mazza57's review against another edition
2.0
I just didn't feel it. It seemed to lose focus in the middle and i hate this here, back then and a bit further back type of narrative it makes it so difficult to follow the time line.
jupitersrising's review against another edition
5.0
What a tender little book, I loved every minute of it. So accurately depicting Toronto and the places that some hold within it. I felt myself resonating with the characters experiences. Exploring race, sexuality, identity, in such a beautiful way. I am pleased and proud of this Canadian read.
annajgvs's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.5
hannahxinru's review against another edition
4.0
This book was beautiful. Not beautiful in the sense that it was all sunshine and rainbows but achingly beautiful, the type that will slowly tear you apart. The nuanced and intricate imagery that was littered abundantly through the entire novel built up the setting of Scarborough, Canada; revealing a side to the country that is not so commonly seen in popular culture. We follow the lives of two boys, Michael and Francis, whose mother is a Trinidadian immigrant and father left when they were young. Essentially estranged from their culture, they explore their way through the ins and outs of 70s-80s Canada surrounded by the harms of gang violence and microagressions, as well as looking after their mother who works multiple jobs to support the family. While this book may not have you bawling in your seat, it definitely leaves a lasting impression, especially on those growing up in a country where the larger population may not be the same ethnicity as them.
cristalwrites's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
The prose was an interesting mix of sentence fragments and complete sentences, and it worked really well with this book. I usually don't like books with two different timelines that alternate in this way, but the pieces all fit together perfectly to tell this story. I related too much to this book, living in Canada with my sister being my closest friend, and some of the family details were scarily similar to my own family. And yes, I cried.
jenno's review against another edition
Lyssnade på denna som ljudbok, uppläst av Jason Diakitè. Det var skitbra men tyvärr var min koncentration annanstans under delar av denna korta bok. Men kan trots det säga att det är en bra bok.
potterpav's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.0
wow .. a short book but so impactful . you aren’t with the characters for very long , but you can still see their motivations and reasonings for their actions (whether good or bad) and it feels like you’re watching an ocean of stories all mingle together , despite the book focusing on 3 main characters . what a way to start the 2023 reading year - thank you david chariandy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality and Racial slurs
efarmer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
black_girl_reading's review against another edition
4.0
I tore through the admittedly brief novel and I enjoyed it a lot. Based in Scarborough, a suburb of Toronto, it had the comforting familiarity of place for this Canadian locationally, but also in terms of the decade i grew up in, as a child raised by a single mom, and, most importantly, as a Black woman growing up in this place. The book is a reflection on the life and death of the older brother of the protagonist, as he and his mother reconnect with people who were close to him and them at the time of his death ten years ago. It’s a small book, but it packs a powerful punch, exploring themes of racism, queerness, poverty, immigration, ghettoization, police brutality, grief, the myth of Canadian equality, and so so much more. It was so good, and you’ve gotta read it.