Bernard and the Cloth Monkey is a quietly harrowing look at a slice of West Indian culture in London’s 1990’s. The story of a fractured family is deftly revealed in present day conversations and as each daughter reminisce on their past
Three Black women are linked in unexpected ways to the same influential white man in Stockholm as they build their new lives in the most open society run by the most private people. Important themes, let down by unrealistic characters
This is a book with the focus on children. Yes they are technically teenagers, but who are held accountable as adults. Children who are fulfilling adult obligations within their homes and on the streets. Even at school there is only a cursory attempt to treat them as minors. Femi Fadugba takes these issues and more, and crafts a a book that crosses genres, it is fantasy, it is science fiction, yet it is poignantly contemporary.
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.
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.
The Vanishing Half is a labyrinth of themes on racism, sexism, gender, motherhood, and so much more. It’s a compelling story about black twins who can pass for white, and it delves deep into the complexities of identity
Teen sister detectives solve a murder mystery on their high rise London housing estate. Good plot, great characters, fantastic representation and excellent narration. Recommended.
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.
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.
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.
