Color Me Butterfly

One of my favorite pastimes is to go to my local bookstore, pick out several books I know little or nothing about, and purchase them. I think that stories are more fun to read if I have no preconceived notion of what to expect from the book. Recently, I picked up a book called Color Me Butterfly, and had a very hard time putting it back down.

This book, written by L.Y. Marlow, is about three generations of African American women struggling with abuse and racism. Their stories were both heartbreaking and inspiring because the women had to deal with the men they loved most in their lives causing them immense amounts of physical and emotional pain, while keeping a strong face for their children. Reading of the hard times these women went through was unsettling because it seemed that every time they would take a step forward, their lives would take two steps back with the loss of a child, the arrest of a husband, or a deadly disease caught by their mother. Every page brought a new challenge. However, the most surprising part of the whole book didn’t come until the very end, on the “Acknowledgements” page, where it was revealed that every part of this story was true, as it was composed of the life stories of the author, her mother, and grandmother. Knowing that all of the difficulties I read about were actually faced by a family gave me a great sense of respect for these women and their incredible strength.

What really stood out to me about this book were the immense limitations to identity that the women in the story faced. Being treated like a piece of worthless trash both physically and verbally is extremely detrimental to one’s identity. Many people who are in abusive relationships are not able to overcome the physical and mental pain, and often end up depressed or with very low self-esteem. Being able to look beyond the abuse and see that you are an important person who deserves to be happy can be difficult, however the women in Color Me Butterfly prove that with the help of family and friends, it is possible to overcome these hardships.

L.Y. Marlow is a talented author who writes in a way that captivates her readers and really pulls them into her story. She did a wonderful job of filling the pages of her story with real emotions that could be felt by the readers. It feels as if you get to know and understand the characters in the story as you read about their thoughts and feelings. I would recommend Color Me Butterfly to all readers who are looking for an emotional and inspirational true story that touches your heart.