Under Her Skin

by Stephen Law

Tucked away in her tattoo studio in the port city of Halifax, Shaz draws meaning and symbolism onto the bodies of her clients. After the ransacking of her home, the brutal attack on her friend and the sudden appearance of her white father, Shaz is compelled to explore the racial divides in her life and in the city around her. A chance encounter with Rashid, a parkour-performing refugee from Sri Lanka, provides a stabilizing counterpoint to the tumultuous relationships in her life.

Ultimately, Shaz discovers the complexities of truth, the meaning of loss and how we are all coloured by our experiences. In a narrative that explores racism, family dysfunction and the experiences of refugees, Under Her Skin paints the canvas of our landscape, making us aware of who we are.

230 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2017

About the author

Stephen Law prefers his fiction as eclectic as his background. Author of Tailings of Warren Peace (nominated for an Atlantic First Book Award) and Under Her Skin he writes on his couch and in alternative coffee shops and libraries, grows organic garlic, mediates conflicts, facilitates workshops, produces materials on diversity and inclusion, assists in refugee resettlement and raises two daughters (not in that order).

Stephen lives on a beautiful farm in Kennetcook, Nova Scotia with his family.

For more information about Steve, visit www.stephenlaw.ca

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an easy read, but it will let you feel a lot of emotions. I loved the artsy descriptions of everything, how Shaz could see tattoo designs in the little things of life.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for a honest review.

[Chris]

A joy to read and a sensitive portrayal of the complexities of multiculturalism, moving past tolerance and into acceptance and care and compassion and understanding and love. And these things all the more complicated by our own personal stories, histories, weird families and the disappointments we've endured at the hands of people we love. The story itself was a tension-filled page turner, the writing always evoking mystery.

[LoCosta · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading this book I was back in Halifax. I felt the city's beauty, roughness, salt air and historic scars through Shaz eyes and her own life.I truly enjoyed it.