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A review by deedireads
Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks
dark
emotional
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? No
4.0
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
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!
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
Graphic: Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent