Steve Yarbrough’s novel The Unmade World is a powerful look into America’s deep racial divide. It is set in contemporary Mississippi, and follows protagonist Hillman “Hill” Norris as he navigates his way through racism, classism, and the disparate power structures that govern the lives of so many in the deep south.
Hill is a black teenage boy living with his aunt, a reverend in a nearby town. He dreams of using his music to make something of his life and escape the extreme poverty that so many of his peers are stuck in. He soon finds himself crossing paths with a white girl, Alice, whose wealthy family moves to his town in the midst of a racial outburst.
Alice and Hill form a powerful bond in spite of all the odds against them and they go on a journey of understanding together, each learning more and more about the other’s culture, values, and ways of life. As they start to form a relationship, they deal with intense obstruction from both of their families, who are gripped by a deep racism and prejudice that no amount of love can break.
As their journey goes on, Hill and Alice become increasingly intertwined in a heated society filled with violence and prejudice, which only grows more acute as it becomes an all out battle between the determined pro-black, pro-white faction of the town. Hill and Alice’s relationship continues to strengthen despite the ever-present danger, and as tensions build, their love is tested further and further as violence swells in their southern town.
Though their relationship is far from a typical one, Hill and Alice come to understand how their difference can be a source of strength when it comes to fighting for the rights of the oppressed. The Unmade World is a powerful and poignant story of a young couple determined to fight the most intractable of societal issues while uniting together in an uncommon partnership.
In his novel, Yarbrough combines beautiful imagery with relatable characters whose stories will move readers on both a personal and political level. The Unmade World is an important story that will leave readers living in this divisive world with a new understanding and respect for each other’s differences and a sense of hope that, with love and determination, anything can be overcome.
