New Books Network Aviva Rubin, "White: A Novel" (RE: Books, 2024)
Nov 25, 2025
Aviva Rubin, a Toronto-based writer and author of the debut novel WHITE, explores profound themes of hate and redemption. She discusses her protagonist, Sarah, who escapes a White Supremacist family by infiltrating a Neo-Nazi gang to combat hate crimes. Rubin draws from her own experiences in 1990s activism, touches on the complexities of hate speech laws, and highlights Canada's troubling history with anti-Semitism. She also shares insights on her next book featuring a neurodivergent math genius uncovering workplace secrets.
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Opening Scene: Train Breakdown
- Aviva Rubin introduces Sarah Cartel being escorted to a psychiatric ward after a collapse on a train from Montreal to Toronto.
- The opening frames Sarah's post-breakdown therapy and the novel's exploration of her infiltration of a Neo-Nazi group.
Marginality Shapes The Novel
- Rubin links her 1990s anti-fascist activism to the novel's origin and interest in marginality.
- She explores how anti-racist activists were sometimes seen as equally fringe as white supremacists, shaping the book's themes.
Character Roots: Not One Real Sarah
- Rubin says Sarah Cartel is not based on one person but inspired by a friend who infiltrated a white supremacist group.
- She uses that history plus questions about family hate to build Sarah's character and dilemmas.
