Review by Abacus -- Mixed Blessings by J.M. Muse

Abacus · Post by **Abacus** » 19 Nov 2019, 16:03

[Following is a volunteer review of "Mixed Blessings" by J.M. Muse.]

4 out of 4 stars

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J.M. Muse writes eloquently about racism in America today but imagines that Martin Luther King and Malcolm X never were. No freedom marches, no impassioned speeches, no “I have a dream.”

Mixed Blessings portrays a Black Minister, Michael Kublai Khan of The House of Jeremiah Temples, who has no patience with the bipartisan dance of Congress. Nor the Reverend Tucker Dalton, who preaches that “God blessed the White race with its dominion over the world.” Demographer, Les Solomon made the premise that being a minority group limits black people’s opportunities. Les had fertility rate statistics suggesting that if mixed-race women procreated with men of color, it would change the black minority to a majority - the “Mocha Effect.” Kublai Khan made a plan with Reverend Hung Sung Suk to bring together 2000 Korean women with 2000 American Blacks each month to bear mocha-colored babies.

Muse includes several other stories to reveal the varied kinds of racial discrimination of which he wants the reader to be aware: A girl with a Jewish Mother and Mexican Father is called a JEWNIC by her friends. A girl with a Japanese mother and a Black father should have won the local pageant on merit but was voted down by a racist judge. Friends, Jeremy Talbert — who looked white, and Sidney Dennison — who looked black were out for the evening, laughing, joking, and roughhousing with each other. After being arrested and taken to jail, they released Jeremy, but Sidney was found dead in his cell.

The examples above are not at all hard to accept, as we all hear the news and know they are prototypical. We should also note the numerous examples of hate speech or actions not attributed to race. Prejudice is passed from generation to generation as Pastor Dalton experienced when the white specter of his mother came to visit. Similarly, it takes generations to fade away.

The writing in Mixed Blessings is animated, and the characters are authentic. There are love stories: one of which is between Kublai Khan and an independent lady (Chaka Khoury Jackson), who holds her own against the charismatic minister and another between Kim and Ahmed, Kublai Khan’s driver. They struggle to develop an equitable relationship, and Kim wants to be loved and led but not dominated. There are many other characters, religious and lay, which produces a feeling of completeness.

Although it is a thought-provoking story: for me, it expresses an underlying sadness that suggests that human nature will never take the high road. Our political leaders have abandoned their elected purpose in life. They argue over nothing, they fight each other for raw power, and they are hardly an example. Our religious leaders are lost in sleaze, or are defunct, or cannot motivate. I liked the cover of the book and title: Mixed Blessings. Supposing the world implemented the idea of mixed races; exclusively, everyone would end up the same color as everyone else. Better to be in a world that appreciates differences and individuals.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars for tackling such a thorny subject with a clever plot and authentic characters. I do not rate it 3 out of 4 stars because hopefully, it will cause readers to think long and hard about their circumstances. Just a caution, the book contains sex scenes that may not be to everyone’s liking and are unsuitable for young people. I detected one error and believe the book to be professionally edited. I recommend it to all people who think prejudice is unhealthy and all who would prefer our world to become a better place to live.

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Mixed Blessings
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