Tilla and her younger sister, Mia, are spending the summer in Jamaica with their father and his entire family. Mia, a nine year old filled with energy, is beyond exited to see their father again. But eighteen year old Tilla remembers all his broken promises, all the trips home to Canada that never happened....
Needless to say, their Jamaican vacation was vastly different from each others.
This book is an exploration into coming into your own identity. It is about love, and shame, and heartache. It is growing up without being given a chance to do it on your own. This is Tilla's story. From the moment she got to the countryside, she immediately felt like an outsider. She was reintroduced to family she hadn't seen in years, to kids she played with as a child, to new friends and enemies who would play a part in shaping who she is at the end of her journey.
I cried.
I cried right alongside Tilla.
I cried when her family verbally attacked her.
I cried for the person she was and felt joy for the person she became.
There are many sensitive topics spoken about in Hurricane Summer, such as death, rape, sexual assault, and violence. All of these are relevant to the story, as it shapes the stigma of shame that many women in Jamaica feel on a day to day basis.
This story is also told through a mix of English and Jamaican Patois. Author, Asha Bromfield includes a Patois Word Bank at the very beginning of the novel that I found myself flipping back to as a reference. I myself have friends that are Jamaican, so I was already familiar with some of the words and phrases, but there is definitely a learning curve when reading Patois.
Huge thanks to Wednesday Books for sending me an advanced copy of Hurricane Summer. I cannot wait for all of you to read this book!
Mark your calendars, Hurricane Summer hits shelves May 4, 2021!
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