Perfection is given a new name in this novel, what we want and desire is something we usually cannot achieve in life. Here in this novel that achieving is possible in the clinic of Dr. Nzinga who can eradicate the incorrect features and can paint new one. People visit the clinic and change their lips, facial features and even remove their birth marks. It is not just a story about fashion or trends but actually deep down it establishes a connection with racism a thing that has been an issue in America for centuries now.
Most of the people who come to the clinic actually want to hide their connection with the black race that is associated to slavery. Nigel the biracial boy also has a birth mark that seems to be growing more and more and thus becoming more visible. His father the narrator wants to remove it forever as it serves as an evidence of his origin, the father is ready to invest his everything in it.
This however starts developing into an issue in his family as well and the man is left with a choice, whether he wants to remove the birth mark or want to keep his family intact. Maurice Carlos Ruffin in his debut novel brings out the issue if racism in true sense as he tells about the mental situation of narrator’s colleagues in the office as well.
Written in and energetic way and narrated by Dion Graham in a wonderful way the story presents the thinking of the people from within that how they still think that being black is like having a fatal disease. And even in America people are still willing to give everything for a change in their complexion and features.
