The Blueprint: A Novel

“The Blueprint is an astounding work, an unflinching portrait of misogyny and racism in a speculative world terrifyingly close to our own. Rae Giana Rashad chronicles the generational ghosts of womanhood, and how we understand ourselves through the stories of those we come from, in a way I’ve never read before. A remarkable new talent, and a timeless literary voice.”—Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push

In the vein of Octavia E. Butler and Margaret Atwood, a harrowing dystopian novel set in an alternate United States—a world of injustice and bondage in which a young Black woman becomes the concubine of a powerful white government official and must face the dangerous consequences of their profound power imbalance.

Solenne Bonet lives in Texas where choice no longer exists. An algorithm determines a Black woman’s occupation, spouse, and residence. Solenne finds solace in penning the biography of Henriette, an ancestor who’d been an enslaved concubine to a wealthy planter in 1800s Louisiana. But history repeats itself when Solenne, lonely and naïve, finds herself entangled with Bastien Martin, a high-ranking government official. Solenne finds the psychological bond unbearable, so she considers alternatives. With Henriette as her guide, she must decide whether and how to leave behind all she knows.

Inspired by the lives of enslaved concubines to U.S. politicians and planters, this speculative fiction novel, The Blueprint, unfolds over dual timelines to explore bodily autonomy, hypocrisy, and power imbalances through the lens of the nation’s most unprotected: a Black girl.

"The Blueprint is an astounding work, an unflinching portrait of misogyny and racism in a speculative world terrifyingly close to our own. Rae Giana Rashad chronicles the generational ghosts of womanhood, and how we understand ourselves through the stories of those we come from, in a way I’ve never read before. A remarkable new talent, and a timeless literary voice." - Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push

"Rashad’s fantastic debut evokes familiar history, such as Sally Hemings’ forced relationship with Thomas Jefferson, yet is also wholly new, weaving together vividly imagined characters in Solenne and Henriette and deftly moving through multiple time periods while capturing Solenne’s haunted yet strong voice. . . . Horrifying, captivating, and full of urgency." - Kirkus Reviews

“A consuming debut . . . a provocative and worthy mash-up of historical and speculative fiction.” - Publishers Weekly

"Ambitious in its themes." - New York Times Book Review

"A book in an intense, boundary-pushing conversation with The Handmaid’s Tale. . . . Inventive, ferocious, and laser-focused, The Blueprint promises to skewer the hypocrisies that already punctuate our reality." - Elle

"Masterful. . . . Filled with themes such as regret, rebellion, tyranny, and courage, The Blueprint is a compelling read." - Christian Science Monitor

"This one held me captive for two days." - LaToya Watkins, National Book Award nominee for Holler, Child

“Rashad pulls off a near-impossible feat . . . . Every sentence cuts as Rashad explores the intricacies of power and subjection.” - Washington Post

“It seems impossible that The Blueprint is Rae Giana Rashad’s debut novel, given its perfect pacing and complex characters." - Shelf Awareness

"This novel explores race, free will, and what it means to be a woman, using speculative fiction in the grand tradition of Octavia Butler." - Booklist

"Provocative . . . Rashad is terrific at characterization—we feel deeply Solenne's confusion, pain and hope. As she ponders her mother's words and tries to take control of her own life, she springs to vivid life." - The Star Tribune