Blackass delves on what it means to be a white person living in a predominantly Black community. Furo Wariboko´s new skin color not only opens new doors and opportunities for him, but he also uses his `white´ skin to take advantage and exploit others. It is quit a satire considering the fact that his true self is a black person

But a white skin also has its downsides; among them being exploitation by the locals with the assumption that a white person is more moneyed.

Identity Crisis

Throughout the book the protagonist struggles to escape from his past by hiding his former self. But apart from his Nigerian name which takes him a long time to change, his black ass on a white skin serves as a constant memory of his past life.

There is a lot of suspense and a reader is kept wondering if his secret will ever come out.

Love and trust

I like that despite the constant hardships faced by the protagonist, the author incorporated love into the book. This made the reading lighter and more exciting. Is love enough to make one trust others with their secrets? Can the love for family make the protagonist sacrifice all he had worked for?

In the end I found the protagonist greedy and willing to go to any extent to get what he wants. There was less of character change but more hunger for power and privilege offered by the white skin.

P.S. I read that this book was a re-working of Kafka´s Metamorphosis. I haven´t read the book yet but will probably put it on my to be read list.