Gina Cox
© 2011 Gina Cox. All Rights Reserved.
Howard Dodson, Chief
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Murder is never justified. Taking the life of a fellow human being cannot be sanctioned under any circumstances. And yet, each and every one of us at one time or another has known someone that we believe would serve humankind best if they were removed from the planet. Each of us has our unique tolerance levels. Each has a line—a limit. Once an individual crosses it, we believe they no longer deserve the right to live in society with other humans. You know them. The rapists and pedophiles, the sexual abusers and the drug pushers. The cold-blooded killers and those who prey on the sick, the aged, the infirm. None of them, we believe, are needed to continue the human project. All of us wish them away, wish they would disappear from the face of the earth. We occasionally support the state when it takes their lives as punishment for their misdeeds.
The norms of civilized society, however, don’t authorize individual citizens to meet out terminal justice. Such vigilantism was condoned and tolerated during the 19th century. By the mind-20th century, however, it was forbidden and illegal. In VIGIL, Gina C. has created a new 20th century vigilante. Her name is Atalanta, Denise or Tora, depending on when and with whom you meet her. She has taken it upon herself to rid society of some of these purveyors of pain, violence, injustice and death. This female anti-hero, driven by a desire to do good, has turned herself into a self-appointed judge, jury and executioner—an angel of death.
The settings are the streets of New York—of Harlem, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island—and their bars, clubs, restaurants, stores, juke joints, drug lairs and more. The cast of characters is from the streets. They live the street life. They are pimps and Hos, drug dealers and petty criminals, pedophiles and junkies, hustlers and cold-blooded killers, reformed crooks and aspiring entrepreneurs. They talk the street talk, walk the street walk and dress the street way. And then, there are the victims of their assaults in human dignity and self-worth.
The narrative and dialogue are rough, raw and graphic at times, but authentic. Black males are viewed through the lens of their sex drives and black women are both sexual players and objects of sexual longing, pursuit and triumphs. Atalanta has positioned herself as a moral arbiter of this complex dehumanizing world and has taken it upon herself to rid society of its predatory, human-defiling scum. To affirm her moral right to take such actions, she attends to the sick, supports children’s arts programs and performs other noble civic-minded duties. She also falls in love and through her relationships reveals the soft humane side of her being.
Well written, fast paced, telling at times too much truth about the underbelly of black urban life, VIGIL, an action-packed thriller is nonetheless an arresting and entertaining narrative.
VIGIL: You Never Know Who’s Watching You. Published by AlightTM ISBN: 978-0-9652540-9-0. 408 Pages. Perfect-bound, trade paperback. www.myalight.com.
Commentary
VIGIL: You Never Know Who’s Watching You
The Schomburg Center is a national research library which provides free access to collections, programs and events that illuminate and document black history and culture.
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