The ideology of Amber & Ice
I did a questionnaire and published it in my school’s bulletin to try and get free feedback from a variety of people. One person described/ predicted the main message of the book as a political allegory which I think was a perfect description of what my book is about.
The story is more than left vs right, however, if you’ve read other articles on my blog I would assume that it is obvious that I am nowhere near right-wing.

Anywho, here is a list of topics that are heavily or lightly represented in the story…
Freedom vs enslavement
Rational thoughts vs desires
Sexuality (remember sexuality has more than just one meaning)
How the past impacts the present
Child trafficking
Colonisation
Fetishization
A different type of beauty
How with think we should feel vs how we feel
Retribution, vengeance
Physical disabilities
Trauma
Young love
Family ties
Bad parenting
Domestic abuse
Complicated relationships

One of my favourite things about writing Amber & Ice is how raw and real the character’s feelings are. My book isn’t written like a Marvel Movie, where the jokes are easily digestible and all the superheroes do the ‘right’ thing. Nah, no thanks. When the characters are angry there isn’t some long overdramatic monologue about doing the right thing.
When the characters want vengeance they seek it and then some. Or as Jaheim would say justice.
The ideology of Amber & Ice is about empowerment and individuality. How do characters who’ve been through so much end up so strong?
Well, you will be able to find out.
My book opens with this quote from Malcolm X

One of the first things I think young people, especially nowadays, should learn is how to see for themselves and listen for themselves and think for themselves- Malcolm X

The characters Nalani, Jaheim and the side characters are either a victim of their circumstances or their decisions. Not all of them are willing to admit their shortcomings or can come to terms with the damage that they couldn’t or could have controlled.
Book one is filled with tension, it is only the beginning of the mayhem that will soon explode in book 2. It’s funny because in the second instalment of the book.
Is set in a cold and snowy forest in the fictional country called the Isle of Lïn which if you haven’t caught on from the name is a very similar country to Balïnmore. It is its sibling.

The tension is built but there is release.

The country of Balïnmore is a country where whiteness, purity (well what they deem as pure) and capitalism are put above everything else. Balïnmore in terms of its ideology and belief system is very much inspired and based on Britain.
I find the British public (not all but most) to be highly pretentious and hypocritical, they scoff and laugh at other countries, and politicians claim that Britain is the least racist country.
Not really they just know how to hide it well or simply wrap it up in British polite society.

A reader's perspective on Balïnmore
‘A false paradise, a city that to outsiders looks heavenly and wonderous, but deep in its depths is a dark-hearted secret’
The reader got the gist, the metaphor was superb I must add.

There are quite a few satirical lines also when it comes to the commentary of British Culture.
A different type of beauty
I’ve always and will always centre my creative work around people and beauty that is underrepresented in the media. My work shows a different kind of beauty, I know how painful it is being a POC and always being represented as violent and aggressive (black female) so much so to the point where you feel you cannot be human.

Meaning that if a black female in real life or in the media gets angry they are less of a woman but more of a joke and made to seem overly masculine to the point where they. If a white woman was to get angry she is presented as strong. So I ask, Why is that not the same?

At a time when I was searching for diversity, a positive uplifting image of black women and WOC ( women of colour), I got crumbs and the crumbs I did get always left me hungry for more.

That’s another discussion Hollywood and mainstream media is no doubt terrible at representing ethnic minorities in a positive light. Only if we’re getting whipped, in chains or even better the best friend of the white character.
*inserts painful smile*
Anyways back to Amber & Ice, my book shows a different type of beauty by painting a coat over what society deems as undesirable and painting it in a different light. Another series that I think does this well is Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.
The cast of characters is diverse not just in looks but in experiences she describes their features as beautiful whether eurocentric or ethnic it was simply refreshing to read.

All I’ll say is Zendaya will not be cast as Nalani. Zendaya is talented but there won’t be any erasure of darker-skinned black women not in any of my productions.

Jaheim, my main male lead, will not be whitewashed either, he remains black his beauty is unconventional.

An attack happens that blinds Jaheim in his right eye. I will not be 100% explicit with what type of attack because then that would spoil the story.
I black young man with a physical disability being represented as handsome, attractive and beautiful is very rare and hasn’t been shown AT ALL. It is impossible to represent everyone but you can negatively represent diverse and different characters.

Jaheim’s damaged eye reflects not only the title of the book but his duality and that you can be more than just one thing, people can be and are multifaceted. Our labels don't define who we are, it's just another aspect of who we are as people.

NO SUGAR COATING
There is no sugar coating in my book, none at all. I am sick to the death of people, books, shows and movies pushing the same lame Nursery Rhyme message “two wrongs don’t make a right” “violence is never the answer”.
Yeah, F*ck that.

What if violence is the answer? Not in all situations but why aren’t people allowed to feel what we wish to feel? ESPECIALLY in a fictional context.

In terms of the characters' feelings, you get to sink into their minds, listen to and process their thoughts. You don’t have to agree with them or the actions that they take but Amber&Ice is not a story for the weak or the ones who weep over a slap- cough cough we all know what I am talking about here.
The characters get their revenge and then some, there is something deeply satisfying about that.
A few phrases that the far-right like to use against the left or minorities, in general, are ‘Being too sensitive’ “libtards’ ‘irrational’ ‘woke warriors’ ‘social justice warriors.
And honestly, I feel sorry for these people simply because they are losers.

The characters, the fabulous four- Jaheim, Nalani, Kimora and Toby are victims no doubt (other minor characters outside also) are victims and they fight for their rights and what they deserve. Some call it vengeance, I call it Justice.

They’re defiant in their approach, they have no problem calling out the BS and in fact, Jaheim the mastermind behind the story is planning a revolution, exposing the corrupt government for their crimes against other nations.
The problem with the majority of the far-right is their inability to see how hypocritical they are, they are defending something impossible and that is changing.

You cannot preserve something that was never yours, to begin with.
People who claim that they are logical, are very emotional themselves.
Why is it that if someone, usually a minority, speaks out against their oppression and experiences they are silenced?
Why when either a rapist, misogynist, racist or homophobe is called out and I dare say ‘cancelled’, people who are either the same gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation feel the need to say “Not all white people”, “Not all men”.

Why thank you for stating the obvious. You are a genius I am sure.
*sarcasm*

Stop silencing the voices of people who deal with oppression because it makes you feel uncomfortable.
How dare you speak on my behalf against my experiences!
How dare you try and mock the fact that I care for others!
If that makes me woke, then I hereby decree that I am awakened at least I don’t shut my eyes and turn my back to wrong things.

In Amber & Ice, I challenge a lot of the right-wing ideology and push people who are dancing in the middle, who call themselves neutral, not making a decision, not standing on a side is worse than being indecisive.

It’s useless.
Regardless, people are stupid, so easy to manipulate, so fragile in our beliefs it’s so pathetic. People can be so disappointing to me…

“We are starting a war,” Jaheim said back straight, shoulders broad “But not a war that is fought with guns and bullets, a war based on finding the truth, a war on culture, a war on all those children who are stolen, bought and sold. Every last lie, hypocrisy and deceit we’re taking it all back, burning it down and leaving them to pick up the pieces. I won’t stop until the law is passed.” - Chapter 18

Lastly, Amber and Ice challenge religion, challenges how we see the world, our thoughts, our morals, the good and the bad, beauty in all its wonder and ugliness, what makes us human, crooked, lust and love.
It’s a lot. It’s not enough, it’s everything.

Amber & Ice is one scream at the world. I never said it was going to be easy, it will be a hard pill to swallow.

Welcome to my mind, you’re in for quite a ride.
Charis Clarissa.CE