A review by cakt1991
Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

There are some books that pull you in and refuse to let you go, and Hurricane Summer is one of them. It’s not a light read by any means (it’s the exact opposite), but in spite of the dark nature of the content, I couldn’t bring myself to stop reading. 

Having never been to Jamaica and only experienced it on occasion through books, I liked the honest depiction of it here. There’s elements of beauty and the fact that it’s a bit like a paradise, but it’s also deeply nuanced, especially as Tilla goes through dark experiences while there. 

Tilla is a beautifully complex character who embraces her flaws, while her deeply conservative family opposes them. She faces a lot of emotional trauma at their hands due to her refusal to conform, and I both admired and felt for her. 

One of the pivotal relationships in the story is her relationship with her father, who had always been absent from her life. His attitude toward her wounded me the deepest, and as much as I loved the complexity of their relationship, with her almost simultaneous realization of how little importance he was to her and the fact that he was still her father and that counted for something, I couldn’t help but want her to be more firm in cutting ties after what he’d put her through. 

Ultimately, I really loved this book and the exploration of coming of age within such fractured family dynamics. The intensity of the subject matter will mean this book is not for everyone. However, Asha Bromfield wrote in her dedication that she prays “you find healing within these pages, just like I did. I pray this story gives you the courage to confront your own storm, and once there, I pray it inspires you to find radical forgiveness for your parents, your experiences, and most importantly, for yourself.” I echo this sentiment wholeheartedly. 

 

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