The book, I Believe In Butterflies, is a fictional story that follows three women as they navigate life’s often rocky terrain in search of hope, courage, and love. One of the main characters, Lorraine—has lived twenty-three years believing that she is a white woman. When she discovers that her long-held belief is nothing more than a fallacy, all she has held dear is shattered.
“At the heart of Lorraine’s story, lies the foundation of what the one drop rule represents—social classification,” Thomas stated.
The one-drop rule is a historical term for the social classification of individuals with black ancestry. It dates back to 1624 but was coded into law in 1924. Some celebrities including Halle Berry accept the one drop rule. The actress cited the one drop rule when the question arose about whether her daughter with her ex-partner, Gabriel Aubry (French-Canadian) was white or black. In an interview with Ebony magazine, Berry stated, “I feel she’s black. I’m black and I’m her mother, and I believe in the one-drop theory.”
Born to a white mother and a black father, outgoing president, Barack Obama fully identifies himself as black. When asked to declare his race on a 2010 census questionnaire, Mr. Obama checked the box for African American although he could have checked white or black and white.
There are celebrities, however, that take a firm stand on the rejection of the one-drop rule. So whether they are for it or against it, I Believe In Butterflies just might give the one drop rule new life, or at the most, create a platform for discussion on the topic.
I Believe in Butterflies is the second book that Thomas has written that broaches the issue of race. The other being- Blue Butterfly. She said: “People ask me why I use butterflies in some of my book titles. My books are written for women, and as women, we go through the caterpillars of life that transform us into something beautiful.”
Book Review: I Believe in Butterflies
“I Believe in Butterflies is about self-discovery on many levels and at many ages. It’s about black and white relationships, music and mystery, and questions of love on. As lies, truths, and growth intersect, readers are drawn into a story that’s ultimately about finding and keeping peace. What is the real face of freedom, and how can past experience be overcome to regain new family connections?
“I Believe in Butterflies asks many questions, provides many answers, and ultimately comes full circle after traversing changing worlds and lives. As bridges between past and future are formed, readers swept along in the rising tide of emotion and discovery framed by I Believe in Butterflies will find this a powerful saga of black lives and family ties transformed by truth.
“Readers seeking powerful, evocative stories of self-discovery and connection will relish this pull on one’s heartstrings for its psychological depth and focus on concurrent life journeys that hold both puzzles and, ultimately, solutions.”
-D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
I Believe In Butterflies will be available in paperback formats on online retail sites including Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble. For further details, visit: www.ibelieveinbutterfliesbook.com
About the Author
Award-winning author, Marian L. Thomas, has five engaging and dramatic novels to her credit. She has been featured in print magazines, newspapers and a guest on local, national and online radio stations.
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM BLACK PEARLS MAGAZINE.
