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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
Did I literally just walk the streets of Brooklyn or was I only reading a novel? Immersive, immediate, incomparable! So glad this hidden gem was brought to my attention. Don’t miss it.
dark
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A DNF for me. It was too many characters and too much going on for me to keep up. Paule Marshall is still a good writer regardless of this one.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
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
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For a relatively short book this felt so much longer than it was. Marshall spends a lot of time painting the scene but it’s descriptive to a fault. Her writing feels heavy handed and I found it most enjoyable when stripped back. My favorite quotes are one liners where she says so much in so few words;
- “Perhaps we all have our tombs on this earth waiting to die
- “Knowing the full meaning of her black skin was like dying”
This book truly had a full cast of flawed characters and while that certainly makes the story feel more real, it doesn’t make for an enjoyable read (again, raw to a fault). Marshall manages to balance their narratives for the most part, but I would have loved to see more of Ina — with Selina being so isolated as a child it’s hard to believe she wouldn’t turn to her sister for companionship particularly in the latter half of the book when she’s older.
From parental emotional neglect, immigrant pressure to “make it,” religious psychosis, to clinging desperately to your own people, this book felt distinctly Caribbean which makes it great representation in the coming of age genre.
My favorite part was seeing Selina discover herself through dance. It’s very fitting that that’s her ticket out of the little Barbados they’ve created in New York. Although the ending felt abrupt I still appreciated the imagery of her throwing her bangle in the ruins of a demolished brownstone.
content warnings for: sexual assault, deportation, death of a parent, grooming
Written in a crisp, careful style that both engrosses and impresses the reader, this novel combines a slew of social issues that are as relevant today as they were in 1940 with a transcending story of a dysfunctional family, the members of which are each partially responsible for its measured downfall. I had not heard much about Brown Girl, Brownstones, which is a shame because it’s a critically important read on the Black Caribbean experience in North America, as well as being as significant to female coming of age as A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Perhaps its only weakness is the slow plot.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the deep descriptions of life and place around all the characters.