Scan barcode
A review by queerspoons
Jade Is a Twisted Green by Tanya Turton
emotional
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
2.5
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Jade is a Twisted Green is a beautiful story about grief, identity, and the different forms love can take. It switches perspective between multiple characters and time periods, which can make it a little confusing at first, but the reader is quickly launched into the world of Little Jamaica (in Toronto) and its inhabitants.
The use of dialects throughout the book (and thus the code switching of characters) is a love letter in and of itself to anyone who grew up speaking a nonstandard version of a language. It is celebrated, normalized, and not explained within the novel’s pages. While at times, the narrative felt stunted and we were told about the characters’ feelings rather than shown in some way, the overarching themes held the book up well.
Jade is a Twisted Green is a beautiful story about grief, identity, and the different forms love can take. It switches perspective between multiple characters and time periods, which can make it a little confusing at first, but the reader is quickly launched into the world of Little Jamaica (in Toronto) and its inhabitants.
The use of dialects throughout the book (and thus the code switching of characters) is a love letter in and of itself to anyone who grew up speaking a nonstandard version of a language. It is celebrated, normalized, and not explained within the novel’s pages. While at times, the narrative felt stunted and we were told about the characters’ feelings rather than shown in some way, the overarching themes held the book up well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Alcohol