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elliehoney's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Classism
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
I really loved Brown Girls. It’s the story of second-generation immigrant girls growing up in Queens. The book follows them from early childhood through to the end of life, but the emphasis is heavily on their teens and twenties, the key coming-of-age years. What immediately stands out is that this novel is told in the first person plural, “we”. This does mean the reader never gets to know any of the girls individually, but I found it really drew me into the story as a reader, making me feel as if I was one of the group, or at the very least a fly on the wall as a group of girlfriends got together. The collective voice vividly highlighted the universality of some of their experiences like sexism, racism, and balancing the expectations of immigrant parents with the realities of life in America. Yet the diversity and individuality of their different experiences came through clearly as well. Some girls were encouraged by teachers; others were put down. Some went to college and achieved professional success; others did not. Some became parents; other aborted unwanted pregnancies, struggled with fertility, or chose to remain childless. Some escaped Queens; others remained there their whole life. The writing was lyrical, while still feeling rooted in reality. I’ve never been to Queens but this depiction feels vividly authentic. It’s easy to believe I’ve been transported there and given the opportunity to share the lives of this group of Brown girls. A unique book that is sure to stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexism
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Abortion
mmccombs's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
What an interesting concept! This is a character driven novel, though the character is a chorus of voices, brown girls who are friends from childhood. We follow their whole lives, which I felt was interesting and complex. In some ways it lacked depth for me and was quite repetitive, but the writing here is poetic and enchanting. The structure of this was very clever, it addresses both the universal experiences of brown women in the US in addition to the ways in which that experience is also incredibly diverse and varied. I think this will be one I stew on for a bit and may reassess with time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Police brutality
qace90's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.25
I received an advance copy from the publisher Random House via Netgalley for review purposes. This in no way influences my review; all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.
Brown Girls is a fascinating, think-y story. It isn’t wholly clear who the main character(s) are and is told entirely with the pronoun tense of “we.” This is a super interesting, compelling read that I found difficult to put down. And the writing style flows beautifully, adding to the emotional impact. It is a story of growing up as a brown girl in Queens, NY, a story of friendships, and a story of family. Of figuring out your place in the world and finding connections to roots and community. It was a little shocking when Trump’s presidency and the Covid pandemic became a part of the book, but I think it added to the realism of the story and the experiences it was representing.
Brown Girls is a fascinating, think-y story. It isn’t wholly clear who the main character(s) are and is told entirely with the pronoun tense of “we.” This is a super interesting, compelling read that I found difficult to put down. And the writing style flows beautifully, adding to the emotional impact. It is a story of growing up as a brown girl in Queens, NY, a story of friendships, and a story of family. Of figuring out your place in the world and finding connections to roots and community. It was a little shocking when Trump’s presidency and the Covid pandemic became a part of the book, but I think it added to the realism of the story and the experiences it was representing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Death, Miscarriage, and Car accident