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Broughtupsy
At once cinematic yet intimate, Broughtupsy is an enthralling debut novel about a young Jamaican woman grappling with grief as she discovers her family, her home, is always just out of reach
Tired of not having a place to land, twenty-year-old Akúa flies from Canada to her native Jamaica to reconnect with her estranged sister. Their younger brother Bryson has recently passed from sickle cell anemia—the same disease that took their mother ten years prior—and Akúa carries his remains in a small wooden box with the hopes of reassembling her family.
Over the span of two fateful weeks, Akúa and Tamika visit significant places from their childhood—the home they grew up in, their mother's grave, a favorite beach—where Akúa slowly spreads Bryson's ashes. But time spent with her sister only clarifies how different they are, and how years of living abroad haves distanced Akúa from her home culture. "Am I Jamaican?" she asks herself again and again. But beneath these haunting doubts lies her anger and resentment at being abandoned by her own blood. "Why didn't you stay with me?" she wants to ask Tamika.
Wandering through Kingston with her brother's ashes in tow, Akúa meets Jayda, a brash young woman who shows her a different side of the city. As the two grow closer, Akúa confronts the difficult reality of being gay in a deeply religious family, and what being a gay woman in Jamaica actually means.
By turns diasporic family saga, bildungsroman, and terse sexual awakening, Broughtupsy is a profoundly moving debut novel that what do we truly owe our family, and what are we willing to do to savor the feeling of home?
Tired of not having a place to land, twenty-year-old Akúa flies from Canada to her native Jamaica to reconnect with her estranged sister. Their younger brother Bryson has recently passed from sickle cell anemia—the same disease that took their mother ten years prior—and Akúa carries his remains in a small wooden box with the hopes of reassembling her family.
Over the span of two fateful weeks, Akúa and Tamika visit significant places from their childhood—the home they grew up in, their mother's grave, a favorite beach—where Akúa slowly spreads Bryson's ashes. But time spent with her sister only clarifies how different they are, and how years of living abroad haves distanced Akúa from her home culture. "Am I Jamaican?" she asks herself again and again. But beneath these haunting doubts lies her anger and resentment at being abandoned by her own blood. "Why didn't you stay with me?" she wants to ask Tamika.
Wandering through Kingston with her brother's ashes in tow, Akúa meets Jayda, a brash young woman who shows her a different side of the city. As the two grow closer, Akúa confronts the difficult reality of being gay in a deeply religious family, and what being a gay woman in Jamaica actually means.
By turns diasporic family saga, bildungsroman, and terse sexual awakening, Broughtupsy is a profoundly moving debut novel that what do we truly owe our family, and what are we willing to do to savor the feeling of home?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 23, 2024
38 people are currently reading
5943 people want to read
About the author
Christina Cooke
3 books40 followersFiction writer. Occasional poet. Loves dogs and sunshine and long walks to the local brewhouse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
March 11, 2024
Broughtupsy, despite its compelling first few pages, proved to be the type of novel that favors style over substance. And sure, while there are books that can pull this off, the 'style' presented by Broughtupsy is both affected and shallow. Striving for a blend of lyricism and immediacy, Christina Cooke’s writing style is not far removed from that of Tumblr poetry. Cooke's excessive reliance on repetition and onomatopoeias comes across as gimmicky and posey. It's unfortunate, given what the novel could have accomplished. I know it's a somewhat overused ‘put-down’, but Broughtupsy did have potential.
The novel centers on Akúa who left Jamaica for Canada as a child, not long after her mother’s death. Now twenty, Akúa is once again grieving, this time the death of her younger brother, Bryson. Seeking to reconnect with her estranged older sister, Tamika, Akúa makes the impulsive decision to spend two weeks in Kingston.
While I’m all for flawed, or even unlikeable, characters, I found Akúa to be both insufferable and not particularly believable. I had a hard time buying into how naive she is and continues to be throughout the novel. Her inability to comprehend diverse perspectives, to accept that people feel different things and or respond differently to the same situations, felt far-fetched. Upon arriving in Kingston, her actions, particularly regarding their brother's ashes, contribute to tensions with Tamika, yet Akúa often perceives others as unreasonable, displaying a self-centered and self-victimizing attitude. Time and time again I wanted to ask her: what did you expect? What possessed you? ...you did this for what?
Despite claiming a desire to reconnect to Tamika, Akúa demonstrates little genuine interest in Tamika, let alone her experiences. Funnily enough, I disliked Akúa so much that, by contrast, even Tamika, someone who is homophobic and seemingly pro-British, appealed to me. The narrative introduces a forced sexual awakening subplot, diverting attention from the sisters' dynamic and Bryson's character, who ultimately serves as a plot device and the catalyst for Akúa's journey. Akúa's love interest is portrayed in a rather objectifying way, and I wish that she had not been so quickly reduced to serve the role of ‘escape’ for Akúa.
The dialogues follow a repetitive pattern, with Character A, usually Akúa, initiating uncomfortable discussions, and Character B refusing to engage in said discussion, so they flat-out ignore A's line of questioning (usually it's the one question being repeated ad nauseam) and talk about something else, but A keeps on prodding, so B is shouting over A, and A just doesn't get why B doesn't want to talk about 'real' things, leading to verbal and sometimes physical altercations.
And of course, we also get flashbacks chapters, where we are introduced to two characters devoid of clear personalities (beyond being racist). Akúa meets them on the first day of school, and, wouldn’t you know, they end up becoming BFFs. The inclusion of a half-heartedly portrayed girlfriend character adds little to the narrative. These flashbacks felt like missed opportunities to delve into Akúa's home life and her relationships with her father and brother.
Cooke’s repetitive writing style was almost as aggravating as Akúa’s character. Repetition can be effective, but here it felt ‘right’ only in one or two instances (i’m thinking of that scene where Akúa is at the airport, or the one taking place in the market). In almost every other instance, Cooke’s use of repetition felt distracting, gimmicky even.
I will say that Cooke’s attempts at creating a cinematic atmosphere are for the most part successful, and the novel’s biggest strength lies in its strong sense of place. Also, while I was clearly not a fan of the novel's execution, I did appreciate the themes that the story had set out to explore (from akúa’s alienation and dislocation to her frustration towards traditional & heteronormative notions of femininity and propriety).
I can think of several titles that that delve into the complex dynamics between sisters—Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi, Sunset by Jessie Cave, Caucasia by Danzy Senna, The Star Side of Bird Hill by Naomi Jackson, Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi—or that feature characters journeying someplace in the hopes of reconciling themselves with their pasts—All the Water I’ve Seen Is Running by Elias Rodriques—or perhaps as a means of escape—The Human Zoo by Sabina Murray—and I'm afraid that compared to those, Broughtupsy just did not make the cut.
The review above is very much subjective, so if you are interested in this novel, I suggest you check out some more positive reviews out.
The novel centers on Akúa who left Jamaica for Canada as a child, not long after her mother’s death. Now twenty, Akúa is once again grieving, this time the death of her younger brother, Bryson. Seeking to reconnect with her estranged older sister, Tamika, Akúa makes the impulsive decision to spend two weeks in Kingston.
While I’m all for flawed, or even unlikeable, characters, I found Akúa to be both insufferable and not particularly believable. I had a hard time buying into how naive she is and continues to be throughout the novel. Her inability to comprehend diverse perspectives, to accept that people feel different things and or respond differently to the same situations, felt far-fetched. Upon arriving in Kingston, her actions, particularly regarding their brother's ashes, contribute to tensions with Tamika, yet Akúa often perceives others as unreasonable, displaying a self-centered and self-victimizing attitude. Time and time again I wanted to ask her: what did you expect? What possessed you? ...you did this for what?
Despite claiming a desire to reconnect to Tamika, Akúa demonstrates little genuine interest in Tamika, let alone her experiences. Funnily enough, I disliked Akúa so much that, by contrast, even Tamika, someone who is homophobic and seemingly pro-British, appealed to me. The narrative introduces a forced sexual awakening subplot, diverting attention from the sisters' dynamic and Bryson's character, who ultimately serves as a plot device and the catalyst for Akúa's journey. Akúa's love interest is portrayed in a rather objectifying way, and I wish that she had not been so quickly reduced to serve the role of ‘escape’ for Akúa.
The dialogues follow a repetitive pattern, with Character A, usually Akúa, initiating uncomfortable discussions, and Character B refusing to engage in said discussion, so they flat-out ignore A's line of questioning (usually it's the one question being repeated ad nauseam) and talk about something else, but A keeps on prodding, so B is shouting over A, and A just doesn't get why B doesn't want to talk about 'real' things, leading to verbal and sometimes physical altercations.
And of course, we also get flashbacks chapters, where we are introduced to two characters devoid of clear personalities (beyond being racist). Akúa meets them on the first day of school, and, wouldn’t you know, they end up becoming BFFs. The inclusion of a half-heartedly portrayed girlfriend character adds little to the narrative. These flashbacks felt like missed opportunities to delve into Akúa's home life and her relationships with her father and brother.
Cooke’s repetitive writing style was almost as aggravating as Akúa’s character. Repetition can be effective, but here it felt ‘right’ only in one or two instances (i’m thinking of that scene where Akúa is at the airport, or the one taking place in the market). In almost every other instance, Cooke’s use of repetition felt distracting, gimmicky even.
I will say that Cooke’s attempts at creating a cinematic atmosphere are for the most part successful, and the novel’s biggest strength lies in its strong sense of place. Also, while I was clearly not a fan of the novel's execution, I did appreciate the themes that the story had set out to explore (from akúa’s alienation and dislocation to her frustration towards traditional & heteronormative notions of femininity and propriety).
I can think of several titles that that delve into the complex dynamics between sisters—Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi, Sunset by Jessie Cave, Caucasia by Danzy Senna, The Star Side of Bird Hill by Naomi Jackson, Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi—or that feature characters journeying someplace in the hopes of reconciling themselves with their pasts—All the Water I’ve Seen Is Running by Elias Rodriques—or perhaps as a means of escape—The Human Zoo by Sabina Murray—and I'm afraid that compared to those, Broughtupsy just did not make the cut.
The review above is very much subjective, so if you are interested in this novel, I suggest you check out some more positive reviews out.
February 7, 2024
Christina Cooke has a beautiful writing style. Her wording and descriptions of scenes were poetic. THE TITLE BEYYYY. Yinna een got no broughupsy aye.
Broughtupsy is shallow. The plot was not present. One could argue this is a character-driven book. But there was no character depth. The plot flashes back and forth between Akúa's present and her memories of the past. It was jarring. It would happen in the same paragraph with no warning. I was confused the first two or three times it occurred, wondering if I had missed something while I was reading.
The countdown of days left in Jamaica did not add to the plot. It was unnecessary. It prompted me to think there would be a build-up of reconciliation between Akúa and Tamika, or at least some deep talks but no. Nothing. The synopsis itself feels feel disjointed. How do we go from marketing Broughtupsy as a family reconciliation, love, awakening etc to growing friendship with a woman you've known for two days (and in total like two weeks)?
Akúa is already openly gay when she goes to see her sister in Jamaica. She is just getting out of a long-term relationship with a friend-turned-lover. I do not see how this novel can be a sexual awakening when she's already been awakened(?). I do agree people can evolve and change their sexual attraction but Jayda was not a change from her previous attraction. I thought the introduction of Jayda took away from what I perceived to be the main point of the book, at least in the first half.
The first half appears to be all about Bryson (her brother)'s death and trying to reconnect with the rest of her family as well as rediscovering herself as a Jamaican. Akúa left Jamaica at the age of 8 or 10 (lol I can't totally remember). However when she meets Jayda that plot point is totally abandoned. The introduction of Jayda was meant to explore what it is to be queer in Jamaica and openly yourself. I found Akúa to be engaging in a lot of dumb bitch shit. I love a good romance development but Jayda and Akúa together was shallow. I was not convinced. PLEASE keep in mind she has known this gyal for a total of 2 weeks but acting like this the greatest love story of her life?? It could have worked if Cooke had brought in more character development for Jayda.
OR more character development for everyone!! Tamika is stereotyped as this hard-feeling, religious sister. The interactions between her and Akúa should have been fleshed out more. Instead half the time they're together Akúa is running away for her to explore and re-learn 'her' Kingston. Akúa is the narrator of Broughtupsy so we are seeing from her bias. Akúa links Tamika to Jamaica so the fact that that was not developed more is... Their father is bland. Blah. Just there. Grief is almost the only emotion we see on him. I wanted more about his motivations and feelings about Tamika living in Jamaica away from them. I was confused about his acceptance (?) of Akúa as a gay woman. It is not mentioned how he felt. I automatically assumed it would have been negative, which shows my preconceived notion. HOWEVER I was just thinking that this man would be a typical old-school Caribbean father; especially keeping in mind this book is set in the 1990s. Spreading Bryson's ashes everywhere was unexplained. I understand it is used to show Akúa's reconnection process to Jamaica but I wanted to see Tamika's open feelings about this. Akúa's actions come off more as a YA MC than a grown adult (20 or 21) character. She acts quite childish at times.
I think this could make a decent book club book. I would be very interested to see what Jamaicans living within the country and Jamaicans living in the diaspora have to say about it.
After all this word vomit. I will summarize by saying the book felt like it was split into two distinct halves. The plot was fast and loose. The ending was.... The character development was shallow. I love love love loved the title.
Thank you to House of Anasai for the ARC (lol)
1.5 stars
Broughtupsy is shallow. The plot was not present. One could argue this is a character-driven book. But there was no character depth. The plot flashes back and forth between Akúa's present and her memories of the past. It was jarring. It would happen in the same paragraph with no warning. I was confused the first two or three times it occurred, wondering if I had missed something while I was reading.
The countdown of days left in Jamaica did not add to the plot. It was unnecessary. It prompted me to think there would be a build-up of reconciliation between Akúa and Tamika, or at least some deep talks but no. Nothing. The synopsis itself feels feel disjointed. How do we go from marketing Broughtupsy as a family reconciliation, love, awakening etc to growing friendship with a woman you've known for two days (and in total like two weeks)?
Akúa is already openly gay when she goes to see her sister in Jamaica. She is just getting out of a long-term relationship with a friend-turned-lover. I do not see how this novel can be a sexual awakening when she's already been awakened(?). I do agree people can evolve and change their sexual attraction but Jayda was not a change from her previous attraction. I thought the introduction of Jayda took away from what I perceived to be the main point of the book, at least in the first half.
The first half appears to be all about Bryson (her brother)'s death and trying to reconnect with the rest of her family as well as rediscovering herself as a Jamaican. Akúa left Jamaica at the age of 8 or 10 (lol I can't totally remember). However when she meets Jayda that plot point is totally abandoned. The introduction of Jayda was meant to explore what it is to be queer in Jamaica and openly yourself. I found Akúa to be engaging in a lot of dumb bitch shit. I love a good romance development but Jayda and Akúa together was shallow. I was not convinced. PLEASE keep in mind she has known this gyal for a total of 2 weeks but acting like this the greatest love story of her life?? It could have worked if Cooke had brought in more character development for Jayda.
OR more character development for everyone!! Tamika is stereotyped as this hard-feeling, religious sister. The interactions between her and Akúa should have been fleshed out more. Instead half the time they're together Akúa is running away for her to explore and re-learn 'her' Kingston. Akúa is the narrator of Broughtupsy so we are seeing from her bias. Akúa links Tamika to Jamaica so the fact that that was not developed more is... Their father is bland. Blah. Just there. Grief is almost the only emotion we see on him. I wanted more about his motivations and feelings about Tamika living in Jamaica away from them. I was confused about his acceptance (?) of Akúa as a gay woman. It is not mentioned how he felt. I automatically assumed it would have been negative, which shows my preconceived notion. HOWEVER I was just thinking that this man would be a typical old-school Caribbean father; especially keeping in mind this book is set in the 1990s. Spreading Bryson's ashes everywhere was unexplained. I understand it is used to show Akúa's reconnection process to Jamaica but I wanted to see Tamika's open feelings about this. Akúa's actions come off more as a YA MC than a grown adult (20 or 21) character. She acts quite childish at times.
I think this could make a decent book club book. I would be very interested to see what Jamaicans living within the country and Jamaicans living in the diaspora have to say about it.
After all this word vomit. I will summarize by saying the book felt like it was split into two distinct halves. The plot was fast and loose. The ending was.... The character development was shallow. I love love love loved the title.
Thank you to House of Anasai for the ARC (lol)
1.5 stars
December 11, 2023
Thank you to the publisher Catapult for giving me an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
BROUGHTUPSY by Christina Cooke tells the story of Akua traveling to her home country of Jamaica to visit her older sister Tamika after the passing of their younger brother Bryson. While carrying Bryson’s ashes, Akua and Tamika go to various places from their childhood to spread Bryson’s ashes. Throughout the trip back to Jamaica, Akua faces her contentious relationship with Tamika and befriends a stripper named Jayda.
Although the writing style is superb, this novel was a bit of a struggle to get through. It’s oversaturated with descriptions and establishment of place, so much so that it overpowers the plot/action of the story. I was in awe of how vivid the imagery is in the book. However, it did hinder my reading experience and contribute to the reason why I struggled to finish the novel.
I also struggled to understand the motivations and desires of the main character. Grief plays a lot into the reason behind Akua’s actions, but I had trouble understanding what she wanted to get from her trip back home. Does she want to reconcile with Tamika and hope that spreading her brother’s ashes would help mend their relationship? Or does she want to tell Tamika how she really feels about her and finally stand up for herself? Because of this and many other examples, Akua seemed distant to me as a character.
Lastly, the transition from the present story to flashbacks was a bit jarring. There were many times where I found myself realizing that what I was reading was a flashback and not the present story.
I completely understand that grief and remembrance go hand in hand, and it makes sense why these flashbacks are featured in the book, but the lack of smooth transitions, or even just a scene break, caused major confusion for me.
I don’t think I’m the target audience for this book, but I appreciate the author’s handling of queerness and describing the displacement one feels when in a place that poses a severe threat to the LGBTQ+ community.
BROUGHTUPSY by Christina Cooke tells the story of Akua traveling to her home country of Jamaica to visit her older sister Tamika after the passing of their younger brother Bryson. While carrying Bryson’s ashes, Akua and Tamika go to various places from their childhood to spread Bryson’s ashes. Throughout the trip back to Jamaica, Akua faces her contentious relationship with Tamika and befriends a stripper named Jayda.
Although the writing style is superb, this novel was a bit of a struggle to get through. It’s oversaturated with descriptions and establishment of place, so much so that it overpowers the plot/action of the story. I was in awe of how vivid the imagery is in the book. However, it did hinder my reading experience and contribute to the reason why I struggled to finish the novel.
I also struggled to understand the motivations and desires of the main character. Grief plays a lot into the reason behind Akua’s actions, but I had trouble understanding what she wanted to get from her trip back home. Does she want to reconcile with Tamika and hope that spreading her brother’s ashes would help mend their relationship? Or does she want to tell Tamika how she really feels about her and finally stand up for herself? Because of this and many other examples, Akua seemed distant to me as a character.
Lastly, the transition from the present story to flashbacks was a bit jarring. There were many times where I found myself realizing that what I was reading was a flashback and not the present story.
I completely understand that grief and remembrance go hand in hand, and it makes sense why these flashbacks are featured in the book, but the lack of smooth transitions, or even just a scene break, caused major confusion for me.
I don’t think I’m the target audience for this book, but I appreciate the author’s handling of queerness and describing the displacement one feels when in a place that poses a severe threat to the LGBTQ+ community.
February 20, 2024
“𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚞𝚙𝚜𝚢 = 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚜”
A book that had lots of potential but fell short of my expectations. Akúa returns home to Jamaica attempting to reconnect with her sister and her home culture. After losing both their mother and brother to sickle cell Akúa brings her brother’s remains along for the trip with the hopes of reassembling her family.
During her time in Jamaica Akúa and Tamika visit various places from their childhood where their brother’s ashes are spread. The longer the sisters are in the presence of each other the more Akúa realizes how different they are. While being back home Akúa must come to terms with the difficult reality of being gay in a deeply religious family, and what being a gay woman in Jamaica actually means.
This was a really interesting book but I don’t think I really grasped its concept because the pacing was so fast. I know that sounds weird but I moved through it so quickly I couldn’t really connect with the plot. I wanted more from the other characters to really understand why their family bond wasn’t as strong. Why didn’t Tamika really go home for her brother’s funeral? Was facing her father apart of the issue? Was there some built up resentment because he moved them away from Jamaica after their mother passed?
I have so many unanswered questions which is why I wish the book had been a tad bit longer or more detailed in some areas. The author touched on quite a few themes involving girlhood, sexuality, family, grief, belonging, self-discovery, and coming of age.
Overall, I think the book was okay but the author missed the mark in certain aspects. I didn’t really get Akúa’s involvement with Jayda and I wish the book didn’t end so abruptly. Outside of that the writing was very descriptive and vivid but lacked depth so I wasn’t as drawn into the story. Special thanks to the author & @catapult for my gifted copy‼️
A book that had lots of potential but fell short of my expectations. Akúa returns home to Jamaica attempting to reconnect with her sister and her home culture. After losing both their mother and brother to sickle cell Akúa brings her brother’s remains along for the trip with the hopes of reassembling her family.
During her time in Jamaica Akúa and Tamika visit various places from their childhood where their brother’s ashes are spread. The longer the sisters are in the presence of each other the more Akúa realizes how different they are. While being back home Akúa must come to terms with the difficult reality of being gay in a deeply religious family, and what being a gay woman in Jamaica actually means.
This was a really interesting book but I don’t think I really grasped its concept because the pacing was so fast. I know that sounds weird but I moved through it so quickly I couldn’t really connect with the plot. I wanted more from the other characters to really understand why their family bond wasn’t as strong. Why didn’t Tamika really go home for her brother’s funeral? Was facing her father apart of the issue? Was there some built up resentment because he moved them away from Jamaica after their mother passed?
I have so many unanswered questions which is why I wish the book had been a tad bit longer or more detailed in some areas. The author touched on quite a few themes involving girlhood, sexuality, family, grief, belonging, self-discovery, and coming of age.
Overall, I think the book was okay but the author missed the mark in certain aspects. I didn’t really get Akúa’s involvement with Jayda and I wish the book didn’t end so abruptly. Outside of that the writing was very descriptive and vivid but lacked depth so I wasn’t as drawn into the story. Special thanks to the author & @catapult for my gifted copy‼️
March 17, 2024
loved this - the memories and present flowed together in such a captivating way, and all of the characters were so complicatedly real
December 31, 2023
OUCH. This one was a big ouch for me. I am so thankful to Catapult Books, Christina Cooke, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for the advanced digital and audio access to this heartbreaker of a novel before it hits shelves on January 23, 2024.
Akua is grieving after the sudden loss of her baby brother, Bryson. So she's fled Canada to venture towards her homeland in Kingston, Jamaica, to reconnect with her estranged sister, Tamika, who never immigrated to the States or Canada after the death of their mother figure. Akua resents Tamika for not being around leading up to the events of their brother's death. Still, Tamika did what she had to heal herself and all the trauma she accumulated throughout her life.
Akua takes this time in Kingston to spread Bryson's ashes and make her peace with his passing, knowing she can never have that sense of family again, even as she tries to rekindle something with her older sister. Readers receive flashbacks to Akua's time in primary school and her youth alongside her brother, helping us tend our broken hearts as we get to know this familial relationship more and more. Ultimately, the family has each other's back, no matter how far the distance or challenging the tensions are.
Akua is grieving after the sudden loss of her baby brother, Bryson. So she's fled Canada to venture towards her homeland in Kingston, Jamaica, to reconnect with her estranged sister, Tamika, who never immigrated to the States or Canada after the death of their mother figure. Akua resents Tamika for not being around leading up to the events of their brother's death. Still, Tamika did what she had to heal herself and all the trauma she accumulated throughout her life.
Akua takes this time in Kingston to spread Bryson's ashes and make her peace with his passing, knowing she can never have that sense of family again, even as she tries to rekindle something with her older sister. Readers receive flashbacks to Akua's time in primary school and her youth alongside her brother, helping us tend our broken hearts as we get to know this familial relationship more and more. Ultimately, the family has each other's back, no matter how far the distance or challenging the tensions are.
May 3, 2024
Cried. Cried again. Giggled. Cried. Giggled. Cried again. Then I cried one last time. Such a beautiful story on what it means to be home at last.
March 8, 2024
An intense and luminous novel that traverses Jamaica, Texas (of all places), Vancouver and back to Jamaica for a reckoning measured in days. It feels like a dream and a newspaper at the same time. I don’t know how Cooke wrote this without losing her mind, but I’m glad she did.
April 12, 2024
3.5 stars rounded to 4. Great voice and a really compelling take on memory and belonging. Worth picking up.
January 19, 2024
I really enjoyed BROUGHTUPSY by Christina Cooke! I found this debut novel to be very emotional. It’s about Akúa who returns home to Jamaica for the first time in ten years to reunite with her older sister after her brother passes. This story brilliantly explores the anger that can attend grief and the intersectionality of Akúa’s identity as a gay Jamaican woman who grew up in the United States and Canada. The opening scene takes place in the hospital which is a tense place in itself and then when Akúa spends more time in Kingston she finds herself in more tense situations with family and locals. That tension is held until the end as Akúa tries to reconcile with her sister and her place in the world. I was gripped by this book and read it in two days. A great debut!!
Thank you to House of Anansi Press for my ARC!
Thank you to House of Anansi Press for my ARC!
September 16, 2023
Disclaimer: Thank you to the publishers at Catapult for a galley ARC in exchange for my honest review.
4.25 stars. Following the tragic death of her young brother from sickle cell anemia, twenty-year-old Akúa returns to Kingston, Jamaica - her birth city - to seek out her older sister, Tamika, in the year 1996. The family emigrated 20 years prior following increased riots in their city.
Spanning Vancouver, Canada, Texas, and Kingston, Akúa's recollections and present experiences in her self-discovery are tender and fraught all at once. With her brother Bryson's ashes in tow, she struggles to connect with the sister who once calmed her with stories after their mother's death, even going so far as to offer herself to be baptized at Tamika's church.
Cooke's writing is evocative of every sense and immediately transported me to a place I'd never been before. The tastes of the fruit, the feeling of the air, warm and sticky, the smells of the sea and the markets - all were tangible. Her ability to slip in and out of the present and the past through Akúa's inner monologue was fluid in a way that added a sort of magical element to the prose. As Akúa weaves herself back into her home culture, her patois mirrors her comfort with herself and her home. Meeting Jayda, a queer stripper, lures her into a pocket of society where her identities seem to coexist in harmony.
Throughout the novel, we viscerally feel the unease that Akúa does as she remains unsettled throughout her life. As the middle child, she has played both the roles of younger and older sister, and as a Jamaican, an American, and a Canadian. While the sapphic plot does not dominate the novel, Akúa's lesbianism is her consistency, and we see her continuing journey to own her sexuality in her flashbacks to Sara and encounters with Jayda.
A beautiful novel with touching, real characters. I wanted more from each of them, to settle into the story and observe their growth, to know what happened next. Overall the pacing was steady, though it sped up at the end and felt abrupt despite the necessary shift in tone. An essential read.
4.25 stars. Following the tragic death of her young brother from sickle cell anemia, twenty-year-old Akúa returns to Kingston, Jamaica - her birth city - to seek out her older sister, Tamika, in the year 1996. The family emigrated 20 years prior following increased riots in their city.
Spanning Vancouver, Canada, Texas, and Kingston, Akúa's recollections and present experiences in her self-discovery are tender and fraught all at once. With her brother Bryson's ashes in tow, she struggles to connect with the sister who once calmed her with stories after their mother's death, even going so far as to offer herself to be baptized at Tamika's church.
Cooke's writing is evocative of every sense and immediately transported me to a place I'd never been before. The tastes of the fruit, the feeling of the air, warm and sticky, the smells of the sea and the markets - all were tangible. Her ability to slip in and out of the present and the past through Akúa's inner monologue was fluid in a way that added a sort of magical element to the prose. As Akúa weaves herself back into her home culture, her patois mirrors her comfort with herself and her home. Meeting Jayda, a queer stripper, lures her into a pocket of society where her identities seem to coexist in harmony.
Throughout the novel, we viscerally feel the unease that Akúa does as she remains unsettled throughout her life. As the middle child, she has played both the roles of younger and older sister, and as a Jamaican, an American, and a Canadian. While the sapphic plot does not dominate the novel, Akúa's lesbianism is her consistency, and we see her continuing journey to own her sexuality in her flashbacks to Sara and encounters with Jayda.
A beautiful novel with touching, real characters. I wanted more from each of them, to settle into the story and observe their growth, to know what happened next. Overall the pacing was steady, though it sped up at the end and felt abrupt despite the necessary shift in tone. An essential read.
January 21, 2024
A moving family drama featuring a Jamaica born American slash Canadian immigrant who is dealing with fresh grief over her brother's death from Sickle Cell disease and decides to return home to her country of birth to reconcile with her estranged sister.
Moving and heartfelt and very well written. This book wasn't my particular cup of tea but I did still enjoy it a lot, especially the disability rep and queer main character. Recommended for fans of books like Butter honey pig bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi and good on audio.
Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review. I will definitely keep my eye out for whatever this new Canadian author writes next!
Moving and heartfelt and very well written. This book wasn't my particular cup of tea but I did still enjoy it a lot, especially the disability rep and queer main character. Recommended for fans of books like Butter honey pig bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi and good on audio.
Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review. I will definitely keep my eye out for whatever this new Canadian author writes next!
July 3, 2024
3.5 Stars!!
This debut novel shows the beautiful and lyrical writing style the author has! It is an emotional and very character driven story about grief and figuring out what “home” means. Self-discovery, belonging and coming of age are some other themes touched on.
At just around 225 pages- this is a very quick read with great pacing. However, I do wish there would’ve been a little more to the ending as I was left with some unanswered questions.
The flashbacks to the past happening within the present was a little confusing at times and maybe would’ve been more clear if separated into different chapters, but I did get use to it and was able to follow along fine.
Overall a very descriptive and vivid debut story!
Thank you @christina.j.cooke for this #gifted copy!🫶🏼
This debut novel shows the beautiful and lyrical writing style the author has! It is an emotional and very character driven story about grief and figuring out what “home” means. Self-discovery, belonging and coming of age are some other themes touched on.
At just around 225 pages- this is a very quick read with great pacing. However, I do wish there would’ve been a little more to the ending as I was left with some unanswered questions.
The flashbacks to the past happening within the present was a little confusing at times and maybe would’ve been more clear if separated into different chapters, but I did get use to it and was able to follow along fine.
Overall a very descriptive and vivid debut story!
Thank you @christina.j.cooke for this #gifted copy!🫶🏼
June 10, 2024
The layout and pacing of this novel was exquisite. Being dropped into the moment of her brother's death allowed me as a reader to connect with Akúa deeply and quickly.
I appreciate queer stories that are not centered solely on romantic & sexual attraction, but detail the complexity of being queer with family, at work, and so on. Queer as an identity.
This did end a bit sadder than I had hoped, but it also felt really authentic in that it didn't sugar coat the realities of being queer in a place like Jamaica.
I appreciate queer stories that are not centered solely on romantic & sexual attraction, but detail the complexity of being queer with family, at work, and so on. Queer as an identity.
This did end a bit sadder than I had hoped, but it also felt really authentic in that it didn't sugar coat the realities of being queer in a place like Jamaica.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2024
3/5
I don't have that much to say about this novel. There are certain elements that are deeply compelling, but the overall story falls a little flat. I was particularly struck by the descriptions of Jamaica, which were very specific in a way that prompts me to tumble into my own memories of a homeland left behind by my parents when they immigrated. The bittersweetness of returning there also resonated, with Cooke successfully capturing that melancholic blend of shame and pride of trying to slip back not-so-seamlessly into a life you once knew or, failing that, a life you could've led.
However, these threads don't really come together in a way that coherently says anything profound. It's clear from Cooke's style that she's going for literary fiction, but there's not enough coordination between her writing and themes to really pull it off. I found a lot of her bolder choices to be a little gimmicky, perhaps because they were not supported enough by the overall style and therefore felt unearned, and her word choice to occasionally be so flowery that it ended up being convoluted or meaningless. Though they started off interesting enough, most of Akúa’s relationships also eventually became uninteresting to read. Consequently, not enough tension is built to really make the climax impactful.
I don't have that much to say about this novel. There are certain elements that are deeply compelling, but the overall story falls a little flat. I was particularly struck by the descriptions of Jamaica, which were very specific in a way that prompts me to tumble into my own memories of a homeland left behind by my parents when they immigrated. The bittersweetness of returning there also resonated, with Cooke successfully capturing that melancholic blend of shame and pride of trying to slip back not-so-seamlessly into a life you once knew or, failing that, a life you could've led.
However, these threads don't really come together in a way that coherently says anything profound. It's clear from Cooke's style that she's going for literary fiction, but there's not enough coordination between her writing and themes to really pull it off. I found a lot of her bolder choices to be a little gimmicky, perhaps because they were not supported enough by the overall style and therefore felt unearned, and her word choice to occasionally be so flowery that it ended up being convoluted or meaningless. Though they started off interesting enough, most of Akúa’s relationships also eventually became uninteresting to read. Consequently, not enough tension is built to really make the climax impactful.
April 8, 2024
Broughtupsy by Christina Cooke
Thank you catapult for my gifted copy.
Blurb:
Broughtupsy is an enthralling debut novel about a young Jamaican woman grappling with grief as she discovers her family and her home is always just out of reach.
✨ My thoughts:
The first pages of the book is what really grabbed my attention. I found the authors writing style to be lyrical, beautiful, and this story was full of descriptive detail throughout the book. Now, I went in wanting to LOVE it, however I struggled a bit with the flashbacks. For some reason I was getting confused and it made it hard to follow but that could be a me problem and not the book. I really do appreciate the authors writing style and would pick up another book by this author in the future. I also believe there’s an audience that will love and resonate with this story. As always, take my opinion with a grain of salt as we all read a different book but if you’ve been on the fence, I say you give it a try!
Happy reading 📖
Thank you catapult for my gifted copy.
Blurb:
Broughtupsy is an enthralling debut novel about a young Jamaican woman grappling with grief as she discovers her family and her home is always just out of reach.
✨ My thoughts:
The first pages of the book is what really grabbed my attention. I found the authors writing style to be lyrical, beautiful, and this story was full of descriptive detail throughout the book. Now, I went in wanting to LOVE it, however I struggled a bit with the flashbacks. For some reason I was getting confused and it made it hard to follow but that could be a me problem and not the book. I really do appreciate the authors writing style and would pick up another book by this author in the future. I also believe there’s an audience that will love and resonate with this story. As always, take my opinion with a grain of salt as we all read a different book but if you’ve been on the fence, I say you give it a try!
Happy reading 📖
August 14, 2024
Strong prose and some poignant scenes in this, but I think this would have been better had it been sharpened into a short story. There just isn’t enough here for a novel, and for 200 pages spent with these characters I don’t feel I care about or understand them as much as I should. I understand though that this is a debut novel and I will read more of Christina Cooke’s work in future. I’m confident she has something important to say, I’m just not sure this book really does it justice.
June 12, 2024
The language. The imagery. The themes. I loved it. I was very happy to see what happens when the immigrant returns “home.” I loved the story telling. Not everything is so neat and tidy when it comes to grief. I appreciated that a lot!
August 17, 2024
3.3 i really enjoyed the style and pacing of the writing but i was never able to catch hold of a solid plot line. just felt like wading through info and details and then the major action started and finished in a millisecond. still an enjoyable read 🙂↔️
Read
May 8, 2025
Trigger & Content Warnings
Estrangement discussed (sibling)
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a brother from Sick Cell disease
Estrangement discussed (sibling)
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a brother from Sick Cell disease
November 27, 2024
Broughtupsy starts out promisingly but the characters are too superficial for my liking.
February 9, 2025
After the death of her younger brother, Akua travels to Jamaica, where they were born, with his ashes in hand. Her older sister Tamika still lives there, and they haven't seen each other since Akua was young and Tamika decided she'd rather live back in Jamaica than in Texas with her family. Akua's goal seems to be to reconnect with both her sister and her homeland, and introduce her brother to the island he was too young to remember.
Despite the book not being particularly plot-heavy, I was enjoying the story until Jayda came into it. I didn't even mind the way it moved back and forth in time. Then it was like the last 25% or so was a completely different book, in a jarring way. I'm not sure Broughtupsy lives up to its promises.
Despite the book not being particularly plot-heavy, I was enjoying the story until Jayda came into it. I didn't even mind the way it moved back and forth in time. Then it was like the last 25% or so was a completely different book, in a jarring way. I'm not sure Broughtupsy lives up to its promises.
August 24, 2024
this wasn’t my favorite book in the world but it still gets a high rating because it was simply So well written. i was recently having a conversation about how when a book’s main emotion is the empty desperation of grief, the story itself needs to do enough work to keep it the book as a whole from hollowing out and broughtupsy absolutely has that!!
April 28, 2024
The writing is solid and I was engaged, but there isn’t really any structure to the story, and the ending is unsatisfying
December 26, 2024
I would give this 3.5 stars. I loved how the novel started, I was drawn in early by how the author writes grief. I was excited to explore more of the family dynamic but I wish it went a little deeper.
The story changed its vibe once the love interest Jada was introduced. I feel their relationship wasn't really fleshed out and the book turned oddly sexually very quickly and kind of distracted me.
Akua was not the most likeable character. Her actions were a bit selfish and naive and cost a lot of people around her pain and suffering. Her feelings were more than valid, but that end scene made me angry for multiple reasons. I wish the ending wasn't so abrupt because now I'm scared for Jada's safety and wellbeing, and even her sister. Hm
Overall though I really did enjoy myself. It was a fun read and I love how the author writes about emotional pain. I also appreciated the time jumps between past and present. I wanted a little more from this, but I think as is it's a good read
The story changed its vibe once the love interest Jada was introduced. I feel their relationship wasn't really fleshed out and the book turned oddly sexually very quickly and kind of distracted me.
Akua was not the most likeable character. Her actions were a bit selfish and naive and cost a lot of people around her pain and suffering. Her feelings were more than valid, but that end scene made me angry for multiple reasons. I wish the ending wasn't so abrupt because now I'm scared for Jada's safety and wellbeing, and even her sister. Hm
Overall though I really did enjoy myself. It was a fun read and I love how the author writes about emotional pain. I also appreciated the time jumps between past and present. I wanted a little more from this, but I think as is it's a good read
August 6, 2024
Intense and immersive, especially as an audiobook. I can't imagine reading it without hearing the Jamaican accents. Beautiful and heartbreaking prose.
February 20, 2024
I really wanted to love this story because it gives a new flavor of Kingston and the returning diaspora. But, for me this could have done with an extra 100 pages to describe the characters in greater detail. Throughout the novel we're told what to think about people - Akua is fiery and driven by her emotions, Tamika is stuck in her ways because she misses her mother, and we don't know much about Bryson but he's the centerpiece of everything. There was a lot of action but some felt misplaced because we didn't know enough of why the characters are the way they are. I also found Akua placed as a bit of a queer trope to comment on religion and homophobia in Jamaica. I think it's challenging to write young adult characters and not make the novel feel YA, I think this is one that felt squarely in the YA space.
This was probably one of my fastest reads, most of the action happens at the end. I was confused by the organization of the book by days of the week. The characters went to church on a Friday and a Tuesday, which seems odd.
This was probably one of my fastest reads, most of the action happens at the end. I was confused by the organization of the book by days of the week. The characters went to church on a Friday and a Tuesday, which seems odd.
January 15, 2024
An interesting book on grief, what "home" means, and returning to where you've left and trying to figure out your place in life as a young person.
The sister was so unlikeable though, it made it tough to even read at parts, she was so cruel and had seemingly no redeemable qualities.
Actual: 3.5/5
The sister was so unlikeable though, it made it tough to even read at parts, she was so cruel and had seemingly no redeemable qualities.
Actual: 3.5/5
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