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We Rip the World Apart
From the acclaimed author of Hold My Girl comes a sweeping multi-generational story about motherhood, race, and secrets.
When 24-year-old Kareela discovers she's pregnant with a child she isn't sure she wants, her struggle to understand her place in the world as a person who is half-Black, half-white—yet feels neither—is amplified.
Her mother, Evelyn, fled to Canada with her husband and their first-born child during the politically charged Jamaican exodus in the 1980s, only to realize they'd come to a place where Black men are viewed with suspicion—a constant and pernicious reality Evelyn watches her husband and son navigate daily.
Years later, in the aftermath of her son's murder by the police, Evelyn's mother-in-law, Violet, moves in, offering young Kareela a link to the Jamaican heritage she had never fully known. Despite Violet's efforts to help them through their grief, the traumas they carry grow into a web of secrets that threatens the very family they all hold so dear.
In the present day, Kareela, prompted by fear and uncertainty about the new life she carries, must come to terms with the mysteries surrounding her family's past and the need to make sense of both her identity and her future.
Weaving the women's stories across multiple timelines, We Rip the World Apart reveals the ways that simple choices, made in the heat of the moment and with the best of intentions, can have deep and lasting repercussions—especially when people stay silent.
When 24-year-old Kareela discovers she's pregnant with a child she isn't sure she wants, her struggle to understand her place in the world as a person who is half-Black, half-white—yet feels neither—is amplified.
Her mother, Evelyn, fled to Canada with her husband and their first-born child during the politically charged Jamaican exodus in the 1980s, only to realize they'd come to a place where Black men are viewed with suspicion—a constant and pernicious reality Evelyn watches her husband and son navigate daily.
Years later, in the aftermath of her son's murder by the police, Evelyn's mother-in-law, Violet, moves in, offering young Kareela a link to the Jamaican heritage she had never fully known. Despite Violet's efforts to help them through their grief, the traumas they carry grow into a web of secrets that threatens the very family they all hold so dear.
In the present day, Kareela, prompted by fear and uncertainty about the new life she carries, must come to terms with the mysteries surrounding her family's past and the need to make sense of both her identity and her future.
Weaving the women's stories across multiple timelines, We Rip the World Apart reveals the ways that simple choices, made in the heat of the moment and with the best of intentions, can have deep and lasting repercussions—especially when people stay silent.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 28, 2025
167 people are currently reading
20230 people want to read
About the author
Charlene Carr
18 books424 followersCharlene Carr is the youngest of four children and the only girl. Living in a house full of boys taught her to fight for what she wants and to always reach higher (you have to when everyone in your family towers above you).
She spent much of her childhood creating elaborate, multi-faceted storylines for her dolls and reading under the blankets with a flashlight when she was supposed to be asleep.
A bit of a nomad, she’s lived in four countries and seven Canadian provinces. After travelling the globe for several years and working an array of mostly writing related jobs, she decided the time had come to focus exclusively on her true love—crafting stories.
Charlene is a novelist and stay-at-home mom: her two dream jobs. She lives in Nova Scotia, Canada and loves exploring the coastline of her harbour town with her husband and young daughter.
Her upcoming novel Hold My Girl, "a tense and emotional dual narrative novel about motherhood, racial identity, loss and betrayal," perfect for "Fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty" will release Winter 2023 from HarperCollins Canada and Welbeck Publishing (UK).
She spent much of her childhood creating elaborate, multi-faceted storylines for her dolls and reading under the blankets with a flashlight when she was supposed to be asleep.
A bit of a nomad, she’s lived in four countries and seven Canadian provinces. After travelling the globe for several years and working an array of mostly writing related jobs, she decided the time had come to focus exclusively on her true love—crafting stories.
Charlene is a novelist and stay-at-home mom: her two dream jobs. She lives in Nova Scotia, Canada and loves exploring the coastline of her harbour town with her husband and young daughter.
Her upcoming novel Hold My Girl, "a tense and emotional dual narrative novel about motherhood, racial identity, loss and betrayal," perfect for "Fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty" will release Winter 2023 from HarperCollins Canada and Welbeck Publishing (UK).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
February 23, 2024
This book ripped my heart apart. It was gut wrenchingly emotional, poignant, and beautifully written.
A thought provoked story about family, motherhood, racism, grief, trauma, healing and finding one's true self in the face of all the injustices in the world.
"And, unlike my parents before me, I’ll tell our stories. Let this child make sense of them as best she can. I’ll lay it all out—the good, the messy, the horrible, my whole damn life, and theirs—as much as I know of it. Everything we’ve been trying so hard to forget when, most likely, what we needed was to remember.”
Charlene Carr did a phenomenal job telling this story.....a story that will stay with me for a very long time to come.
“As long as yuh alive,” she says, “in every bad, if yuh wait, if yuh look, eventually yuh see a good. A good that wouldn’t have happened if not for the bad. Some lesson, some joy, some somet’ing. It doesn’t mean yuh happy de bad t’ing happened but yuh happy for de good t’ing. Yuh hold on to dat. Yuh be thankful. Holding de good.”
Thanks to Welbeck Publishing UK and NetGalley for the ARC
A thought provoked story about family, motherhood, racism, grief, trauma, healing and finding one's true self in the face of all the injustices in the world.
"And, unlike my parents before me, I’ll tell our stories. Let this child make sense of them as best she can. I’ll lay it all out—the good, the messy, the horrible, my whole damn life, and theirs—as much as I know of it. Everything we’ve been trying so hard to forget when, most likely, what we needed was to remember.”
Charlene Carr did a phenomenal job telling this story.....a story that will stay with me for a very long time to come.
“As long as yuh alive,” she says, “in every bad, if yuh wait, if yuh look, eventually yuh see a good. A good that wouldn’t have happened if not for the bad. Some lesson, some joy, some somet’ing. It doesn’t mean yuh happy de bad t’ing happened but yuh happy for de good t’ing. Yuh hold on to dat. Yuh be thankful. Holding de good.”
Thanks to Welbeck Publishing UK and NetGalley for the ARC
January 16, 2024
This is a beautiful, thoughtful and compelling novel about motherhood, family, racism and belonging written by Canadian author, Charlene Carr. I was pulled into this haunting story from the outset and was captivated throughout. I found it hard to put this one down.
Set in the 1980s, 1990s and present day, this is the story of Evelyn, a white woman, her Black Jamaican husband, Kingsley, and their mixed race children - Kareela and Antony, who are living in Canada after having left Jamaica due to political violence and unrest. We learn early on that Antony is killed by police in Toronto after participating in a Black Lives Matter rally.
The plot unfolds primarily from the perspectives of Evelyn and Kareela as we watch the family struggle to move forward, dealing not only with Antony’s death but also with overt and systemic racism, job discrimination, motherhood and multi-generational trauma. Kareela’s struggles, as a biracial woman, with where she belongs, her identity and what she stands for, are well-developed as is Evelyn’s grief at the loss of her son. Equally interesting are the male characters - Antony’s efforts to address racism and Kingsley’s approach to meld into white society so he can provide for his family. I was pulled into the lives of these characters.
I really enjoyed the plot, characters, and pacing of this novel. I highly recommend this thought-provoking, emotional read.
Thanks to Harper Collins Canada and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Set in the 1980s, 1990s and present day, this is the story of Evelyn, a white woman, her Black Jamaican husband, Kingsley, and their mixed race children - Kareela and Antony, who are living in Canada after having left Jamaica due to political violence and unrest. We learn early on that Antony is killed by police in Toronto after participating in a Black Lives Matter rally.
The plot unfolds primarily from the perspectives of Evelyn and Kareela as we watch the family struggle to move forward, dealing not only with Antony’s death but also with overt and systemic racism, job discrimination, motherhood and multi-generational trauma. Kareela’s struggles, as a biracial woman, with where she belongs, her identity and what she stands for, are well-developed as is Evelyn’s grief at the loss of her son. Equally interesting are the male characters - Antony’s efforts to address racism and Kingsley’s approach to meld into white society so he can provide for his family. I was pulled into the lives of these characters.
I really enjoyed the plot, characters, and pacing of this novel. I highly recommend this thought-provoking, emotional read.
Thanks to Harper Collins Canada and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
January 31, 2025
Release Date: 28th January 2025
📚 A Sweeping Multi-generational story about motherhood, race, and secrets in the lives of three women. 📚
This book is set across the lives of two women set in the 80's, 90's and modern day and tells the story of these bi-racial women and their lives as they try to figure out where they belong, in a world with so many struggles and racism still being so prevalent.
This is a beautifully written book that is thoughtful, considered, and raw.
The book is about motherhood, family, belonging, grief, trauma, healing in the face of adversity, and systemic racism.
Charlene Carr is an amazing story teller, who gets to the heart of the characters instantly and had me hooked, with the wonderful narration by Tebby Fisher, who really bought the book alive.
Go read / listen to this wonderful story that will rip your heart out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Threads || BSky || Fable || Uncover || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon || Bookmarks
Happy to make friends on all socials
📚 A Sweeping Multi-generational story about motherhood, race, and secrets in the lives of three women. 📚
This book is set across the lives of two women set in the 80's, 90's and modern day and tells the story of these bi-racial women and their lives as they try to figure out where they belong, in a world with so many struggles and racism still being so prevalent.
This is a beautifully written book that is thoughtful, considered, and raw.
The book is about motherhood, family, belonging, grief, trauma, healing in the face of adversity, and systemic racism.
Charlene Carr is an amazing story teller, who gets to the heart of the characters instantly and had me hooked, with the wonderful narration by Tebby Fisher, who really bought the book alive.
Go read / listen to this wonderful story that will rip your heart out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Threads || BSky || Fable || Uncover || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon || Bookmarks
Happy to make friends on all socials
January 30, 2024
An extremely moving and at times heartbreaking, intergenerational family story told from the POV of three Caribbean-Canadian women, their complicated relationships and the way their lives are differently affected by motherhood, loss, immigration, racism (institutional, covert and overt), grief and trauma.
Perfect for book club discussions and extremely relevant to Black lives in America AND Canada today. This is good on audio too narrated by Tebby Fisher and highly recommended for fans of books like The skin we're in by Desmond Cole. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: abortion discussion/consideration, rape, loss of a child from gun violence
Perfect for book club discussions and extremely relevant to Black lives in America AND Canada today. This is good on audio too narrated by Tebby Fisher and highly recommended for fans of books like The skin we're in by Desmond Cole. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: abortion discussion/consideration, rape, loss of a child from gun violence
January 28, 2025
I found this a bit melodramatic but good with multiple respectability politics style viewpoints. This is told in alternating timelines and with alternating point of view chapter characters.
Evelyn's story opens in the mid 80's in Toronto but bounces back into her childhood in Nova Scotia and time as a newly married woman in Jamaica. Her chapters move forward until the late '00s. She's white, married to a Black man, Kinglsey, and has 2 kids: Antony & Kareela.
Kareela's story is set in 2022. During the summer the Black Lives Matter protests for George Floyd became global. Her brother and father are dead. She is estranged from her mother and desperately misses her paternal grandmother, Violet, who helped raise her.
I loved the audiobook as it is beautifully narrated by Tebby Fisher. Her Jamaican accents are delightful. As is her ability to hold emotion in her voice. She was the perfect choice for this story.
This story dealt with race in a very shallow way. It felt like Evelyn's story was being weighted down with trauma, so her story and feelings could be centered in a story about Black trauma. Evelyn's voice felt much more central to the story than her daughter's voice. We see Evelyn's flawed view of racism but her Black husband, son, and mother-in-law don't get full agency or even fully fleshed out storylines. They exist so that the character of the white woman can grow. I'm not interested in how white folks feel about the trauma of police violence in Black communities unless we're gonna truly deal with race, and this simply doesn't. Evelyn's experiences are harrowing but feel like they may have happened in the 50's or 60's. Her shunning by the Black Community doesn't fit with my experiences, and I'm older than Antony. So, I just find this experience odd in Toronto. I'm currently living in Canada, and this seems a bit much for my biracial Black friends from Toronto and of similar age. Evelyn's story felt unrealistically harrowing. As if to balance the Black characters' struggles with racism.
Kareela just felt two-dimensional. Partially because her story is a tragic mulatto story in many ways. All of which would've been acceptable for me if this had dealt with race in a real way. Instead the reader is consistently shown racial violence through the eyes of a white woman. Which could've been profound but wasn't.
I was deeply engrossed in this narrative, but this story ultimately felt somewhat superficial. I think because it deals with weighty Black community matters but mostly based on the emotional impact of the narrative on a white mom. If Evelyn had looked at her internalized racism and its impact on her husband, son, and daughter, this could've been deeply relevant. Instead, this is mostly about Evelyn's trauma and pain, when she was the character I was the least interested in in this story. This needed Violet, Antony, or Kingsley to also be point of view characters.
Thank you to Charlene Carr, RBmedia/Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
Evelyn's story opens in the mid 80's in Toronto but bounces back into her childhood in Nova Scotia and time as a newly married woman in Jamaica. Her chapters move forward until the late '00s. She's white, married to a Black man, Kinglsey, and has 2 kids: Antony & Kareela.
Kareela's story is set in 2022. During the summer the Black Lives Matter protests for George Floyd became global. Her brother and father are dead. She is estranged from her mother and desperately misses her paternal grandmother, Violet, who helped raise her.
I loved the audiobook as it is beautifully narrated by Tebby Fisher. Her Jamaican accents are delightful. As is her ability to hold emotion in her voice. She was the perfect choice for this story.
This story dealt with race in a very shallow way. It felt like Evelyn's story was being weighted down with trauma, so her story and feelings could be centered in a story about Black trauma. Evelyn's voice felt much more central to the story than her daughter's voice. We see Evelyn's flawed view of racism but her Black husband, son, and mother-in-law don't get full agency or even fully fleshed out storylines. They exist so that the character of the white woman can grow. I'm not interested in how white folks feel about the trauma of police violence in Black communities unless we're gonna truly deal with race, and this simply doesn't. Evelyn's experiences are harrowing but feel like they may have happened in the 50's or 60's. Her shunning by the Black Community doesn't fit with my experiences, and I'm older than Antony. So, I just find this experience odd in Toronto. I'm currently living in Canada, and this seems a bit much for my biracial Black friends from Toronto and of similar age. Evelyn's story felt unrealistically harrowing. As if to balance the Black characters' struggles with racism.
Kareela just felt two-dimensional. Partially because her story is a tragic mulatto story in many ways. All of which would've been acceptable for me if this had dealt with race in a real way. Instead the reader is consistently shown racial violence through the eyes of a white woman. Which could've been profound but wasn't.
I was deeply engrossed in this narrative, but this story ultimately felt somewhat superficial. I think because it deals with weighty Black community matters but mostly based on the emotional impact of the narrative on a white mom. If Evelyn had looked at her internalized racism and its impact on her husband, son, and daughter, this could've been deeply relevant. Instead, this is mostly about Evelyn's trauma and pain, when she was the character I was the least interested in in this story. This needed Violet, Antony, or Kingsley to also be point of view characters.
Thank you to Charlene Carr, RBmedia/Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
April 8, 2025
Kareela, pregnant and unsure if she wants the baby, is struggling to find her place in the world as a biracial woman following the death of her brother in a police shooting.
Moving between the past and the present, Charlene Carr tells a beautiful and heartbreaking story about the impact of generational trauma and the struggles of being of two different races. While Kareela tries to figure out where she belongs, she is in a constant struggle (not black enough to be Black, not white enough to be white).
As the mom of a biracial son also of Jamaican heritage, at times this book was especially hard to read, particularly as it dealt with her brother’s death at the hands of the police. The impact of his death on their mom Evelyn broke my heart into a million pieces more than once. There is a whole lot of emotion tucked into these 400 pages and a family you can’t help but feel connected to both in the past and the present.
🎧 Narrator Tebby Fisher breathed life into this story, giving voice to each character in a wholly distinct way. This would make for an incredible immersive read (and book club read).
Read if you like:
▪️intergenerational stories
▪️complex mother/daughter relationships
▪️exploration of racial identity and racism
▪️dual timelines/POV
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark, Recorded Books, and Charlene Carr for the gifted copies.
📆 Pub: Jan 28, 2025
Moving between the past and the present, Charlene Carr tells a beautiful and heartbreaking story about the impact of generational trauma and the struggles of being of two different races. While Kareela tries to figure out where she belongs, she is in a constant struggle (not black enough to be Black, not white enough to be white).
As the mom of a biracial son also of Jamaican heritage, at times this book was especially hard to read, particularly as it dealt with her brother’s death at the hands of the police. The impact of his death on their mom Evelyn broke my heart into a million pieces more than once. There is a whole lot of emotion tucked into these 400 pages and a family you can’t help but feel connected to both in the past and the present.
🎧 Narrator Tebby Fisher breathed life into this story, giving voice to each character in a wholly distinct way. This would make for an incredible immersive read (and book club read).
Read if you like:
▪️intergenerational stories
▪️complex mother/daughter relationships
▪️exploration of racial identity and racism
▪️dual timelines/POV
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark, Recorded Books, and Charlene Carr for the gifted copies.
📆 Pub: Jan 28, 2025
January 26, 2025
We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr. Thanks to @bookmarked for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Kareela finds out she’s pregnant, she isn’t sure what to do. She struggles understanding her place in the world as a half black and half white woman. She learned of her Jamaican culture when her grandmother moved in, after her brother’s murder by the police.
This is a hard one to read in these times, but important. I liked that I learned about the turmoil of Jamaica in the 1980’s; I had no idea about it. If you enjoy mother daughter relationship stories, this is a good one thay explores why their relationship is strained. There’s history and trauma to be revealed that shapes the family.
“We can’t change what most needs to be changed: the way they see us. That, more than anything, is on them. But we can’t change stand against the injustice. Show the world who we are and what we want.”
We Rip the World Apart comes out 1/28.
When Kareela finds out she’s pregnant, she isn’t sure what to do. She struggles understanding her place in the world as a half black and half white woman. She learned of her Jamaican culture when her grandmother moved in, after her brother’s murder by the police.
This is a hard one to read in these times, but important. I liked that I learned about the turmoil of Jamaica in the 1980’s; I had no idea about it. If you enjoy mother daughter relationship stories, this is a good one thay explores why their relationship is strained. There’s history and trauma to be revealed that shapes the family.
“We can’t change what most needs to be changed: the way they see us. That, more than anything, is on them. But we can’t change stand against the injustice. Show the world who we are and what we want.”
We Rip the World Apart comes out 1/28.
February 13, 2025
If there's one book you'll pick up this Black History Month, let it be this one. It's harrowing, difficult, and so, so beautifully written. It also deals with topics such as intergenerational trauma, police brutally, racism, reproductive freedom, and identity issues, all told from the POVs of three generations of Caribbean/Canadian women.
I honestly don't know if I can do this book justice with a review. It made me cry several times, and the weight pressing on my chest as I read it only became more pronounced as the ending neared. While all of the stories—the Jamaican past, the Toronto episodes, and the present—were equally difficult and sad, I think the most devastating part of it all was that nothing had changed, even though these stories were separated by several decades. No matter how far the world progresses, these racist habits and microaggressions and systemic injustices continue, tearing apart families, making people scared to simply exist, and continuing a vicious circle of violence that seems impossible to break out of.
Racism is the foundation and reason behind every character's suffering in this book, and their mistakes and the inability to move forward a direct consequence of a society that views them as the other, as lesser, as inhuman. In this book, it leads to killings, sexual assault, abuse, strained familial relationships, identity issues, and a whole host of other problems that are so challenging to fix in a hostile environment. It was so difficult to read, but so important as well.
I think that my favorite part of the book is how vastly different each narrator's voice felt. Even without Violet's clear language distinction, you could easily tell the three women apart as their voices were colored by their experiences, losses, fears, and the different times they were brought in + the different values those times held. I think that's an amazing feat to achieve and it made reading this book so much more immersive and believable.
Although the book is quite dark and at times completely devoid of hope, I am glad that the ending wasn't bleak. I am grateful that we can see all three women breaking free from some of their (and their ancestors') trauma and at least trying to be happier, stronger, and more connected to each other despite the society's relentless attempts to tear them down and erase them. It's a tiny glimmer of hope seeing the state of the world we all live in, but sometimes a glimmer is all you need.
I am so glad I picked this up—please do yourselves the favor of doing the same (and please check the trigger warnings).
I honestly don't know if I can do this book justice with a review. It made me cry several times, and the weight pressing on my chest as I read it only became more pronounced as the ending neared. While all of the stories—the Jamaican past, the Toronto episodes, and the present—were equally difficult and sad, I think the most devastating part of it all was that nothing had changed, even though these stories were separated by several decades. No matter how far the world progresses, these racist habits and microaggressions and systemic injustices continue, tearing apart families, making people scared to simply exist, and continuing a vicious circle of violence that seems impossible to break out of.
Racism is the foundation and reason behind every character's suffering in this book, and their mistakes and the inability to move forward a direct consequence of a society that views them as the other, as lesser, as inhuman. In this book, it leads to killings, sexual assault, abuse, strained familial relationships, identity issues, and a whole host of other problems that are so challenging to fix in a hostile environment. It was so difficult to read, but so important as well.
I think that my favorite part of the book is how vastly different each narrator's voice felt. Even without Violet's clear language distinction, you could easily tell the three women apart as their voices were colored by their experiences, losses, fears, and the different times they were brought in + the different values those times held. I think that's an amazing feat to achieve and it made reading this book so much more immersive and believable.
Although the book is quite dark and at times completely devoid of hope, I am glad that the ending wasn't bleak. I am grateful that we can see all three women breaking free from some of their (and their ancestors') trauma and at least trying to be happier, stronger, and more connected to each other despite the society's relentless attempts to tear them down and erase them. It's a tiny glimmer of hope seeing the state of the world we all live in, but sometimes a glimmer is all you need.
I am so glad I picked this up—please do yourselves the favor of doing the same (and please check the trigger warnings).
May 28, 2024
After reading Hold My Girl last year, I flocked to this book. This would be a really good book for a book club - there's a ton of great discussion themes in this book, but I felt almost entirely neutral about it and found myself actually struggling to get through it around the halfway mark. Thankfully, it picked up in the second half.
I love a good generational story and these characters (Kareela, Evelyn and Violet) actually reminded me a lot of my dynamic with my mother and grandmother. Because of this, I really, really wanted to love this book but something about it was just - off. I think it was the pacing, for the most part, and the ending just seemed to be abrupt and almost out of place.
I love a good generational story and these characters (Kareela, Evelyn and Violet) actually reminded me a lot of my dynamic with my mother and grandmother. Because of this, I really, really wanted to love this book but something about it was just - off. I think it was the pacing, for the most part, and the ending just seemed to be abrupt and almost out of place.
February 8, 2025
WE RIP THE WORLD APART by Charlene Carr
Thank you @recordedbooks for my #gifted copy.
📖 We Rip the World Apart is a sweeping, multi-generational novel, spanning from the 1980s to the present day, focusing on the experiences of three women, each grappling with the pervasive impact of racism.
💭 Powerful, wise, and emotionally charged, We Rip the World Apart is a thought-provoking, multilayered novel that explores themes of motherhood, generational trauma, racism, colorism, interracial relationships, politics, activism, and social justice. Perfect for fans of Charmaine Wilkerson and Brit Bennett!
🎧 The narrator, Tebby Fisher, breaths life into these characters and this story, and was a pleasure to listen to. While I did have to pay close attention to the change in perspectives as it wasn't always clear by the narration, this is not uncommon with single-narrator stories. That said, it may have benefited from multiple narrators.
All in all, this was a deeply moving novel that I'd absolutely recommend!
📌 Available now!
Thank you @recordedbooks for my #gifted copy.
📖 We Rip the World Apart is a sweeping, multi-generational novel, spanning from the 1980s to the present day, focusing on the experiences of three women, each grappling with the pervasive impact of racism.
💭 Powerful, wise, and emotionally charged, We Rip the World Apart is a thought-provoking, multilayered novel that explores themes of motherhood, generational trauma, racism, colorism, interracial relationships, politics, activism, and social justice. Perfect for fans of Charmaine Wilkerson and Brit Bennett!
🎧 The narrator, Tebby Fisher, breaths life into these characters and this story, and was a pleasure to listen to. While I did have to pay close attention to the change in perspectives as it wasn't always clear by the narration, this is not uncommon with single-narrator stories. That said, it may have benefited from multiple narrators.
All in all, this was a deeply moving novel that I'd absolutely recommend!
📌 Available now!
February 19, 2024
Title:
We Rip the World Apart
Author: Charlene Carr
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: January 30, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC HarperCollins Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Complex • Thoughtful • Engaging
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When 24-year-old Kareela discovers she's pregnant with a child she isn't sure she wants, it amplifies her struggle to understand her place in the world as a woman who is half-Black and half-white, yet feels neither.
Her mother, Evelyn, fled to Canada with her husband and their first-born child, Antony, during the politically charged Jamaican Exodus of the 1980s, only to realize they'd come to a place where Black men are viewed with suspicion—a constant and pernicious reality Evelyn watches her husband and son navigate daily.
Years later, in the aftermath of Antony's murder by the police, Evelyn's mother-in-law, Violet, moves in, offering young Kareela a link to the Jamaican heritage she has never fully known. Despite Violet's efforts to help them through their grief, the traumas they carry grow into a web of secrets that threatens the very family they all hold so dear.
Back in the present, Kareela, prompted by fear and uncertainty about the new life she carries, must come to terms with the mysteries surrounding her family's past and the need to make sense of both her identity and her future.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Charlene Carr's Hold My Girl was my most surprising reads of 2023, so it was easy to select We Rip the World Apart as my most anticipated book of the month project for January. My expectations were definitely high, and Carr delivered once again, yet this time in an entirely different way.
Written from multiple POVs across multiple timelines, this compelling novel explores the search for identity and belonging as a biracial person; systemic racism and the Black Lives Matter social justice movement; motherhood; and generational trauma. I struggled to situate myself in time and place through the first 50 pages, but managed to settle in thereafter. Each of the characters was so real, although not always likeable. It was interesting to get different internal thoughts on the various topics covered. The story unfolds rather slowly, and there is a bit of a lull through the middle, yet I think it all has its purpose within the story.
Charlene Carr does a phenomenal job detailing the ripple effect of events that happened in the past and how they continue to affect people years later. Carr manages to show the both sides of the activism coin, as well as, the cost of keeping quiet through three generation of women. There is a lot of pain, yet there is also growth, especially when it comes to the main character. As a reader I was aware fairly early on of some of what was to come, yet there was continually an undercurrent of mystery.
We Rip the World Apart didn't have the same urgent pacing as Hold My Girl, yet it tackles so many themes that are sure to spark so much thought and discussion. It made me sit in reflection with my own thoughts and feelings. It's also a blatant reminder to anyone who thinks racism isn't the same in Canada. With this book, Charlene Carr has established herself as a powerhouse in the Canadian literature world, and I cannot wait to continue to support this talented author.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers looking for more #CanLit
• Jodi Picoult fans
• bookclubs
⚠️ CW: racism, racial slurs, police brutality, murder, gun violence, domestic abuse, physical abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, rape, death, sibling death, child death, death of parent, grief, mental illness, alcoholism, pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, animal cruelty, car accident, fire/fire injury, pandemic/epidemic
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"But I know enough to know that sometimes the thing you're afraid of, that you step away from, is exactly the thing you should step toward."
"She turned to the window, though it didn't matter where she looked. Her son was everywhere and nowhere."
"Sometimes bad things happen, and something there's no clear reason why, nothing we could have done to prevent it and nothing we can do afterward to make it right. So all we can do is move forward, as best we can, try to believe there is still good in the world. Because there is."
"That's not my job. It's not my job to make white people comfortable."
"That's just life. Things get stolen. People get stolen. Along with parts of us that never should."
"'If there be one thing me got right,' she says now, 'it be to carry on. Because life, no matter what form it in, no matter de pains tacked onto it, means something.'"
Author: Charlene Carr
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: January 30, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC HarperCollins Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Complex • Thoughtful • Engaging
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When 24-year-old Kareela discovers she's pregnant with a child she isn't sure she wants, it amplifies her struggle to understand her place in the world as a woman who is half-Black and half-white, yet feels neither.
Her mother, Evelyn, fled to Canada with her husband and their first-born child, Antony, during the politically charged Jamaican Exodus of the 1980s, only to realize they'd come to a place where Black men are viewed with suspicion—a constant and pernicious reality Evelyn watches her husband and son navigate daily.
Years later, in the aftermath of Antony's murder by the police, Evelyn's mother-in-law, Violet, moves in, offering young Kareela a link to the Jamaican heritage she has never fully known. Despite Violet's efforts to help them through their grief, the traumas they carry grow into a web of secrets that threatens the very family they all hold so dear.
Back in the present, Kareela, prompted by fear and uncertainty about the new life she carries, must come to terms with the mysteries surrounding her family's past and the need to make sense of both her identity and her future.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Charlene Carr's Hold My Girl was my most surprising reads of 2023, so it was easy to select We Rip the World Apart as my most anticipated book of the month project for January. My expectations were definitely high, and Carr delivered once again, yet this time in an entirely different way.
Written from multiple POVs across multiple timelines, this compelling novel explores the search for identity and belonging as a biracial person; systemic racism and the Black Lives Matter social justice movement; motherhood; and generational trauma. I struggled to situate myself in time and place through the first 50 pages, but managed to settle in thereafter. Each of the characters was so real, although not always likeable. It was interesting to get different internal thoughts on the various topics covered. The story unfolds rather slowly, and there is a bit of a lull through the middle, yet I think it all has its purpose within the story.
Charlene Carr does a phenomenal job detailing the ripple effect of events that happened in the past and how they continue to affect people years later. Carr manages to show the both sides of the activism coin, as well as, the cost of keeping quiet through three generation of women. There is a lot of pain, yet there is also growth, especially when it comes to the main character. As a reader I was aware fairly early on of some of what was to come, yet there was continually an undercurrent of mystery.
We Rip the World Apart didn't have the same urgent pacing as Hold My Girl, yet it tackles so many themes that are sure to spark so much thought and discussion. It made me sit in reflection with my own thoughts and feelings. It's also a blatant reminder to anyone who thinks racism isn't the same in Canada. With this book, Charlene Carr has established herself as a powerhouse in the Canadian literature world, and I cannot wait to continue to support this talented author.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers looking for more #CanLit
• Jodi Picoult fans
• bookclubs
⚠️ CW: racism, racial slurs, police brutality, murder, gun violence, domestic abuse, physical abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, rape, death, sibling death, child death, death of parent, grief, mental illness, alcoholism, pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, animal cruelty, car accident, fire/fire injury, pandemic/epidemic
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"But I know enough to know that sometimes the thing you're afraid of, that you step away from, is exactly the thing you should step toward."
"She turned to the window, though it didn't matter where she looked. Her son was everywhere and nowhere."
"Sometimes bad things happen, and something there's no clear reason why, nothing we could have done to prevent it and nothing we can do afterward to make it right. So all we can do is move forward, as best we can, try to believe there is still good in the world. Because there is."
"That's not my job. It's not my job to make white people comfortable."
"That's just life. Things get stolen. People get stolen. Along with parts of us that never should."
"'If there be one thing me got right,' she says now, 'it be to carry on. Because life, no matter what form it in, no matter de pains tacked onto it, means something.'"
January 21, 2025
Carr is officially an auto-read author for me. Her books are timely and important commentary on race and womanhood. Told through the perspectives of 3 generations of women, this book hooked me right from the start. The intergenerational trauma and healing is poignant, and the depiction of the biracial experience is powerful. I loved the layers and complexities to this one, and the way it all came together. Highly recommend on audio-- narration was stellar.
January 8, 2025
Wow. 🥹
May 1, 2024
4.7 stars
After listening to Charlene Carr being interviewed on CBC Radio about her novel, We Rip The World Apart, I immediately requested the book from the library. I am so glad I did!
This sweeping multi-generational story about motherhood, race, and secrets in the lives of three women kept me reading and turning pages, not wanting to stop for meals or sleep.
Weaving the women's stories across multiple timelines, We Rip The World Apart reveals the ways that simple choices, made in the heat of the moment and with the best of intentions, can have deep and lasting repercussions, especially when people remain silent.
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
🚨🚨🚨🚨SPOILER ALERT 🚨🚨🚨
When twenty-four-year-old Kareela discovers she's pregnant with a child she isn't sure she wants, her struggle to understand her place in the world as a woman who is half Black and half white - yet feels neither - is amplified.
Her mother, Evelyn, fled to Canada with her husband and their first-born child, Antony, during the politically charged Jamaican Exodus of the 1980s, only to realize they'd come to a place where Black men are viewed with suspicion - a constant and pernicious reality Evelyn watched her husband and son navigate daily.
Years later, in the aftermath of Antony's murder by the police, Evelyn's mother-in-law, Violet, moves in, offering young Kareela a link to the Jamaican heritage she has never fully known. Despite Violet's efforts to help them through their grief, the traumas they carry grow into a web of secrets that threatens the very family they all hold so dear.
Back in the present, Kareela, prompted by fear and uncertainty about the new life she carries, must come to terms with the mysteries surrounding her family's past and the need to make sense of both her identity and her future.
🚨🚨🚨SPOILER ALERT 🚨🚨🚨🚨
⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️
This is the first book written by Canadian author Charlene Carr that I have read and she is now on my list of favourite authors. I'm looking forward to reading her previous novel, Hold My Girl, about two women whose eggs are switched during IVF.
⚠️Triggers: There are scenes of racial and physical violence.
After listening to Charlene Carr being interviewed on CBC Radio about her novel, We Rip The World Apart, I immediately requested the book from the library. I am so glad I did!
This sweeping multi-generational story about motherhood, race, and secrets in the lives of three women kept me reading and turning pages, not wanting to stop for meals or sleep.
Weaving the women's stories across multiple timelines, We Rip The World Apart reveals the ways that simple choices, made in the heat of the moment and with the best of intentions, can have deep and lasting repercussions, especially when people remain silent.
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
🚨🚨🚨🚨SPOILER ALERT 🚨🚨🚨
When twenty-four-year-old Kareela discovers she's pregnant with a child she isn't sure she wants, her struggle to understand her place in the world as a woman who is half Black and half white - yet feels neither - is amplified.
Her mother, Evelyn, fled to Canada with her husband and their first-born child, Antony, during the politically charged Jamaican Exodus of the 1980s, only to realize they'd come to a place where Black men are viewed with suspicion - a constant and pernicious reality Evelyn watched her husband and son navigate daily.
Years later, in the aftermath of Antony's murder by the police, Evelyn's mother-in-law, Violet, moves in, offering young Kareela a link to the Jamaican heritage she has never fully known. Despite Violet's efforts to help them through their grief, the traumas they carry grow into a web of secrets that threatens the very family they all hold so dear.
Back in the present, Kareela, prompted by fear and uncertainty about the new life she carries, must come to terms with the mysteries surrounding her family's past and the need to make sense of both her identity and her future.
🚨🚨🚨SPOILER ALERT 🚨🚨🚨🚨
⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️
This is the first book written by Canadian author Charlene Carr that I have read and she is now on my list of favourite authors. I'm looking forward to reading her previous novel, Hold My Girl, about two women whose eggs are switched during IVF.
⚠️Triggers: There are scenes of racial and physical violence.
September 21, 2025
Way too much inner dialogue. I would have loved for more of the interiority of the characters to be shown through dialogue with others. It was tiring.
The decision making of Kareela was so independent. People did not discuss their feelings. Everything was stuffed. The ending went strangely quick considering the slow pace of the rest of the book.
The settings of the US, Canada and Jamaica enriched the story. Carson and his wife are bright spots. The themes are so important but I struggled to follow the pace of the book.
The decision making of Kareela was so independent. People did not discuss their feelings. Everything was stuffed. The ending went strangely quick considering the slow pace of the rest of the book.
The settings of the US, Canada and Jamaica enriched the story. Carson and his wife are bright spots. The themes are so important but I struggled to follow the pace of the book.
February 9, 2025
Shout out to Halifax public libraries for suggesting this ❤️
March 6, 2024
Everyone needs to read this book.
March 14, 2025
4.5⭐️. Such beautiful storytelling of a painful story that has happened and continues to happen. 😔. More than the story are the interwoven fibers of a mother’s love, generational trauma, and emotionally-ill-equipped humans who are doing the best they can. Excellent on audio and the page.
Read
January 22, 2024Not sure how to rate this to be honest. It was slow moving and yet full of interesting and important topics that should be explored as a reader. I’m a fan of the author and her writing. I just felt like we skimmed into this. There’s discussion about BLM, inter race relationships, accidental pregnancy, death of a sibling and death of a parent.
But we never really tie things up. For a reader (me in particular) I like to have answers. Again, that’s me. So perhaps that was the point of the author… to do that to generate a conversation. And for that, I would give it 5 stars.
But what happened to that dad? She’s destroyed by it but we never have a convo about it. The mom is distraught from her son’s loss, but then no communication with the daughter. The placement of the MC’s boyfriend being white, is mimicking the mom-dad (opposite genders) but then the reader can’t help but have sympathy for him with the pregnancy and the trying to learn about mix race, bLM movement and how to support.
Perhaps, the author was trying to convey that when there are that many differences, it’s insurmountable? Not sure.
I think this would be a good book club choice. So much to dig into. I just think why I took off stars was because I wanted the author to dig into it more. The writing was 👌🏻 the topics to explore (and teach) were 👌🏻 but for me, it was missing something.
Appreciate the publisher for this gifted arc in return for an honest review. This is just my opinion, so form your own once you’ve read it
But we never really tie things up. For a reader (me in particular) I like to have answers. Again, that’s me. So perhaps that was the point of the author… to do that to generate a conversation. And for that, I would give it 5 stars.
But what happened to that dad? She’s destroyed by it but we never have a convo about it. The mom is distraught from her son’s loss, but then no communication with the daughter. The placement of the MC’s boyfriend being white, is mimicking the mom-dad (opposite genders) but then the reader can’t help but have sympathy for him with the pregnancy and the trying to learn about mix race, bLM movement and how to support.
Perhaps, the author was trying to convey that when there are that many differences, it’s insurmountable? Not sure.
I think this would be a good book club choice. So much to dig into. I just think why I took off stars was because I wanted the author to dig into it more. The writing was 👌🏻 the topics to explore (and teach) were 👌🏻 but for me, it was missing something.
Appreciate the publisher for this gifted arc in return for an honest review. This is just my opinion, so form your own once you’ve read it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.75/5)
Wow! This multi-generational story weaves together themes of identity, race, social injustice, and the universal struggle of belonging. While the narrative focuses on Kareela in the present, it also delves into her heritage, uncovering the past that shaped her.
Charlene Carr’s storytelling is immersive, and her character development is exceptional. Kareela’s journey is powerful and thought-provoking, though at times, the weight of sadness made it a heavy read. Still, this novel is an important and resonant exploration of self-discovery and history’s impact on the present.
Many thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC. My thoughts are my own& freely expressed.
Wow! This multi-generational story weaves together themes of identity, race, social injustice, and the universal struggle of belonging. While the narrative focuses on Kareela in the present, it also delves into her heritage, uncovering the past that shaped her.
Charlene Carr’s storytelling is immersive, and her character development is exceptional. Kareela’s journey is powerful and thought-provoking, though at times, the weight of sadness made it a heavy read. Still, this novel is an important and resonant exploration of self-discovery and history’s impact on the present.
Many thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC. My thoughts are my own& freely expressed.
February 11, 2025
In her latest novel We Rip the World Apart, Charlene Carr delivers a compelling multi-generational saga that expertly weaves together themes of racial identity, motherhood, and the devastating impact of systemic racism. Following the success of her previous novel Hold My Girl, Carr demonstrates her growing mastery of complex family dynamics and social issues through this richly layered narrative that spans decades and continents.
Plot Overview: A Family's Journey Through Time
The story centers around three generations of women: Kareela, a 24-year-old social worker grappling with an unexpected pregnancy; her mother Evelyn, who immigrated from Canada to Jamaica in the 1980s; and grandmother Violet, whose wisdom and connection to their Jamaican heritage becomes both a blessing and a complication. The narrative shifts between present-day Halifax and historical Toronto, revealing how past traumas and secrets shape current relationships and decisions.
Character Analysis: Complex Women in a Complex World
Kareela Jackson
The protagonist's journey of self-discovery is masterfully crafted. As a biracial woman who feels neither fully Black nor white, Kareela's struggle with identity resonates deeply. Her character development through confronting family secrets and making difficult choices about her pregnancy feels authentic and earned.
Evelyn Jackson
Perhaps the most tragic figure in the novel, Evelyn's transformation from an optimistic young immigrant to a emotionally distant mother showcases Carr's skill in depicting trauma's long-lasting effects. The revelation of her sexual assault and subsequent silence adds layers of complexity to her relationship with both her daughter and mother-in-law.
Violet Jackson
The matriarch serves as both a bridge to cultural heritage and a catalyst for confronting buried truths. Her well-intentioned but ultimately harmful advice to Evelyn demonstrates how even love-motivated choices can have devastating consequences.
Themes and Symbolism: Layers of Meaning
Identity and Belonging
The novel excels in exploring the complexity of biracial identity and the search for belonging. Through Kareela's experiences, Carr illustrates how racial identity isn't simply about appearance but encompasses culture, community, and personal choice.
Generational Trauma
The ripple effects of violence - from Jamaica's political unrest to police brutality in Canada - are powerfully depicted through three generations of the Jackson family. The author skillfully shows how trauma doesn't exist in isolation but creates patterns that affect entire families.
Silence and Secrets
The theme of silence as both protection and poison runs throughout the narrative. The cost of keeping secrets - whether about assault, identity, or grief - becomes a central focus that drives the plot forward.
Writing Style and Structure: Strengths and Weaknesses
Carr's prose is elegant and assured, though occasionally the multiple timelines can feel challenging to follow. The author excels at creating distinct voices for each character while maintaining a cohesive narrative thread. The use of Jamaican patois in Violet's dialogue adds authenticity but might challenge some readers.
Strengths:
- Rich, multifaceted characterization
- Powerful exploration of timely themes
- Authentic dialogue and cultural representation
- Skillful handling of difficult subjects
Areas for Improvement:
- Timeline transitions could be smoother
- Some plot threads feel slightly underdeveloped
- Secondary characters could use more depth
- Pacing occasionally uneven, particularly in the middle section
Social Commentary: Relevant and Resonant
The novel's exploration of systemic racism and police brutality feels particularly timely in our post-George Floyd world. However, Carr avoids sensationalism, instead focusing on the human cost of racial violence and the ways communities cope with trauma.
Impact and Significance: Why This Book Matters
We Rip the World Apart makes a significant contribution to contemporary literature about racial identity and family dynamics. Its nuanced portrayal of biracial experience and intergenerational trauma offers valuable insights for readers of all backgrounds.
Critical Analysis: Beyond the Surface
The novel's greatest strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers. Through Kareela's journey, Carr explores how identity is both inherited and chosen, how trauma can be both personal and political, and how healing requires both truth and forgiveness.
However, some readers might find the resolution slightly too neat, particularly regarding Kareela's decision about her pregnancy and her mother's eventual path toward healing.
Target Audience and Accessibility
While the novel will particularly resonate with readers interested in:
- Contemporary fiction about race and identity
- Stories about mother-daughter relationships
- Canadian literature
- Immigration narratives
It offers valuable insights for any reader interested in complex family dynamics and social issues.
Final Verdict: A Compelling Addition to Contemporary Literature
We Rip the World Apart is a good read for its ambitious scope, emotional depth, and skillful handling of complex themes. Despite minor structural issues, the novel succeeds in telling a powerful story that will stay with readers long after the final page.
Conclusion: The Power of Breaking Silence
We Rip the World Apart reminds us that healing often begins with speaking difficult truths. Through the intertwined stories of three generations of women, Carr creates a powerful testament to the importance of confronting both personal and societal trauma. While not perfect, the novel represents a significant achievement in contemporary literary fiction and marks Carr as an author to watch.
The book ultimately argues that while we cannot change the past, understanding it - and speaking its truths - can help us create a better future. This message, delivered through compelling characters and skilled storytelling, makes We Rip the World Apart a valuable addition to contemporary literature about race, identity, and family.
Plot Overview: A Family's Journey Through Time
The story centers around three generations of women: Kareela, a 24-year-old social worker grappling with an unexpected pregnancy; her mother Evelyn, who immigrated from Canada to Jamaica in the 1980s; and grandmother Violet, whose wisdom and connection to their Jamaican heritage becomes both a blessing and a complication. The narrative shifts between present-day Halifax and historical Toronto, revealing how past traumas and secrets shape current relationships and decisions.
Character Analysis: Complex Women in a Complex World
Kareela Jackson
The protagonist's journey of self-discovery is masterfully crafted. As a biracial woman who feels neither fully Black nor white, Kareela's struggle with identity resonates deeply. Her character development through confronting family secrets and making difficult choices about her pregnancy feels authentic and earned.
Evelyn Jackson
Perhaps the most tragic figure in the novel, Evelyn's transformation from an optimistic young immigrant to a emotionally distant mother showcases Carr's skill in depicting trauma's long-lasting effects. The revelation of her sexual assault and subsequent silence adds layers of complexity to her relationship with both her daughter and mother-in-law.
Violet Jackson
The matriarch serves as both a bridge to cultural heritage and a catalyst for confronting buried truths. Her well-intentioned but ultimately harmful advice to Evelyn demonstrates how even love-motivated choices can have devastating consequences.
Themes and Symbolism: Layers of Meaning
Identity and Belonging
The novel excels in exploring the complexity of biracial identity and the search for belonging. Through Kareela's experiences, Carr illustrates how racial identity isn't simply about appearance but encompasses culture, community, and personal choice.
Generational Trauma
The ripple effects of violence - from Jamaica's political unrest to police brutality in Canada - are powerfully depicted through three generations of the Jackson family. The author skillfully shows how trauma doesn't exist in isolation but creates patterns that affect entire families.
Silence and Secrets
The theme of silence as both protection and poison runs throughout the narrative. The cost of keeping secrets - whether about assault, identity, or grief - becomes a central focus that drives the plot forward.
Writing Style and Structure: Strengths and Weaknesses
Carr's prose is elegant and assured, though occasionally the multiple timelines can feel challenging to follow. The author excels at creating distinct voices for each character while maintaining a cohesive narrative thread. The use of Jamaican patois in Violet's dialogue adds authenticity but might challenge some readers.
Strengths:
- Rich, multifaceted characterization
- Powerful exploration of timely themes
- Authentic dialogue and cultural representation
- Skillful handling of difficult subjects
Areas for Improvement:
- Timeline transitions could be smoother
- Some plot threads feel slightly underdeveloped
- Secondary characters could use more depth
- Pacing occasionally uneven, particularly in the middle section
Social Commentary: Relevant and Resonant
The novel's exploration of systemic racism and police brutality feels particularly timely in our post-George Floyd world. However, Carr avoids sensationalism, instead focusing on the human cost of racial violence and the ways communities cope with trauma.
Impact and Significance: Why This Book Matters
We Rip the World Apart makes a significant contribution to contemporary literature about racial identity and family dynamics. Its nuanced portrayal of biracial experience and intergenerational trauma offers valuable insights for readers of all backgrounds.
Critical Analysis: Beyond the Surface
The novel's greatest strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers. Through Kareela's journey, Carr explores how identity is both inherited and chosen, how trauma can be both personal and political, and how healing requires both truth and forgiveness.
However, some readers might find the resolution slightly too neat, particularly regarding Kareela's decision about her pregnancy and her mother's eventual path toward healing.
Target Audience and Accessibility
While the novel will particularly resonate with readers interested in:
- Contemporary fiction about race and identity
- Stories about mother-daughter relationships
- Canadian literature
- Immigration narratives
It offers valuable insights for any reader interested in complex family dynamics and social issues.
Final Verdict: A Compelling Addition to Contemporary Literature
We Rip the World Apart is a good read for its ambitious scope, emotional depth, and skillful handling of complex themes. Despite minor structural issues, the novel succeeds in telling a powerful story that will stay with readers long after the final page.
Conclusion: The Power of Breaking Silence
We Rip the World Apart reminds us that healing often begins with speaking difficult truths. Through the intertwined stories of three generations of women, Carr creates a powerful testament to the importance of confronting both personal and societal trauma. While not perfect, the novel represents a significant achievement in contemporary literary fiction and marks Carr as an author to watch.
The book ultimately argues that while we cannot change the past, understanding it - and speaking its truths - can help us create a better future. This message, delivered through compelling characters and skilled storytelling, makes We Rip the World Apart a valuable addition to contemporary literature about race, identity, and family.
March 31, 2024
4.25
thank you harper collins for the review copy !
this was a very heartbreaking and frustrating book
frustrating bc of the way the world treated the characters
frustrating bc of all the what ifs in their stories
frustrating bc of all the things that should have been said, that i was yelling at them to say
and knowing that it was their generational trauma keeping them silent and festering was what made it so
heartbreaking
how mother to daughter to granddaughter do the same and fear the same and regret the same
love the way the story was crafted from grandma’s, mom’s, and daughter’s (mc) povs. and how story lines overlapped in time
thank you harper collins for the review copy !
this was a very heartbreaking and frustrating book
frustrating bc of the way the world treated the characters
frustrating bc of all the what ifs in their stories
frustrating bc of all the things that should have been said, that i was yelling at them to say
and knowing that it was their generational trauma keeping them silent and festering was what made it so
heartbreaking
how mother to daughter to granddaughter do the same and fear the same and regret the same
love the way the story was crafted from grandma’s, mom’s, and daughter’s (mc) povs. and how story lines overlapped in time
January 29, 2025
Special thanks to the author, @bookmarked for my gifted copy, & @recordedbooks for my ALC‼️
I have to give it to Ms.Carr she is without a doubt an amazing writer. If you’ve read Hold My Girl then you’ll understand why I say that after reading this book. She knows how to craft a story that will pull you in and fiddle with your emotions and make you think. Her stories and characters are always so complex to the point you don’t know if you should be angry with them for their choices or sympathize with them because certain things are out of their control.
The novel follows Kareela as she struggles to find her place in the world. Born half-Black and half-white she doesn’t feel she belongs or fits into either ethnic group. Then coming from a family who raised her to conform to society in order to make others comfortable. Kareela has lost her sense of identity and now being pregnant with a child she doesn’t know if she wants this kind of life for her baby.
When I first started reading this I literally had to restart the book out of confusion not realizing that all of the characters were connected. I did not agree with many of Evelyn’s choices for most of the book but in the end I found myself sympathizing with her a little. Don’t want to spoil it but you’ll see why she deserved a little sympathy which resulted in some of her actions. I felt she turned a blind eye to the experiences lived by her son Antony and daughter Kareela way too much.
It’s like she wanted to make the racism and discrimination they encountered less than what it was. Always making an excuse or having a reason for why someone may have stereotyped them. She couldn’t teach them what it meant to be Black (Jamaican) or how to carry themselves only how to blend in and not draw unwanted attention. Then their father Kingsley was a different story smh!!!
Overall, I did enjoy this book just not as much as Hold My Girl but it’s still a very thought-provoking read. The author delved deep into themes of motherhood, race, police brutality, self-identity, and generational trauma. If you’re looking for a good multigenerational story add this to your TBR.
Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
I have to give it to Ms.Carr she is without a doubt an amazing writer. If you’ve read Hold My Girl then you’ll understand why I say that after reading this book. She knows how to craft a story that will pull you in and fiddle with your emotions and make you think. Her stories and characters are always so complex to the point you don’t know if you should be angry with them for their choices or sympathize with them because certain things are out of their control.
The novel follows Kareela as she struggles to find her place in the world. Born half-Black and half-white she doesn’t feel she belongs or fits into either ethnic group. Then coming from a family who raised her to conform to society in order to make others comfortable. Kareela has lost her sense of identity and now being pregnant with a child she doesn’t know if she wants this kind of life for her baby.
When I first started reading this I literally had to restart the book out of confusion not realizing that all of the characters were connected. I did not agree with many of Evelyn’s choices for most of the book but in the end I found myself sympathizing with her a little. Don’t want to spoil it but you’ll see why she deserved a little sympathy which resulted in some of her actions. I felt she turned a blind eye to the experiences lived by her son Antony and daughter Kareela way too much.
It’s like she wanted to make the racism and discrimination they encountered less than what it was. Always making an excuse or having a reason for why someone may have stereotyped them. She couldn’t teach them what it meant to be Black (Jamaican) or how to carry themselves only how to blend in and not draw unwanted attention. Then their father Kingsley was a different story smh!!!
Overall, I did enjoy this book just not as much as Hold My Girl but it’s still a very thought-provoking read. The author delved deep into themes of motherhood, race, police brutality, self-identity, and generational trauma. If you’re looking for a good multigenerational story add this to your TBR.
Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
January 28, 2025
Charlene Carr’s bestselling novel, HOLD MY GIRL was one of my favorites of 2023, so naturally, I’ll be reading everything she writes from here on out. Her latest, WE RIP THE WORLD APART releases tomorrow, and trust me, you’re gonna want to grab a copy.
It’s told from the perspectives of three different women: Twenty-four-year-old Kareela, her mother, Evelyn, and Kareela’s grandmother, Violet. Their story is an emotional and heavy one that deals with some deep-rooted generational trauma involving some of their male family members.
Spanning decades, the reader learns how racism and prejudice has impacted the family for years. Through past and current events, we see firsthand the injustice inflicted upon Kareela’s brother and father. I truly appreciated the insight and history lesson on the Jamaican exodus in the 1980s, which I admittedly knew very little about. It made for a heartbreaking, yet informative and eye-opening read.
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Multiple POVs and timelines
- Multigenerational stories
- Reflections on motherhood
- Mother/daughter relationships
- Complex family dynamics
- Dealing with loss and grief
- Social justice activism
- Politically-charged novels
- Themes of race, identity, and belonging
If you found THE HATE U GIVE and CONCRETE ROSE by Angie Thomas impactful, then you don’t want to miss this one. It’s powerful, timely, and moving. I can’t recommend it enough. 4/5 solid stars for WE RIP THE WORLD APART! Out tomorrow, January 28th!
It’s told from the perspectives of three different women: Twenty-four-year-old Kareela, her mother, Evelyn, and Kareela’s grandmother, Violet. Their story is an emotional and heavy one that deals with some deep-rooted generational trauma involving some of their male family members.
Spanning decades, the reader learns how racism and prejudice has impacted the family for years. Through past and current events, we see firsthand the injustice inflicted upon Kareela’s brother and father. I truly appreciated the insight and history lesson on the Jamaican exodus in the 1980s, which I admittedly knew very little about. It made for a heartbreaking, yet informative and eye-opening read.
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Multiple POVs and timelines
- Multigenerational stories
- Reflections on motherhood
- Mother/daughter relationships
- Complex family dynamics
- Dealing with loss and grief
- Social justice activism
- Politically-charged novels
- Themes of race, identity, and belonging
If you found THE HATE U GIVE and CONCRETE ROSE by Angie Thomas impactful, then you don’t want to miss this one. It’s powerful, timely, and moving. I can’t recommend it enough. 4/5 solid stars for WE RIP THE WORLD APART! Out tomorrow, January 28th!
March 30, 2024
“He forgot who he was – in their eyes. He’d done the thing none of us should do, if we want to preserve our lives – see ourselves through our own gaze, not theirs.”
Phew, what an experience! I picked this book up because I loved Charlene Carr’s novel “Hold My Girl” and the synopsis of this story sounded intriguing. I had no idea the journey this book would take me on. As a white woman, I will never understand the pain, heartache and struggles that society’s injustices place on BIPOC; however, it is my job to open my eyes to it, to have empathy and to participate in the change our world needs. Through “We Rip the World Apart”, Charlene Carr uses her heartbreaking story- telling and emotional writing to give a devastating glimpse of the world for what it is, and the sequelae of events that occur after the actions done by others.
“But the fears the world held were bigger, stronger, than both of us.”
“How articles and talk shows on politics transformed into fighting in the street, guns, violence, bloodshed.”
The emotions this story evoked out of me had me on the verge of tears multiple times while reading about the family among these pages. Their loss and heartache after an act of police brutality were so palpable, resulting in a ripple effect of trauma, grief, desperation and acquiescence through three generations of women. The author did a great job in portraying the parallels between the shared and similar experiences of mother and daughter, showcasing the deep-rooted fear and uncertainty around the way the world did and still does view people of colour. This book focuses on the complexities and everlasting effects of grief; and how a separate event can derail your whole healing journey. Carr also ties in how societal views, hatred and fear can affect the actions, choices and ultimate sacrifices people of colour make to navigate a world that does not easily make space for them.
“I haven’t made waves, because I’ve seen what making waves does to men like me.”
“They “couldn’t care less,” but she felt certain that if her son had been white, they, the judicial system, the government, the media, would have cared a lot more.”
Carr poignantly captured the absolute agony and heartache of a mother, who carried the constant fear of trying to protect her children and ending up having to endure one of her biggest fears come true. The emotion and utter devastation written in Evelyn’s chapters was so believable; I could viscerally feel her broken heart from the moment she lost her son to the years following as she navigated her grief.
“Evelyn stepped toward the hole in the ground, stopped, knowing she couldn’t fling herself in the grave. That they’d pull her out. That even if she kicked and screamed, it would do no good. Still, she wanted to, to protect her son from those lumps of earth. If they had to fall on him, she wanted them to fall on her first.”
“Caressing the sheets the way she’d caressed his head, his back, so many times before. His smell wasn’t gone, but it almost was. It would be soon.”
Kareela was a difficult character to love throughout this book; however, I don’t feel like that is the point of her inclusion in the story. She was the daughter of parents who lost their son to police brutality. She grew up with the ramifications of that loss, with the fear her parents felt of Kareela sharing the same fate and the push for her to “be less black and more white” to prevent further destruction of their family. This trauma led to Kareela not knowing who she was; and while facing a life altering event, finally addressing the underlying trauma that shaped her decisions, growth as a person and reality of who she truly was.
“Even more, that I’m not the woman he’d want to do it with, if he really knew me. Which he doesn’t. I don’t know me.”
There were so many moments in this book I was so heartbroken about, for the consequential alterations this family went through after the loss of Antony. I had to put the book down many times, simply to collect my emotions. There was a complete destruction of a family, and reading about their happier moments while knowing what was to come, made it even more devastating.
“They were separate now, the bullets that tore through Antony tearing through the union she’d once thought unbreakable.”
“So broken and lost in our pain, our grief, our history, that we lost each other – the one thing that may have saved us.”
Throughout the chapters of this book, I caught myself thinking this is just fictional due to how emotionally charged it was. However, I reminded myself that though this is fiction, it is also lived experience. It is rooted in truth, research and evidence in the media. There is a deeply ingrained message within these pages, one that we need to listen to. If you’re uncomfortable reading this, you should be; because regardless of it being fictional, the actions in this book do happen in real life with traumatic consequences. We have work to do.
“It’s okay to cry. The whole world should.”
I did have a couple of issues with the book (the ending seemed a bit rushed, we were still learning some of the imperative history of these characters a little too close to the ending); however, overall, this will be a book I think about for months to come. It has left its emotional impact on me and for that reason alone, it is a 5 ⭐️ read. It isn’t a book for the faint of heart. It isn’t a happy ending, but rather an ending that is filled with hope. A hope for healing, a hope for finding oneself, a hope for change.
Phew, what an experience! I picked this book up because I loved Charlene Carr’s novel “Hold My Girl” and the synopsis of this story sounded intriguing. I had no idea the journey this book would take me on. As a white woman, I will never understand the pain, heartache and struggles that society’s injustices place on BIPOC; however, it is my job to open my eyes to it, to have empathy and to participate in the change our world needs. Through “We Rip the World Apart”, Charlene Carr uses her heartbreaking story- telling and emotional writing to give a devastating glimpse of the world for what it is, and the sequelae of events that occur after the actions done by others.
“But the fears the world held were bigger, stronger, than both of us.”
“How articles and talk shows on politics transformed into fighting in the street, guns, violence, bloodshed.”
The emotions this story evoked out of me had me on the verge of tears multiple times while reading about the family among these pages. Their loss and heartache after an act of police brutality were so palpable, resulting in a ripple effect of trauma, grief, desperation and acquiescence through three generations of women. The author did a great job in portraying the parallels between the shared and similar experiences of mother and daughter, showcasing the deep-rooted fear and uncertainty around the way the world did and still does view people of colour. This book focuses on the complexities and everlasting effects of grief; and how a separate event can derail your whole healing journey. Carr also ties in how societal views, hatred and fear can affect the actions, choices and ultimate sacrifices people of colour make to navigate a world that does not easily make space for them.
“I haven’t made waves, because I’ve seen what making waves does to men like me.”
“They “couldn’t care less,” but she felt certain that if her son had been white, they, the judicial system, the government, the media, would have cared a lot more.”
Carr poignantly captured the absolute agony and heartache of a mother, who carried the constant fear of trying to protect her children and ending up having to endure one of her biggest fears come true. The emotion and utter devastation written in Evelyn’s chapters was so believable; I could viscerally feel her broken heart from the moment she lost her son to the years following as she navigated her grief.
“Evelyn stepped toward the hole in the ground, stopped, knowing she couldn’t fling herself in the grave. That they’d pull her out. That even if she kicked and screamed, it would do no good. Still, she wanted to, to protect her son from those lumps of earth. If they had to fall on him, she wanted them to fall on her first.”
“Caressing the sheets the way she’d caressed his head, his back, so many times before. His smell wasn’t gone, but it almost was. It would be soon.”
Kareela was a difficult character to love throughout this book; however, I don’t feel like that is the point of her inclusion in the story. She was the daughter of parents who lost their son to police brutality. She grew up with the ramifications of that loss, with the fear her parents felt of Kareela sharing the same fate and the push for her to “be less black and more white” to prevent further destruction of their family. This trauma led to Kareela not knowing who she was; and while facing a life altering event, finally addressing the underlying trauma that shaped her decisions, growth as a person and reality of who she truly was.
“Even more, that I’m not the woman he’d want to do it with, if he really knew me. Which he doesn’t. I don’t know me.”
There were so many moments in this book I was so heartbroken about, for the consequential alterations this family went through after the loss of Antony. I had to put the book down many times, simply to collect my emotions. There was a complete destruction of a family, and reading about their happier moments while knowing what was to come, made it even more devastating.
“They were separate now, the bullets that tore through Antony tearing through the union she’d once thought unbreakable.”
“So broken and lost in our pain, our grief, our history, that we lost each other – the one thing that may have saved us.”
Throughout the chapters of this book, I caught myself thinking this is just fictional due to how emotionally charged it was. However, I reminded myself that though this is fiction, it is also lived experience. It is rooted in truth, research and evidence in the media. There is a deeply ingrained message within these pages, one that we need to listen to. If you’re uncomfortable reading this, you should be; because regardless of it being fictional, the actions in this book do happen in real life with traumatic consequences. We have work to do.
“It’s okay to cry. The whole world should.”
I did have a couple of issues with the book (the ending seemed a bit rushed, we were still learning some of the imperative history of these characters a little too close to the ending); however, overall, this will be a book I think about for months to come. It has left its emotional impact on me and for that reason alone, it is a 5 ⭐️ read. It isn’t a book for the faint of heart. It isn’t a happy ending, but rather an ending that is filled with hope. A hope for healing, a hope for finding oneself, a hope for change.
August 20, 2024
Charlene Carr presents a beautiful, difficult, wrenching, honest story of 24 year old Kareela, a mixed-race young adult trying to figure out her present, past and future. Kareela finds herself pregnant, and although her mate is mostly good and kind, she is not sure about him and/or the baby or herself.
Before Kareela came her mom Evelyn, and mother-in-law from Jamaica. Their personal stories are complex and prone to being misunderstood. Woven throughout is the mystery of what exactly happened to Kareela's brother.
There was a lot of self-exploration for the characters and really reflects how difficult it can be to unpack the realities of racism, the complexities of motherhood and so much more.
Before Kareela came her mom Evelyn, and mother-in-law from Jamaica. Their personal stories are complex and prone to being misunderstood. Woven throughout is the mystery of what exactly happened to Kareela's brother.
There was a lot of self-exploration for the characters and really reflects how difficult it can be to unpack the realities of racism, the complexities of motherhood and so much more.
March 3, 2025
This was a deeply emotional story about a mixed-race family attempting to navigate life in the aftermath of a death of a family member at the hands of police brutality.
This book explores themes of generational trauma, parenting, systemic racism, and self-discovery.
For me, it took a minute to get into the rhythm of the timelines and character changes. However, once it started to become more clear, the story did pick up! It was a heavy, but necessary story. No character was exempt from the impact of colorism and Blackness in a racist world. This is my second book by this author and I look forward to reading more from her.
This book explores themes of generational trauma, parenting, systemic racism, and self-discovery.
For me, it took a minute to get into the rhythm of the timelines and character changes. However, once it started to become more clear, the story did pick up! It was a heavy, but necessary story. No character was exempt from the impact of colorism and Blackness in a racist world. This is my second book by this author and I look forward to reading more from her.
May 4, 2025
I just loved this story. Multigenerational and spanning 30 odd years, we meet Violet, Evelyn & Kareela as their combined past, comes up to date with revelations, personal growth and secrets to share.
I loved the writing, the importance of retelling stories shaped by racism and how and who is impacted by it.
I loved the writing, the importance of retelling stories shaped by racism and how and who is impacted by it.
February 11, 2024
I read and loved Hold My Girl last month and I was so excited to read more from Charlene! I found out about this book the day it came out and dropped everything to go grab a copy.
Whew! A million stars 🌟 This book made me think AND feel. Told from the perspectives of 3 women across multiple timelines, this story explores motherhood, interracial relationships, parenting biracial children, systemic racism, police brutality, the BLM movement in Canada, finding a place to belong as someone who is half black half white, grief, love, and trauma.
Charlene Carr is a master storyteller.
There are many scenes I'll never forget. I had to step away often to process my thoughts and feelings.
I read the last two chapters through tears.
Thank you Charlene for writing this necessary and important story! A must-read!
Whew! A million stars 🌟 This book made me think AND feel. Told from the perspectives of 3 women across multiple timelines, this story explores motherhood, interracial relationships, parenting biracial children, systemic racism, police brutality, the BLM movement in Canada, finding a place to belong as someone who is half black half white, grief, love, and trauma.
Charlene Carr is a master storyteller.
There are many scenes I'll never forget. I had to step away often to process my thoughts and feelings.
I read the last two chapters through tears.
Thank you Charlene for writing this necessary and important story! A must-read!
July 31, 2024
An excellent read - the author wove the family stories through the generations together seamlessly. I loved every word.
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