Trudy asked Gabrielle Zevin:

Hi Gabrielle, my club just finished your book and I absolutely adored it! Definitely one of my favorites. So, what is AJ's nationality? When the customer said, "You are both Black, but you are a different kind of Black." What does that mean.?

Gabrielle Zevin Thanks for the question. A.J. and Maya are both biracial, as am I! A.J. is half-Indian and half-caucasian, and Maya is half-African American and half-caucasian (is this a spoiler?) From my point-of-view, the customer is being curious, if awkward, when she phrases the question that way. She's trying to say, "You don't look related, but clearly this little girl is behaving as if you are her father -- so what exactly is your relation?" I don't think the customer has bad intentions, but A.J. definitely takes the question and its phrasing to be racist, intrusive, and offensive. He takes it to mean, "You two don't look like you belong together." As a biracial person, I have spent much of my life being asked the question WHAT ARE YOU, and so I am personally familiar with the many ways (both tactful and tactless) this question can be put.

flag

I have just begun The Storied Life of A.J. Fikrey on audiobook, and am captured. I would love to read almost all of the books referred to. Has a list been written? I want it! Thank you! Amy

J asked Gabrielle Zevin:

Hi Gabrielle! I'm a really big fan of your work and love your writing! I have always been curious the abbreviation Win says to Anya at the end of In the Age of Blood and Chocolate: "ddt ylrpang is imy ihtymyo ikidharbidwaethy itimsly idhmr"? Can you tell us what it stands for! Thanks!

Clare dooley asked Gabrielle Zevin:

Will there ever be anymore books in the series " In the Age of Blood and Chocolate "? I love all your writing, well that's a slight fib I consider you an author who's novels I can pick up to get lost in a whimsy twist on life , when I saw " the holes we dig " , it was so dark. Such an accurate portrayal of where alot of ppl are in life current day. But I must admit it made me sad to think you may put the whimsy away?

All answers from Gabrielle Zevin…

Gabrielle Zevin

19,079 followers

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more

Hi Gabrielle, my club just finished your book and I absolutely adored it! Definitely one of my favorites. So, what is AJ's nationality? When the customer said, "You are both Black, but you are a different kind of Black." What does that mean.?

More Answered Questions

I have just begun The Storied Life of A.J. Fikrey on audiobook, and am captured. I would love to read almost all of the books referred to. Has a list been written? I want it! Thank you! Amy

Hi Gabrielle! I'm a really big fan of your work and love your writing! I have always been curious the abbreviation Win says to Anya at the end of In the Age of Blood and Chocolate: "ddt ylrpang is imy ihtymyo ikidharbidwaethy itimsly idhmr"? Can you tell us what it stands for! Thanks!

About Goodreads Q&A