Review – Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes
What is it like to be a black teen now? These difficult and topical themes were portrayed in a real, accurate and age appropriate way in Black Brother, Black Brother. A must read.
Tagged: Black Fiction
Review – My Name Is Leon by Kit de Waal
This version of the eighties isn’t rose tinted nostalgia. My Name is Leon is about a biracial child in care, how he gets there and how he comes to terms with the realities of his life. Tough in places, well observed and a terrific read.
Review – High-Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson
Teen sister detectives solve a murder mystery on their high rise London housing estate. Good plot, great characters, fantastic representation and excellent narration. Recommended.
Review – Binti by by Nnedi Okorafor
Call it Science Fiction or Fantasy, either way you will revel in this Africanfuturism novella. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor will take you on a journey to the future where tradition and technology blend and war looms. This short read is intense and covers so much in terms of family, acceptance, dreams, independence and communication. Enjoy.
Review – On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Bri is a typical teenager, rash, impulsive but also thoughtful. I found her annoying in part but realistic at heart. You too will want Bri to win on talent alone and make the right choices, because she deserved it , but this isn’t a fairy tale, the reality is, being talented isn’t enough. On The Come Up is a fantastic read about making choices and fighting against stereotypes.
Review – Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo eloquently shows that that love, abuse, the whole spectrum of the human condition is the same and gives no quarter for ethnicity or gender. Her understanding of human beings and ability to convey the complexity of human thought, behaviour and action, through a multifaceted, nuanced depiction of race and relationships in an accessible way, is a triumph.
Book Review – Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo
I hope that I was able to adequately convey my sentiments on this beautiful depiction of an universal human trait: the lies we tell to feel better about ourselves. It was a masterful insight into a realised person and wider community, truly a great read on so many levels.
Book Review – An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
An American Marriage is an exquisitely tender illustration of the complexity of marriage and family.
Book Review – My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Beneath the humour there are serious themes at play, it deftly masks the undercurrent of distress that is revealed subtly throughout the novel to explain why Ayoola kills and Korede doesn’t condone but neither exposes her. It really gets to the heart of the sibling relationship – the expectation of what you should, could and must do for family.
