A Thin Bright Line

August 29, 2016
In an empowering and bold, though at times cursory, piece of fiction, Bledsoe (The Ice Cave) fashions a life for her aunt and namesake, Lucybelle Bledsoe, during one of the most significant periods in American history. Lucybelle, an independent and intelligent Arkansas native, leaves New York City for Chicago in the 1950s after being offered a job as the head of the editorial department for a lab, run by the Army Corps of Engineers, that studies Arctic ice cores to reveal “a story of earth’s climate... perfectly preserved, for thousands of years.” There, she faces an onslaught of problems as a result of her sexual identity and her presence as a woman at a workplace composed of male scientists. Racial tension arises with the introduction of Stella, a black, well-read, and charismatic photographer, with whom Lucybelle gets involved despite the disapproval of both society and peers. Considering today’s political and social climate, Bledsoe’s novel is more than relevant. She gives her readers refreshers on the violence that both the queer community and the black community faced and continue to face. Despite the sometimes flat tone, Bledsoe injects life and dimension through her often stunning dialogue. With heart and zest, the author depicts Lucybelle’s slice of life as both pleasant and harrowing. Agent: Reiko Davis, DeFiore and Company.

As the Cold War gave way to movements for civil, women's, and gay rights, many Americans believed that major social change was inevitable.Indeed, Lucybelle Bledsoe thought that as opportunities emerged, people of color, lesbians, and gay men would finally be able to live authentically. What a relief that would be, even for a nonactivist lesbian like her who demanded recognition for her work, not her identity. As an editor with the Army Corps of Engineers; the Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Research Establishment; and the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, she made the scientific papers of numerous scientists accessible to a general readership. Her colleagues touted her diligence and persistence and were devastated when, at the age of 43, she died in a house fire. Her niece Lucy Jane Bledsoe (The Found Child, 2015, etc.), then 9, had many questions about her beloved aunt; sadly, all she was able to glean was that Lucybelle was intelligent--and unmarried. As Lucy Jane came of age, she began to wonder about Lucybelle's personal life and uncovered references to a "companion" named Vera. Later, a few other details materialized. Still, Lucy Jane wanted more; eventually she realized that she'd have to use her imagination to re-create Lucybelle's environment. The resultant novel merges fact and fiction to create a historically accurate picture of the struggles faced by LGBT people in the 1950s and '60s; the closeting that was required for professional advancement; and the ways the Cold War pitted pure science against research to benefit the defense industry.A stirring and deeply felt story. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.