Kismet: A Thriller by Amina Akhtar - Diversity in Fiction

In general, within our present social climate the emphasis for inclusiveness is receiving a lot more attention that it has in decades. Outside of the film industry, diversity in fiction isn't something people discuss much, but it should be promoted more.

Having various characters, especially the main character(s) that are of different ethnic backgrounds, culturally multifaceted, or even of various gender types, brings different perspectives that can provide inspiration to other people. In the past, books and movies have been written through the lens one person. This often means the stories are told from their point of view and reflect their own biases. and cultural limitations.

I am currently reading “Kismet: A Thriller”. The protagonist is a Pakistani American woman who moved to Sedona, Arizona on a whim from New York. The author, Amina Akhtar has lived in Sedona, a placed she describes as “on the side of a mountain, in the middle of nowhere… [I see] coyotes, javelinas, and bobcats, more than I see people.” Besides being a suspenseful murder mystery, Amina mirrors Ronnie, the main character after having spent a lot of time in the diverse environment of New York and into a small, not so diverse desert town. Ronnie has a strikingly different view on the culture and place she is living in compared to those she is surrounded with. As a result, the reader is given a window into Ronnie’s world and is allowed to explore a culture that is not typically explored in mainstream films and books. This can help diversify bookshelves, as well as create a rich experience for readers.

Some writers may want to include characters from different cultures from their own but must careful to make sure that they are not making assumptions about those cultures. It is important that they are not offending any readers - even if unintentionally. If you have a group of characters in your story who come from another culture, it is important to not only identify the cultural aspects of those characters, but also the subcultural aspects. These can include but are not limited to race, ethnicity , language, religion, sexual orientation, etc.
As a person of color myself, it is important that I also look for books written not just by people like me, but books that show the diversity of humanity across the world and in every kind of condition.