Realistic fiction has always been a mainstay of literature. The examples are many, I have my own list of favorites. Documenting real life issues can also present a conundrum; how far does the writer reach before the story evolves into a manifesto? With How We See The Gray talented author Rachel León has chosen a carefully considered strategy by taking the reader into her story with brutal honesty and believable dialogue. She lays out the scenario from various perspectives. Her dispatches from scene to scene are often abrupt yet perfectly in keeping with a story fraught with relentless anguish. It is only in her last chapter does León step from behind the curtain of storytelling to give the reader her frank opinion(s). 

How We See The Gray is a riveting story about parenthood, substance abuse, and the strength it takes to come back from our mistakes. Rachel León explains that foster care is a disaster in Rockford, Illinois. Her central character Meredith, a social worker and single mom, is stretched beyond thin but determined to protect her kids: not only her son, but those on her caseload too. When the stress of the job has her breaking her sobriety, the foundations of her life begin to tremble. After drinking too much, she makes a mistake that puts her preschooler in jeopardy, and Meredith finds herself in a situation that mirrors her clients’ as she loses custody of her son. In her fight to get him back, Meredith experiences the system from the outside—while still working for the kids inside of it. 

Rachel León is a delightful guest, in our conversation, she delves into detail about how her book evolved, and asks that we appreciate How We See The Gray is a story about mistakes, second chances, and trying to do better in a system that seems doomed to fail.

The music Rachel León mentions in our conversation and uses for quotes throughout How We See The Gray is from La Historia