Test Pattern

Renesha Bell, a Black woman, is partying with her friends when Evan, a white man, asks her for her number. She gives it to him and they soon fall in love. Then, Renesha is sexually assaulted. She falls into shock and doesn’t know what to do. Evan urges her to go to the hospital to be examined but there are no “rape kits” at the first one that they go to. Shatara Michelle Ford's debut, which is set in Texas, focuses on the aftermath of the assault, and depicts how differently Renesha and Evan react. The plot highlights the extent to which everyday racism influences the protagonists’ behavior. (hb)