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susanbrooks's review against another edition
3.0
Two girls spend time with their grandmother in Barbados and experience the difference from their New York existence with their Mom. The writing was very good, but the arc of the story and the shifting back and forth were a bit choppy.
hedgehogbookreviews's review against another edition
5.0
Rating: 5/5 stars
-I was given an Advance Review Copy of this book by the Penguin Press-
You can also find this review on Hedgehog Book Reviews!!
Dionne and Phaedra are two adolescent sisters living with their mom, Avril, in Brooklyn. After deciding that the girls need to get more in touch with their extended family, Avril sends the girls to Barbados for the summer. Dionne and Phaedra spend those hot months living with their grandmother and attending Catholic Summer School--which is very different from the way they were living in New York. Phone calls and letters from Avril become scarce, and the girls become closer to their grandmother and community in Barbados. Both Dionne and Phaedra use this summer to grow and learn more about the family their mother left behind.
This is such a beautiful coming of age novel for two girls. Dionne and Phaedra are, by far, different characters but they both come to a point of realization and mental/emotional growth by the end of the novel. They share the narration of the story equally and the reader comfortably gets to know both characters and understand how their brains work.
I loved this book, I loved the writing, and I loved the characters. Jackson did such a phenomenal job with character development, even for the somewhat minor ones. I feel like I really got to know the grandmother, the neighbors, and the classmates that interacted with the girls every day. Since I am closer to Dionne's age, I connected with her the most. Jackson definitely made her struggles genuine. They are struggles that I've dealt with myself. Seeing Dionne grow into a confident young woman made me feel proud for her and I definitely saw aspects of my own life and decisions in her's. There was definitely a big smile on my face when I was reading the ending of the novel.
I'm going to categorize this book in both the young adult and adult section of my blog. I truly think that all women and girls should read this book at some point so PLEASE put this on your "to buy/read" list for next month! I'm grateful that I got to read it in advance!
-I was given an Advance Review Copy of this book by the Penguin Press-
You can also find this review on Hedgehog Book Reviews!!
Dionne and Phaedra are two adolescent sisters living with their mom, Avril, in Brooklyn. After deciding that the girls need to get more in touch with their extended family, Avril sends the girls to Barbados for the summer. Dionne and Phaedra spend those hot months living with their grandmother and attending Catholic Summer School--which is very different from the way they were living in New York. Phone calls and letters from Avril become scarce, and the girls become closer to their grandmother and community in Barbados. Both Dionne and Phaedra use this summer to grow and learn more about the family their mother left behind.
This is such a beautiful coming of age novel for two girls. Dionne and Phaedra are, by far, different characters but they both come to a point of realization and mental/emotional growth by the end of the novel. They share the narration of the story equally and the reader comfortably gets to know both characters and understand how their brains work.
I loved this book, I loved the writing, and I loved the characters. Jackson did such a phenomenal job with character development, even for the somewhat minor ones. I feel like I really got to know the grandmother, the neighbors, and the classmates that interacted with the girls every day. Since I am closer to Dionne's age, I connected with her the most. Jackson definitely made her struggles genuine. They are struggles that I've dealt with myself. Seeing Dionne grow into a confident young woman made me feel proud for her and I definitely saw aspects of my own life and decisions in her's. There was definitely a big smile on my face when I was reading the ending of the novel.
I'm going to categorize this book in both the young adult and adult section of my blog. I truly think that all women and girls should read this book at some point so PLEASE put this on your "to buy/read" list for next month! I'm grateful that I got to read it in advance!
chanteld's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this story. So many different feelings right now that I need to sleep on it in order to arrange my thoughts.
pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
“Sixty-three years on this earth had taught Hyacinth that it wasn’t so much the mistakes that people made but how flexible they were in their aftermath that made all the difference in how their lives turned out.” p. 166
Phaedra and her older sister, Dionne are shuffled off to Barbados because their mother can’t take care of them in Brooklyn. They have visited their grandmother, Hyacinth, before. However, this summer is different. Dionne is convinced that her life has ended since she left all her friends back in Brooklyn. Phaedra is unsure of her place in the world and wants her grandmother to explain more about herself and their absent mother.
This sounds like your standard coming of age novel except that this reader knows little about Barbados. Yes, becoming an adult has similarities no matter where you live, but this wonderful tale introduced me to an unfamiliar world and I am grateful. Jackson is a good writer who made me feel for the two sisters, their mother and their grandmother. I wanted the best for these people because my life became entwined with theirs. This is the joy of a well-written book.
If you like coming of age stories, if you like visiting new worlds or if you just am curious about first novels, I recommend this story to you. You will be glad to meet this family.
Other coming of age fiction written for adults that I have enjoyed:
Among Others
Everything I Never Told You
The Language of Flowers
The Sweet In-between
Phaedra and her older sister, Dionne are shuffled off to Barbados because their mother can’t take care of them in Brooklyn. They have visited their grandmother, Hyacinth, before. However, this summer is different. Dionne is convinced that her life has ended since she left all her friends back in Brooklyn. Phaedra is unsure of her place in the world and wants her grandmother to explain more about herself and their absent mother.
This sounds like your standard coming of age novel except that this reader knows little about Barbados. Yes, becoming an adult has similarities no matter where you live, but this wonderful tale introduced me to an unfamiliar world and I am grateful. Jackson is a good writer who made me feel for the two sisters, their mother and their grandmother. I wanted the best for these people because my life became entwined with theirs. This is the joy of a well-written book.
If you like coming of age stories, if you like visiting new worlds or if you just am curious about first novels, I recommend this story to you. You will be glad to meet this family.
Other coming of age fiction written for adults that I have enjoyed:
Among Others
Everything I Never Told You
The Language of Flowers
The Sweet In-between
ebonyutley's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed The Star Side of Bird Hill. The coming of age, generations of witchy women plot is super predictable, and, without contradiction, it’s a well-done slice of life. The most summary evaluation I can give about the book is that it’s true. As a place, Bird Hill is true. The characters, while flawed, are true. Hyacinth’s truisms are timelessly true. I highlighted so many of her one sentence life-lessons. Avril, in her absence, has her share of truisms remembered by her daughters. Even in the things that are unspoken between the characters, there is so much truth. I could feel it. There’s no pretense here. I am grateful to have finally read a novel this year where the writer is clearly not trying to write to win awards. Not that this book doesn’t deserve awards. Jackson wanted to tell a family story rooted in the hills of Barbados and she does. Beautifully. She brings the church, the food, the community, the magic, the hurt, the grief to life so that no matter where in the world you hail, a piece of you can find home in Bird Hill.
bookofcinz's review against another edition
3.0
For a debut novel this was really amazing. It is clear from Jackson's authors list in her acknowledgment that she is in great company.
I would have loved to give this book a higher ratings but there were somethings I could not see pass. What I absolutely LOVED about this novel is how it genuinely captures the island of Barbados. As a Jamaican, living in Trinidad and visited Barbados at least three times, I can say Jackson know her island. There was something magical and tropical about Jackson's writing that I loved.
I am really looking forward to her second book. If you are a Caribbean national, you will love this authentic piece of gem!
I would have loved to give this book a higher ratings but there were somethings I could not see pass. What I absolutely LOVED about this novel is how it genuinely captures the island of Barbados. As a Jamaican, living in Trinidad and visited Barbados at least three times, I can say Jackson know her island. There was something magical and tropical about Jackson's writing that I loved.
I am really looking forward to her second book. If you are a Caribbean national, you will love this authentic piece of gem!
readincolour's review against another edition
5.0
I can't remember the last time a book made me laugh AND cry. Loved, loved, LOVED the characters in this book.
theawardshow's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful prose and Naomi transported me to tight knit community through the eyes of three generations.
manaledi's review against another edition
3.0
Obviously biased towards this book because the author and I share a name. Otherwise, solid but not particularly memorable.