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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Blue Hour summary
Tiffany Clarke Harrison
A Novel
16 mins
Brief summary
Blue Hour is a captivating novel by Tiffany Clarke Harrison that delves into the complexities of friendship and the power of self-discovery. It takes readers on an emotional journey that explores love, loss, and the beauty of embracing one's true identity.
Table of Contents
Blue Hour
Summary of 4 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 4
Children
The story begins with our unnamed narrator visiting her therapist. She’s there for good reason – she recently lost her baby due to a miscarriage.
In flashbacks, we learn about the narrator’s life and background. She lives in New York with her husband, Asher, and works as a photographer and photography teacher.
As a Black, Haitian, and Japanese woman, she’s struggled with her identity and appearance since she was young. In school, her Black peers taunted her for “talking white,” and she never felt like she fully belonged.
In college, she lost her parents and younger sister in a tragic accident – leaving only her and her now estranged older sister, Viola.
We also learn that she met her husband, Asher, a Jewish store owner, when she photographed him for a magazine profile. Despite their different backgrounds, the beginnings of their love story felt magical. They quickly married, and even though she never considered herself a family person, the narrator decided to try for a baby with her husband.
But tragedy struck once more. After only 10 weeks, the narrator delivered a stillborn baby on her bathroom floor. She tells her therapist that this has left her feeling “dismembered.”
In the aftermath of this loss, her feelings about motherhood grow more ambivalent than ever. She tells her therapist she never wanted kids – but deep down knows that she longs for a baby with Asher.
This hesitance deepens against the backdrop of ongoing police brutality against Black Americans, like the recent murder of a man at a grocery store. Soon, tragedy hits close to home.
One of her young photography students, gifted 10-year-old Noah, is shot in the back by the police while running errands for his mother. The narrator is shocked when she hears the story on the news. And when she attends a protest for Noah, she sees a female protestor clubbed viciously by police. The racial violence colors everything, making raising a Black child seem impossible.
ANALYSIS
The first part of the novel introduces us to our conflicted protagonist. She tells of her experience in a fragmented style, recounting short episodes of her everyday life, fond memories, and resurfacing trauma.
As a young multiracial woman in New York, she’s not only struggling with her own identity and loss, but with the unforgiving racialized climate of the times. The ongoing police brutality against Black Americans forms the solemn backdrop of her personal struggles with infertility.
On one side, she desperately longs to be a mother and build a family with her beloved husband, Asher. On the other side, she feels betrayed by her body and undeserving of a family after the tragic loss of her own. On top of all that, she grapples with what it means to raise a child of color when racial violence is a daily occurrence.
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What is Blue Hour about?
Blue Hour (2023) is a novel that explores motherhood, identity, and hope in an unraveling America. The story centers around an unnamed multiracial woman in New York, who’s struggling with personal loss and ubiquitous racial violence. When she unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she must decide what shape her future will take.
Blue Hour Review
Blue Hour (2022) by Tiffany Clarke Harrison is a captivating story about love, loss, and resilience. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- With richly developed characters, the book immerses readers in a complex and emotional journey that will resonate long after the final page.
- The exploration of themes of family and identity adds depth and nuance to the narrative, making it a compelling and thought-provoking read.
- Through its lyrical prose and poignant storytelling, the book elicits a range of emotions, ensuring that it is anything but boring.
Who should read Blue Hour?
- Mothers and mothers-to-be
- People who enjoy stories of love, loss, and hope
- Those interested in themes of family, grief, and redemption
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Blue Hour FAQs
What is the main message of Blue Hour?
The main message of Blue Hour is to find purpose and healing through art and nature.
How long does it take to read Blue Hour?
The reading time for Blue Hour varies depending on the reader's speed. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Blue Hour a good book? Is it worth reading?
Blue Hour is a captivating read, exploring art as a source of healing and personal growth.
Who is the author of Blue Hour?
Blue Hour is written by Tiffany Clarke Harrison.
What to read after Blue Hour?
If you're wondering what to read next after Blue Hour, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby
- Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
- Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
- Super Human by Dave Asprey
- Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
- David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
- Bedtime Biography: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford
- Extremely Hardcore by Zoë Schiffer
- War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
- Electra by Sophocles