An unflinching account about institutionalized racism in Brazil and its consequences, written by Paolo Scott (of mixed-race background) and superbly translated by Daniel Hahn, Phenotypes demonstrates the enduring and unfortunate legacy of Brazil's multi-racial background. Scott effectively and devastatingly highlights how even in 2016 (when much of the action is set) assumptions are incorrectly made around skin colour, irrespective of background. The narrator — from a mixed-race background — is white-skinned, yet his brother is black. This creates an entire dynamic around prejudice and, subsequent guilt. Scott also superbly characterizes the chaotic charm and equal frustration of Brazil. The country's bureaucracy — however well-intentioned superficially — remains subject both to hypocrisy and corruption. Further, all the sensitivities around race become exacerbated in Phenotypes by the hyper-socialization and consequent breeding of outrage embedded in the internet. The novel is not always an easy read, narrated in a stream of consciousness and flitting between past and present, but for those who persevere it is certainly rewarding. Eight out of ten.
By Paulo Scott