I’m so excited to be a part of the book tour for Red by Annie Cardi that is hosted by TBR and Beyond Tours. I was really excited to also be able to interview the author for this book!
INTERVIEW
How would you describe Red in one sentence?
A contemporary YA retelling of The Scarlet Letter centered around a Christian teen girl finding her voice again after being stigmatized for seeking an abortion.
Can you introduce us to the main character(s) of Red?
Tess has already been through a lot when the book starts. She lost her father a few years prior and her mom has struggled financially, so they have to move in with Tess’s conservative grandparents. Tess is surprised to find a real place with the local church youth group and choir, connecting her to faith in a way she didn’t know she needed. But when she’s publicly shamed for having an abortion and won’t tell anyone who the father is, she finds that she has to lean on her own strength, beliefs, and musical ability to find her voice again. She’s someone who’s quiet and introspective but has a good amount of fortitude.
Do you know from the beginning how your books will end or do you let your characters decide their journey?
Usually I have a vague idea of how my books will end, but mostly I let the characters decide their journey. For Red, I knew that the culmination for Tess was going to come at a music festival, where she had gathered a lot of other people who had experienced similar abuse and harassment. But I didn’t know exactly how it would play out or all the steps that would lead to that.
Do you have a favorite scene, moment, or quote from the book?
One of my favorite scenes is that final encounter with Tess and Alden, right before Tess performs at the Spirit Light Festival. He’s still trying to manipulate her and she’s grown so much and formed a supportive community around herself that she can hold strong against him.
What is something readers will find in Red that they may not realize based on the
synopsis?
Even though there’s a lot of tough stuff in Red, there’s also a lot of lightness and joy, especially from Tess’s music room friends. Their scenes were some of my favorites to write and give the story a good amount of levity and fun.
What’s something you hope readers will take away from Red?
I hope that readers will find opportunities to use their own voices, from having difficult conversations with loved ones to supporting others in their communities. Staying silent often means staying isolated, feeling ashamed, or ignoring those in pain. As Tess finds, by being open and connecting with others, meaningful change can happen.
What are three books you would recommend if someone enjoyed Red?
- This is my favorite kind of question—I love recommending books!
- If you like character-driven stories centered around sensitive topics, check out We Are Okay by Nina LaCour.
- If you like books that deal with nuanced portrayals of faith and abuse, read Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali
- If you like YA retellings of classic novels, try Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass
ABOUT THE BOOK
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publishing date: January 30th, 2024
Synopsis:
Moving to Hawthorne was something Tess and her mom never anticipated, but after Tess’s mom loses her job, it’s their only option. Tess’s grandparents welcome them into their home, but with the condition that Tess and her mom attend church, something Mom isn’t too pleased about. But Tess enjoys the church community, finding a place in youth group and the church choir. Faith fills a void Tess didn’t know she had.
After a very personal decision goes public, Tess faces daily harassment and rejection by her former friends, and singing in the church choir is no longer an option. When she meets some kids in the music room, her only place of solace in the school, who don’t judge her for what’s happened, she learns to find her voice again. Against the backdrop of the Spirit Light Festival, Tess will need to find the strength to speak out if she has any chance of ending a silent cycle of abuse in Hawthorne.
Content Warning: Religious Themes, Abortion, Bullying, Slut Shaming, Trauma, Grooming, Sexual Assault
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Annie Cardi is the author of The Chance You Won’t Return, which was named a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year for 2015. She holds a MFA in creative writing from Emerson College and a BA from the University of Virginia. Annie lives near Boston with her family and a portrait of a sea captain.
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