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zoenelson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? Yes
5.0
A beautiful book exploring the intersectionality of themes related to poverty, gender, sexuality, immigration, trauma, family, and grief. Check the trigger warnings for your own well-being.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, and Abortion
eclecticreadswithash's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
💬 "To Patsy, who hasn't dreamed in years, America is a coffin."
WOW! More people should know about this book!!
Patsy, a Jamaican woman, gets a visa to America, longing to be with her childhood friend and crush Cicely. In doing so, she leaves her five-year-old daughter, Tru, behind. What follows is a beautifully written, nuanced story of immigration, motherhood, and growing up feeling unwanted. It smoothly alternatives between Patsy and her undocumented life in New York, and Tru still in Jamaica trying to get by without her mother.
This book was gut punch after gut punch. I was truly in awe of everything that Patsy and Tru went through. It didn't leave me always rooting for Patsy and I think that's really important. Patsy's decisions were never easy, but that also doesn't make her a good person.
It's an incredibly relevant story to tell today with immigration being such a hot topic and I'd encourage anyone to give it a try. It will stick with you for a while!
WOW! More people should know about this book!!
Patsy, a Jamaican woman, gets a visa to America, longing to be with her childhood friend and crush Cicely. In doing so, she leaves her five-year-old daughter, Tru, behind. What follows is a beautifully written, nuanced story of immigration, motherhood, and growing up feeling unwanted. It smoothly alternatives between Patsy and her undocumented life in New York, and Tru still in Jamaica trying to get by without her mother.
This book was gut punch after gut punch. I was truly in awe of everything that Patsy and Tru went through. It didn't leave me always rooting for Patsy and I think that's really important. Patsy's decisions were never easy, but that also doesn't make her a good person.
It's an incredibly relevant story to tell today with immigration being such a hot topic and I'd encourage anyone to give it a try. It will stick with you for a while!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Body shaming, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
bookwormdystopian2's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
Moderate: Racism
bookishevy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hey, book besties! It's #pridemonth but it's also #caribbeanamericanheritagemonth when we celebrate Caribbean immigrants and their descendents. Since Caribbean authors are highlighted with #readcaribbean I decided to travel to Jamaica with the #readtheworld challenge, even though I was there IRL last week 😆 As a Carib girl, I'm here to tell you that if you're not reading books by Caribbean authors, you're doing yourself a disservice. There are amazing stories by authors with Carib backgrounds. Stories like the one below.
Patsy leaves six-year-old Tru in the care of her father to follow her oldest friend and love Cicely to NYC. Cicely sells Patsy a NY that is brimming with opportunities for good work and for them to be themselves, but Patsy soon realizes that things don't come easily for undocumented immigrants and sometimes one has to conform to make it in the U.S. Ironically, Patsy gets a job working as a nanny while her daughter lives the life of a motherless child.
My thoughts during this read: Patsy choosing selfhood over motherhood doesn't make her a villain. Why is it more tragic for a mother to leave a child than when a father does it? Patsy put Cicely on a pedestal for the same reason others did: colorism. Cicely is experiencing a different NYC. Patsy feels invisible, but returning home is admitting failure and having to face Tru. The guilt Patsy feels is palpable.
Tru has to deal with the jealousy she feels when other kids in her school get barrels of goodies from their parents abroad. Being a barrel child isn't the same as having her mother, but it would make her feel less forgotten. She's struggling with a depression that comes with abandonment while also trying to be accepted for who she is. Through Patsy's flashbacks and Tru's experiences, the reader gets a sense of what it's like growing up queer in the Caribbean.
This is such a great book that explores motherhood and the different types of immigrant experiences and the discrimination undocumented immigrants endure not just by Americans but also by other immigrants from their own countries.
Patsy leaves six-year-old Tru in the care of her father to follow her oldest friend and love Cicely to NYC. Cicely sells Patsy a NY that is brimming with opportunities for good work and for them to be themselves, but Patsy soon realizes that things don't come easily for undocumented immigrants and sometimes one has to conform to make it in the U.S. Ironically, Patsy gets a job working as a nanny while her daughter lives the life of a motherless child.
My thoughts during this read: Patsy choosing selfhood over motherhood doesn't make her a villain. Why is it more tragic for a mother to leave a child than when a father does it? Patsy put Cicely on a pedestal for the same reason others did: colorism. Cicely is experiencing a different NYC. Patsy feels invisible, but returning home is admitting failure and having to face Tru. The guilt Patsy feels is palpable.
Tru has to deal with the jealousy she feels when other kids in her school get barrels of goodies from their parents abroad. Being a barrel child isn't the same as having her mother, but it would make her feel less forgotten. She's struggling with a depression that comes with abandonment while also trying to be accepted for who she is. Through Patsy's flashbacks and Tru's experiences, the reader gets a sense of what it's like growing up queer in the Caribbean.
This is such a great book that explores motherhood and the different types of immigrant experiences and the discrimination undocumented immigrants endure not just by Americans but also by other immigrants from their own countries.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia and Violence
emalinehoward's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Homophobia
arisol's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
For a novel that I picked up without a direct recommendation, I enjoyed this tremendously. The storyline gripped me and the characters touched me in a way that I didn't expect. I so appreciate the way the emotions and their specific relationship with mental health are described, so subtle while obvious in their descriptions for what they represent. I can tell so much heart and soul went into the novel in a way I appreciate immensely and makes me want to read more by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Self harm, Transphobia, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
nefariousbee's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
slow-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? Yes
5.0
this was such a surprise. I picked it almost randomly for a reading challenge and it grabbed me by the heart and squeezed until my chest hurt before I could realize what was happening.
I ugly cried. I relate to Patsy and Cicely's story and seeing the culmination broke something in me. my heart doesn't let go either. and this was a very painful reminder of that.
above all, this books is so honest about so many *ugly* things. the reality of being undocumented, the illusion of ingrained motherhood, the social pressure on queerness. I appreciate the book for all of that so much.
it's not an easy read, but it's one that stays with you.
I ugly cried. I relate to Patsy and Cicely's story and seeing the culmination broke something in me. my heart doesn't let go either. and this was a very painful reminder of that.
above all, this books is so honest about so many *ugly* things. the reality of being undocumented, the illusion of ingrained motherhood, the social pressure on queerness. I appreciate the book for all of that so much.
it's not an easy read, but it's one that stays with you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Transphobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Gun violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Deportation
thelaurasaurus's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Following the story of Patsy, an undocumented immigrant in New York, and her daughter, Tru, left with her father and his wife in Jamaica, this book isn’t an easy read but it is an engaging one. It shows life in all it’s messiness.
I enjoyed the way in which the story developed, with snippets of backstory being shared every now and then, adding a completely different element to something which I thought I had understood. Because of this, I found that my feelings about Patsy and her behaviour changed as the book progressed.
Another thing which I appreciated was the depth of most of the characters - with a couple of exceptions (maybe just one), I don’t think any of them can be considered entirely good or entirely bad. Some of them do terrible things, but also have redeeming qualities.
The book raised a lot of questions for me about the immigrant (and specifically undocumented immigrant) life and status. I think this was exacerbated by Cicely’s character feeling underdeveloped for me. We very rarely hear her voice, so most of what we learn is through what Patsy reads into a situation. It’s clear what Patsy expected to happen when she got to the US, but what did Cicely think was going to happen? In a book which ties most things up quite neatly at the end (which I loved), I didn’t ever feel like I got closure on this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
thebookishhawaiian's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm and Suicide
filmnoirz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
this covers so many topics and issues prevalent in jamaican culture- and hit me and my mommy issues right in the gut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Xenophobia
Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Racism