ARC Review: “Brown Girls” by Daphne Palasi Andreades

“Brown Girls” by Daphne Palasi Andreades

Publishing Date: January 4, 2022

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary

Page Length: 224 pages

Synopsis:

This remarkable story brings you deep into the lives of a group of friends–young women of color growing up in Queens, New York City’s most vibrant and eclectic borough. Here, streets echo with languages from all over the globe, subways rumble above dollar stores, trees bloom and topple across sidewalks, and the briny scent of the ocean wafts from Rockaway Beach. Here, girls like Nadira, Gabby, Naz, Trish, Angelique, and many others, attempt to reconcile their immigrant backgrounds with the American culture they come of age in. Here, they become friends for life–or so they vow.

Exuberant and wild, they sing Mariah Carey at the tops of their lungs and roam the streets of The City That Never Sleeps, pine for crushes who pay them no mind–and break the hearts of those who do–all the while trying to heed their mothers’ commands to be dutiful daughters, obedient young women. As they age, however, their paths diverge and rifts form between them, as some choose to remain on familiar streets, while others find themselves ascending in the world, drawn to the allure of other skylines, careers, and lovers, beckoned by existences foreign and seemingly at odds with their humble roots.

In musical, evocative prose, Brown Girls illustrates a collective portrait of childhood, motherhood, and beyond, and is an unflinching exploration of race, class, and marginalization in America. It is an account of the forces that bind friends to one another, their families, and communities, and is a powerful depiction of women of color attempting to forge their place in the world. For even as the dueling forces of ambition and loyalty, freedom and marriage, reinvention and stability threaten to divide them, it is to each other–and to Queens–that the girls ultimately return. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

Brown Girls instantly spoke to me from its very first opening paces. Though the characters represented are all from different backgrounds and lives are shaped by their families one thing rings universal: the experience of being a “brown girl” or being seen as other. Told in short snippets, each section navigates readers through the main characters’ lives as they grow up in Queens and see the world vividly through their eyes. I could relate to many of the cultural aspects mentioned from the food to the beauty standards, and the conflicts that arise when being seen as “other”. I think these aspects will especially resonate with readers of color.

“For some of us, brown and brown means unease— after leaving the dregs of Queens far behind, we are no longer used to people whose backgrounds mirror our own. For others of us, brown and brown means zero understanding, contrary to what we’d hoped or expected. You voted for WHO? we say, disgusted— for we are no longer the silent, desperate girls we used to be (Charming! Your friend is so charming.) Means realizing that, despite our similarities and shared experiences, we now exist on different planets.”

Though this book is written like a diary or reflection of sorts you can still grasp the cast of individual characters in each story. We learn about their dreams for the future, the families they come from, and their varying cultures. I think the author of this novel gives great attention to detail bringing Queens to life on the pages, the juxtaposition of socio-economic classes, gentrification, the hallways that line the schools, and more. It’s wholly immersive and you feel as if you’re talking to the characters themselves.

This book’s charm is the lyrical quality of writing and its great attention to detail. You feel what the characters feel deeply and the small details will resonate with readers especially the omes reflected in this story. There’s a lot of social commentaries laced within the narrative as a whole which I really appreciate. I found this novel to be very powerful, heartbreaking, and emotional, and have excellent prose. A highly recommended read to add to your reading list for 2022!

Final Verdict:

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.