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linatheteafairy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Death, Grief, and Suicide
the_vegan_bookworm's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This book is a really interesting exploration of grief and how we navigate life after loss. Jade's life is forever changed by the death of her twin sister Roze, and the novel is a piece of beautiful prose that looks at how this loss shapes her relationships going forward. The story explores both the perspective of Jade, as well as the other people in her life who love her. This has the effect of giving a full picture of the way that Jade affects people both past and present.
In a lot of ways, it reminded me of "You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty" by Akwaeke Emezi. Both books are deeply queer, and queerness is a central component of the protagonist's exploration of grief after traumatic loss. Both protagonists are also messy and cause accidental hurt through their chaotic relationships.
This being said, I didn't feel that "Jade Is a Twisted Green" was as fully developed as it could have been. The ending, for example, felt like it was trying to say something but that the message never really clarified. For me, the ending left me feeling a little underwhelmed and without closure. The multiple perspectives were also really interesting but sometimes items, such as past traumas for side characters, would appear in these other stories and never be meaningfully addressed. It left me feeling a bit of whiplash emotionally.
I think this book is still a great read, and I can't wait to see what else the author publishes going forward.
In a lot of ways, it reminded me of "You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty" by Akwaeke Emezi. Both books are deeply queer, and queerness is a central component of the protagonist's exploration of grief after traumatic loss. Both protagonists are also messy and cause accidental hurt through their chaotic relationships.
This being said, I didn't feel that "Jade Is a Twisted Green" was as fully developed as it could have been. The ending, for example, felt like it was trying to say something but that the message never really clarified. For me, the ending left me feeling a little underwhelmed and without closure. The multiple perspectives were also really interesting but sometimes items, such as past traumas for side characters, would appear in these other stories and never be meaningfully addressed. It left me feeling a bit of whiplash emotionally.
I think this book is still a great read, and I can't wait to see what else the author publishes going forward.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol, Grief, and Infidelity
Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide, and Pedophilia
2treads's review
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
...I am not like I used to be. So I'm starting to wonder if it's me who has not tasted freedom, me who has not lived. —Jade
Turton writes with an earnestness that pulls readers in but can also sometimes repel when the tone and execution of the writing changes. But as a debut there is room to grow from here. Jade Is A Twisted Green is a story of searching and grief, of love and family, of doing things in your own time, and accepting the brokenness that now defines your life because of a shattering loss.
Jade is young and the ways in which she approaches life makes that obvious, but it is also real, in that young adults are still out there questioning and questing for their whole self. She makes mistakes, doesn't communicate, is afraid to confront head-on her intimate relationships, which then makes for difficult interactions and reactions.
I loved all the '90s call-backs via music, shows, and individuals. The slang that infuses the dialogue also speaks to the time and youth of these characters, although at times I felt that the slang of right now was also used and that didn't fit the time-frame over which the story took place.
Seeing her grow towards dealing with her grief, accepting her pain, and moving through to the other side where she finally was truthful about what she was feeling was great. Grief is a process, a constant, and thriving parallel to it is a path we all must walk.
Turton writes with an earnestness that pulls readers in but can also sometimes repel when the tone and execution of the writing changes. But as a debut there is room to grow from here. Jade Is A Twisted Green is a story of searching and grief, of love and family, of doing things in your own time, and accepting the brokenness that now defines your life because of a shattering loss.
Jade is young and the ways in which she approaches life makes that obvious, but it is also real, in that young adults are still out there questioning and questing for their whole self. She makes mistakes, doesn't communicate, is afraid to confront head-on her intimate relationships, which then makes for difficult interactions and reactions.
I loved all the '90s call-backs via music, shows, and individuals. The slang that infuses the dialogue also speaks to the time and youth of these characters, although at times I felt that the slang of right now was also used and that didn't fit the time-frame over which the story took place.
Seeing her grow towards dealing with her grief, accepting her pain, and moving through to the other side where she finally was truthful about what she was feeling was great. Grief is a process, a constant, and thriving parallel to it is a path we all must walk.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Grief
ardentlyelle's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!
“Feelings often left no space for the person she desired to be.”
Tanya Turton’s debut novel Jade is a Twisted Green is a feel-good (and feel emotional and feel warm and fuzzy and feel pride and etc.) coming-of-age story that deals with grief, self-discovery, and queer identity as experienced by Jade Brown, a first-generation Jamaican woman living in Toronto.
After the unexpected death of her twin sister, Jade has been struggling to figure out who she is without her other half, and what (and who) she wants in her life. Throughout college and young adulthood, Jade has had friendships and relationships that helped to ground her, but now she struggles to find that same solid ground on her own. As her 25th birthday approaches, Jade embarks on a journey to surrender the heaviness of her trauma and embrace her whole self.
I really enjoyed reading this book, from the very beginning I was pulled into Jade’s story, wanting her to get her happy ending as if she was my lifelong friend. And her actual friends, while they played a supporting role in the telling of her story, all stood out as fully realized creations, important to Jade but also important to themselves, and lived their own lives alongside hers.
The queer friendships depicted in the novel felt like a comforting hug, and were a highlight of the story for me, watching Jade navigate those friendships, and the often blurred lines between them felt genuine and added realism to both the plot and Jade’s internal journey of self-discovery (and self-love).
The setting, Toronto, Ontario, came to life on the pages, and ended up being more special to me than I had initially considered; I read the last 30 pages of the book while navigating the Toronto subway system, a location that plays a larger role in Jade’s story than is initially apparent.
I haven’t experienced a loss like Jade’s, but Turton’s writing was dynamic enough that I was still easily able to empathize with her grief, and even as she made decisions throughout her processing that were different than I would have made, I still understood where she was coming from and why she made the decisions she did. Connecting with the main character in that way is one of my favorite parts of reading, and this book absolutely nailed that.
I struggled a little bit with the novel’s pacing, particularly around the middle. Jade’s story takes place (not including flashback scenes) in the summer before her 25th birthday. Sometimes that summer felt too long, with passages feeling dragged out or unimportant to the greater plot, while other times a week passed in the universe and it took me two pages to realize. The draw of the characters and the desire to know how their stories were going to go kept me engaged enough to work through the occasionally odd pacing, but it did jar me at times.
I can’t say enough about this book, it would have me teary-eyed and then giggling in the span of a chapter, and even a week after finishing it, I’m still thinking about Jade and her emotional journey to 25 (especially poignant as I skyrocket towards 28…). If you like your contemporary self-discovery with a gorgeous side of romance, this book is absolutely for you.
“Feelings often left no space for the person she desired to be.”
Tanya Turton’s debut novel Jade is a Twisted Green is a feel-good (and feel emotional and feel warm and fuzzy and feel pride and etc.) coming-of-age story that deals with grief, self-discovery, and queer identity as experienced by Jade Brown, a first-generation Jamaican woman living in Toronto.
After the unexpected death of her twin sister, Jade has been struggling to figure out who she is without her other half, and what (and who) she wants in her life. Throughout college and young adulthood, Jade has had friendships and relationships that helped to ground her, but now she struggles to find that same solid ground on her own. As her 25th birthday approaches, Jade embarks on a journey to surrender the heaviness of her trauma and embrace her whole self.
I really enjoyed reading this book, from the very beginning I was pulled into Jade’s story, wanting her to get her happy ending as if she was my lifelong friend. And her actual friends, while they played a supporting role in the telling of her story, all stood out as fully realized creations, important to Jade but also important to themselves, and lived their own lives alongside hers.
The queer friendships depicted in the novel felt like a comforting hug, and were a highlight of the story for me, watching Jade navigate those friendships, and the often blurred lines between them felt genuine and added realism to both the plot and Jade’s internal journey of self-discovery (and self-love).
The setting, Toronto, Ontario, came to life on the pages, and ended up being more special to me than I had initially considered; I read the last 30 pages of the book while navigating the Toronto subway system, a location that plays a larger role in Jade’s story than is initially apparent.
I haven’t experienced a loss like Jade’s, but Turton’s writing was dynamic enough that I was still easily able to empathize with her grief, and even as she made decisions throughout her processing that were different than I would have made, I still understood where she was coming from and why she made the decisions she did. Connecting with the main character in that way is one of my favorite parts of reading, and this book absolutely nailed that.
I struggled a little bit with the novel’s pacing, particularly around the middle. Jade’s story takes place (not including flashback scenes) in the summer before her 25th birthday. Sometimes that summer felt too long, with passages feeling dragged out or unimportant to the greater plot, while other times a week passed in the universe and it took me two pages to realize. The draw of the characters and the desire to know how their stories were going to go kept me engaged enough to work through the occasionally odd pacing, but it did jar me at times.
I can’t say enough about this book, it would have me teary-eyed and then giggling in the span of a chapter, and even a week after finishing it, I’m still thinking about Jade and her emotional journey to 25 (especially poignant as I skyrocket towards 28…). If you like your contemporary self-discovery with a gorgeous side of romance, this book is absolutely for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
mjscooke's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I received an electronic advenced reading copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
From the first page I was struck by Tanya Turton's sultry use of words to envelope the reader in the atmosphere of her story. I highlighted so many sentences that felt like silk and would definitely recommend this novel to anyone a good description. I did however struggle to stay engaged at time as the story is meandering. It is far more about the atmosphere and the characters surround the principle Jade. So many chapter are dedicated to how those in Jade's orbit relate to her, with frequent flashbacks to explain their connections. Little happens in the main thread of the story until the third act but this works as it mimics Jade's internal journey. At it's core this is a story of grief, letting go and allowing yourself to bloom. Give it a chance if you enjoy slow, melodic stories that a slice of real life.
From the first page I was struck by Tanya Turton's sultry use of words to envelope the reader in the atmosphere of her story. I highlighted so many sentences that felt like silk and would definitely recommend this novel to anyone a good description. I did however struggle to stay engaged at time as the story is meandering. It is far more about the atmosphere and the characters surround the principle Jade. So many chapter are dedicated to how those in Jade's orbit relate to her, with frequent flashbacks to explain their connections. Little happens in the main thread of the story until the third act but this works as it mimics Jade's internal journey. At it's core this is a story of grief, letting go and allowing yourself to bloom. Give it a chance if you enjoy slow, melodic stories that a slice of real life.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
anapthine's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Just beautiful. The protagonist Jade really does find herself after the death of her twin sister. The novel is emotional and reflective on grief and how progress is made. The other characters, Tay and Amethyst are also brilliantly written. This book is packed full with humility and love, and is about a black community in Canada. The plot and storyline was addictive.
As a queer teenager, the mention of many queer characters and their stories. Includes: unlabelled, bisexual, lesbian characters and wlw relationships. I really enjoyed this book and can’t fault it at all. I can’t wait to see what other books this author comes out with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual content
theoceanrose's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
I want more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
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