Reviews with content warning for Racism - Fire Rush

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TL;DR REVIEW:

Fire Rush is an impressive debut, with an undeniably electric voice and propulsive energy that really makes it stand out. I thought the pacing was a bit uneven, but I still liked it and I’m glad I read it.

For you if: You like books that highlight underrepresented perspectives from recent history.

FULL REVIEW:

I may never have read Fire Rush if not for the fact that it was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize. And though it wasn’t my favorite from the list, it’s impossible to deny the electric voice and propulsive energy Crooks has created.

The main character is a young woman named Yamaye, a second-generation member of the Jamaican diaspora living in West London in the late 1970s (the early days of Margaret Thatcher). She’s a regular of the local underground dub scene (literally, they go to a place called The Crypt and it’s in a crypt) alongside others for whom music is survival, and losing yourself is the only way to feel alive. But soon tragedy, injustice, and an increasingly hostile carceral state uproot her life, taking her to Bristol and eventually Jamaica.

I can absolutely see why this book is being praised; it has a strong, strong voice, and it crackles with rage and grief and life. This was particularly true in the audiobook experience; Yamaye’s narrator was the perfect fit and the producers included just the right (light) touch of effect to bring her music/club scene to life. Crooks makes it possible for us to take a hard look at the Black British experience of those years; them vs “Babylon.”

I think, for me, what kept this book from going on the “love” pile was some uneven pacing. It felt like it took the actual story a really long time to start, even though the narration had plenty of energy. Then as the plot picked up and I became invested in the story, some of that initial crackling energy waned.

But still, an extremely impressive debut. Glad I read it!

Content Warnings

qqjj's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

jouljet's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

amyvl93's review

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challenging dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I feel like I say this every year but my favourite thing about avidly reading the Women's Prize shortlist is being pointed towards books that you wouldn't otherwise find, and falling a bit in love with them. Fire Rush is one of those books.

Set in the late 1970s, Fire Rush introduces us to Yamaye, the daughter of Jamaican migrants to the UK whose days revolve around hanging out at underground music venues with her two friends on the outskirts of London, until a romantic encounter and then violent tragedy upends her life.

Moving between outer and inner London, Bristol and Jamaica, Crooks gives us a hard honest look at Yamaye's life - one that is ordinary until it isn't, and teeters on the edge of criminality. Yamaye is a compelling protagonist, one who finds her own voice and sound as the novel progresses and as she learns more about her past - both within her family and in her place as a black woman. The writing genuinely has a rhythm to it as we move thorough the pages.

Whilst we spend the most time with Yamaye, Crooks gives her other characters real life - from the romantic dreamer Moose, to the quietly dangerous Monassa, they all vibrate on the pages. This read as a novel crying out to be televised, and I hope it is. This is an excellent debut by Brooks, shining a light on a period of black British history which isn't talked about enough; and I'm excited to read what she writes next.

Content Warnings

aislingmoconnell's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

katarinabee's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This was fantastic to read as an audiobook - I loved hearing patois spoken aloud by Leonie Elliot, and the excerpts of music that sometimes played in the background created so much atmosphere and context. I loved how embodied and powerful music was in this book - almost to the point that Yamaye's descriptions of music at times felt like magic realism. I also really liked the concept of how history isn't in the past - it's always embedded in the present, and continuing to reverberate alongside our lives. Occasionally the plot lost a bit of steam and felt a little disjointed - but overall I thought this book was great, and can't wait to see what Jacqueline Crooks writes next.

Content Warnings

barbarella85's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

Content Warnings

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