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kerriboland's review
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
2.5
I loved the patois in this book and found myself having to read much of the dialogue aloud - what a treat. That said, I struggled with much of the writing. The flashbacks in the middle of paragraphs were jarring and confusing and didn’t add anything for me. Also, I wish the jacket hadn’t said anything about the challenges of being a lesbian in Jamaica - I just kept waiting for it. Lastly, why is the sister such a bitch?! No thank you, I’m not here for that.
rendezvousgirl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? Yes
3.0
This is ultimately a novel about grief, especially how it manifests in interpersonal relationships. I quite liked how grief is portrayed, and the immature and almost childlike qualities in Akúa and her relationships with her family. I found her character to be lovable though complicated, and she felt realistic. The writing style was easy and compelling, and the use of imagery results in an amazing establishment of setting.
I agree with other reviewers about the day countdown being unnecessary, and there is quite a lot of onomatopoeia especially in the beginning, which gets annoying. I really wish there were paragraph breaks or clear markers between present and flashback because it was confusing and could’ve easily been fixed.
My biggest complaint is that I wish it had been longer, to allow for more character development and depth especially in the side characters. The ending felt rushed, and the last third of the book felt disjointed from the first two.
Despite some issues, I enjoyed this and think it had a lot of potential, and I hope to see more from this author.
I agree with other reviewers about the day countdown being unnecessary, and there is quite a lot of onomatopoeia especially in the beginning, which gets annoying. I really wish there were paragraph breaks or clear markers between present and flashback because it was confusing and could’ve easily been fixed.
My biggest complaint is that I wish it had been longer, to allow for more character development and depth especially in the side characters. The ending felt rushed, and the last third of the book felt disjointed from the first two.
Despite some issues, I enjoyed this and think it had a lot of potential, and I hope to see more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
baileylizhi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
granddoody's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
sharonwashington's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
readwithchar's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
kellcalista's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.75
Broughtupsy, meaning good manners, or probably home training, takes us on a poignant journey with a Jamaican family as they navigate through the complexities of grief, loss, migration, and sexual identity. It's a deeply emotional read that offers a powerful insight into the human experience through the lens of the main character Akua.
schnurln's review against another edition
emotional
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? No
5.0
lit_vibrations's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚞𝚙𝚜𝚢 = 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚜”
A book that had lots of potential but fell short of my expectations. Akúa returns home to Jamaica attempting to reconnect with her sister and her home culture. After losing both their mother and brother to sickle cell Akúa brings her brother’s remains along for the trip with the hopes of reassembling her family.
During her time in Jamaica Akúa and Tamika visit various places from their childhood where their brother’s ashes are spread. The longer the sisters are in the presence of each other the more Akúa realizes how different they are. While being back home Akúa must come to terms with the difficult reality of being gay in a deeply religious family, and what being a gay woman in Jamaica actually means.
This was a really interesting book but I don’t think I really grasped its concept because the pacing was so fast. I know that sounds weird but I moved through it so quickly I couldn’t really connect with the plot. I wanted more from the other characters to really understand why their family bond wasn’t as strong. Why didn’t Tamika really go home for her brother’s funeral? Was facing her father apart of the issue? Was there some built up resentment because he moved them away from Jamaica after their mother passed?
I have so many unanswered questions which is why I wish the book had been a tad bit longer or more detailed in some areas. The author touched on quite a few themes involving girlhood, sexuality, family, grief, belonging, self-discovery, and coming of age.
Overall, I think the book was okay but the author missed the mark in certain aspects. I didn’t really get Akúa’s involvement with Jayda and I wish the book didn’t end so abruptly. Outside of that the writing was very descriptive and vivid but lacked depth so I wasn’t as drawn into the story. Special thanks to the author & @catapult for my gifted copy‼️
giuseppinah's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
3.0
Ending could have been tied up better than it was. In an alternate ending, Tamika and Akua would have talked about a lot of things regarding their relationship.