Book Review: New to Liberty by Demisty D. Bellinger

(This is a spoiler-free review of New to Liberty by Demisty D. Bellinger, but I want to make note of the trigger warnings here: suicide, sexual & physical assault, racism, sexism, death of an infant.)

As a fan of historical fiction, I was initially drawn to Demisty D. Bellinger’s debut novel, New to Liberty, based on the reverse chronology of the story and the fact that it is set in a small town in Kansas, during the Civil Rights Movement back through to the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. The bonus in the story for me was the sapphic romance — but we’ll get to that part later!

New to Liberty is broken down into three parts, beginning in 1966 with Sissily, then moving to 1947 with Nella, and ending with Greta in 1933. Each woman’s relationship with themselves, their partners, and Liberty, KS, was put on display to showcase a bold recount of womanhood and its hardships. Often when I’m reading about racism and cultural incompetence, the historical fiction novel is set in the South (as it’s always expected) but this story is an example of how throughout multiple nationwide crises the midwest still had time to practice racial and sexual discriminatory tactics, too.

To keep this review spoiler free I will not disclose which of the main characters is queer, but it was extremely satisfying to have this representation at a time when it was not easy, acceptable, or respectable for women to choose to embrace themselves, let alone their sexuality. Self-agency is a prominent theme throughout New to Liberty and anyone who reads this book can resonate with the conscious decision to choose what’s best for you, despite what society says.

This is a novel for readers who enjoy reflective literature that places a fine lens on progress and how government, climate, and society have always impacted the evolution of women.

You can purchase a copy of New to Liberty by Demisty D. Bellinger from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Bookshop, or any where else books are sold.

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