brittnyjean's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
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
4.25
aiyanasprose's review against another edition
5.0
Nicole Dennis-Benn wrote the hell out of this book! This story is one i trust to scream in; it explored the complex psychology of needing to explore/expand your existence and not having the space to do so. Patsy was taken by the wave of misogynoir, and it plagues the ways she regards herself, and inadvertently, the people in her life. Patsy's identity has been hoarded in her subconscious and she is honoring that unlived life as she moves from Jamaica to America. But she's leaving her baby girl, Tru with the child's father.
To me, the move was an act of resistance. Against her religious mother, against the role this world prepared and served her before she could spell her name, and against the demand that she put her daughter's life before her own. It was a rejection of all the things we are conditioned to desire.
ALSO: With Black women usually existing in the peripheral of popular media, Nicole was so meticulous in developing WHOLE characters. I cannot express how much i appreciate that sort of tenderness and deliberation.
To me, the move was an act of resistance. Against her religious mother, against the role this world prepared and served her before she could spell her name, and against the demand that she put her daughter's life before her own. It was a rejection of all the things we are conditioned to desire.
ALSO: With Black women usually existing in the peripheral of popular media, Nicole was so meticulous in developing WHOLE characters. I cannot express how much i appreciate that sort of tenderness and deliberation.
cami19's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
adka_088's review against another edition
3.0
this book was definitely longer than it probably needed to be (even with the huge jump in time) and touched a lot on serious topics, which worked well sometimes and not-so-well at others. interesting overall, though
misterintensity's review against another edition
4.0
Patsy has long dreamed to emigrate from Jamaica to the United States. She finally emigrates when her visa comes through but her emigration plans doesn’t include her five year old daughter. Patsy follow Patsy and the daughter she left behind as she attempts to build a new life. This novel alternates between the point of views of Patsy and her daughter Tru. Despite leaving her daughter behind with no real intention of ever sending for her, readers do get an understanding of Patsy’s motivations. Readers also get a look of Tru’s family situation as she moves in with her biological father and his family. The strongest parts of the novel is when both mother and daughter reflect upon the lack of relationship they have with each other and its effect, especially Tru’s heartbreak over her abandonment. Equally effective is the supporting characters that Dennis-Benn creates, each of whom have a story of their own which affects the larger mother-daughter story. It’s easy to get immersed in this story of love and abandonment but the novel ends too abruptly. Still it’s a testament to the author that even after quite a lengthy book, as a reader you still want more.
abroadwell's review against another edition
4.0
Nicely written story of a undocumented Jamaican immigrant (Patsy). Patsy leaves her young daughter, Tru, in Jamaica to be raised by her father.
The novel follows Patsy's life in New York as she struggles economically and personally. At the same time her daughter is having struggles of her own in Jamaica.
Nice treatment of the sexuality of both -- Patsy is lesbian; her daughter is perhaps lesbian and perhaps trans. This puts both of them squarely in conflict with widespread homophobia in Jamaica.
The novel follows Patsy's life in New York as she struggles economically and personally. At the same time her daughter is having struggles of her own in Jamaica.
Nice treatment of the sexuality of both -- Patsy is lesbian; her daughter is perhaps lesbian and perhaps trans. This puts both of them squarely in conflict with widespread homophobia in Jamaica.
lhhrmn's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars, rounded up. The beginning sucked me in and then the middle half seemed to drag on and I started to lose a lot of steam in reading this one. The writing is at times poetic, and other times too verbose. I understand why the author felt it was important that the plot run over a long course of time, but it felt a little jolted and like maybe some of the decade covered could have been more focused and less mundane. The ending redeemed it a bit, but there was such a slog to get there.
whethered's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
zezee's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
readyfreddie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
this isn’t really my preferred genre at all, but it was good and i definitely recommend it. the characters were complex and interesting and felt very real 👍