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The Star Side of Bird Hill
Two sisters are suddenly sent from their home in Brooklyn to Barbados to live with their grandmother, in Naomi Jackson’s stunning debut novel
This lyrical novel of community, betrayal, and love centers on an unforgettable matriarchal family in Barbados. Two sisters, ages ten and sixteen, are exiled from Brooklyn to Bird Hill in Barbados after their mother can no longer care for them. The young Phaedra and her older sister, Dionne, live for the summer of 1989 with their grandmother Hyacinth, a midwife and practitioner of the local spiritual practice of obeah.
Dionne spends the summer in search of love, testing her grandmother’s limits, and wanting to go home. Phaedra explores Bird Hill, where her family has lived for generations, accompanies her grandmother in her role as a midwife, and investigates their mother’s mysterious life.
This tautly paced coming-of-age story builds to a crisis when the father they barely know comes to Bird Hill to reclaim his daughters, and both Phaedra and Dionne must choose between the Brooklyn they once knew and loved or the Barbados of their family.
Naomi Jackson’s Barbados and her characters are singular, especially the wise Hyacinth and the heartbreaking young Phaedra, who is coming into her own as a young woman amid the tumult of her family.
Praise for The Star Side of Bird Hill:
“Once in a while, you’ll stumble onto a book like this, one so poetic in its descriptions and so alive with lovable, frustrating, painfully real characters, that your emotional response to it becomes almost physical. . . . The dual coming-of-age story alone could melt the sternest of hearts, but Jackson’s exquisite prose is a marvel too. . . . A gem of a book.” —Entertainment Weekly (A)
This lyrical novel of community, betrayal, and love centers on an unforgettable matriarchal family in Barbados. Two sisters, ages ten and sixteen, are exiled from Brooklyn to Bird Hill in Barbados after their mother can no longer care for them. The young Phaedra and her older sister, Dionne, live for the summer of 1989 with their grandmother Hyacinth, a midwife and practitioner of the local spiritual practice of obeah.
Dionne spends the summer in search of love, testing her grandmother’s limits, and wanting to go home. Phaedra explores Bird Hill, where her family has lived for generations, accompanies her grandmother in her role as a midwife, and investigates their mother’s mysterious life.
This tautly paced coming-of-age story builds to a crisis when the father they barely know comes to Bird Hill to reclaim his daughters, and both Phaedra and Dionne must choose between the Brooklyn they once knew and loved or the Barbados of their family.
Naomi Jackson’s Barbados and her characters are singular, especially the wise Hyacinth and the heartbreaking young Phaedra, who is coming into her own as a young woman amid the tumult of her family.
Praise for The Star Side of Bird Hill:
“Once in a while, you’ll stumble onto a book like this, one so poetic in its descriptions and so alive with lovable, frustrating, painfully real characters, that your emotional response to it becomes almost physical. . . . The dual coming-of-age story alone could melt the sternest of hearts, but Jackson’s exquisite prose is a marvel too. . . . A gem of a book.” —Entertainment Weekly (A)
298 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2015
98 people are currently reading
7463 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Jackson
6 books204 followersNaomi Jackson is the author of a novel, The Star Side of Bird Hill. Star Side was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award and longlisted for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize, the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, and the International Dublin Literary Award. The Black Caucus of the American Library Association named Jackson’s novel an Honor Book for Fiction. Jackson studied fiction at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She traveled to South Africa on a Fulbright scholarship, where she received an M.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town. A graduate of Williams College, Jackson’s writings have appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s, The Washington Post, Virginia Quarterly Review, and The Caribbean Writer. She is the recipient of residencies and fellowships from Bread Loaf, MacDowell Colony, Djerassi, Hedgebrook, the University of Pennsylvania’s Kelly Writers House, Camargo Foundation, New York Foundation for the Arts, and Bronx Council on the Arts. Jackson is Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rutgers University-Newark.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
July 13, 2015
Lovely prose. Started strangely as if in the middle of a conversation but it quickly flowed into a gorgeous coming of age novel about two young girls sent to Barbados to live with their grandmother. What Jackson does especially well is capture the small island village where Dionne and Phaedra find themselves, and the tightly bound community they become a part of. Very memorable novel.
July 8, 2015
I wish I could think of a different way to say coming of age . The phrase is used so often to describe how children come to the verge of adulthood and they are usually taken there by some difficult events , but there's no getting around it . That's exactly what this story is about and how these characters face sadness , depression, death while trying to find a place in the world . Two sisters Phaedra aged 10 and Dionne aged 16 are forced to learn about and to face some harsh realities that life deals them . They are sent for the summer to Barbados to live with their grandmother , Hyacinth when their mother is unable to care for them.
At times it's easy to dislike 16 year old Dionne . She's angry and a little wild , but we see how caring she really is as we learn that she cared for her sister and tended to her incapacitated mother when they lived in Brooklyn . It is apparent that underneath the anger is a genuine sadness and it becomes apparent that she is more than a little lost . Phaedra , while precocious and smart is most times sweetly innocent and it's heartbreaking that she has to learn these tough things life has to offer at so young as she .
While slow at times , I always wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen to these girls especially after their irresponsible, father shows up. I loved Hyacinth who loves her granddaughters dearly . It a well written debut that depicts the customs and culture of Barbados as well as giving us a beautiful rendering of family and belonging amid sorrow and loss .
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP The Penguin Press and NetGalley.
July 19, 2015
I was very surprised, considering how well this book was written, to find out it is this authors first novel. The journey from childhood to adulthood is never easy, and it is especially difficult for Phaedra, aged ten and Dionne aged sixteen, when they are sent from Brooklyn to Barbados to stay the summer with their grandmother. Promised, by their mother, who has been in a depression, that she would be sending for them when summer was over.
My favorite character was Hyacinth, their grandmother, who is a midwife and practitioner of Obeah. Would like to have read more about these two things but the story is not really about her so much as about the girls and the adjustments they must make. Things are so different at Bird Hill, that at first the girls flounder, filled with resentment at being sent away. Phaedra will be the first to adjust, a young girl who seems at times wise above her years. Dione, who had taken care of her mother and her younger sister, has trouble with the idea of someone telling her what to do, taking care of her. A tragic event in the middle of the novel will have the girls scrambling to come to terms with the new circumstance that they must now face.
Wonderful, depth filled characters. The folklore and food, as well as the celebrations and stories, give the reader a vivid glimpse of Bird Hill. Wonderful first book and will be looking for more from this talented author.
My favorite character was Hyacinth, their grandmother, who is a midwife and practitioner of Obeah. Would like to have read more about these two things but the story is not really about her so much as about the girls and the adjustments they must make. Things are so different at Bird Hill, that at first the girls flounder, filled with resentment at being sent away. Phaedra will be the first to adjust, a young girl who seems at times wise above her years. Dione, who had taken care of her mother and her younger sister, has trouble with the idea of someone telling her what to do, taking care of her. A tragic event in the middle of the novel will have the girls scrambling to come to terms with the new circumstance that they must now face.
Wonderful, depth filled characters. The folklore and food, as well as the celebrations and stories, give the reader a vivid glimpse of Bird Hill. Wonderful first book and will be looking for more from this talented author.
June 27, 2015
This is a beautiful novel about family complexities-universal insights on growing up, and the
challenge of crumples.
When the two sisters leave for Barbados to live with their grandmother for the summer- the girls receive more steadiness of supervision, routines, chores, and rituals, than from their mother back in New York. The reader will wonder why....waiting to know more about the mystery of both parents.
Naomi Jackson takes us on a journey with each of the girls. Their characters - along with the
grandmother-are all so realistic you can see yourself in each of them. The reader can be age
10, or 16, or 63.
It's actually a little challenging to review this novel.., because I think much said
of anything, can spoil readers having their own experience. Its RICH IN
QUALITY... It will touch you deeply. It's a great book club discussion pick.
It could also be a wonderful movie!
My one criticism, is that I felt too many names were introduced at the start of the storytelling.
Several were minor characters that we didn't need to know yet. I would have liked to be more
familiar with the main characters first. However, the positives, of everything else, by far, out
weigh any negatives. Had I read the 'blurp' a little more closely, I would have been familiar with
the main characters names better.
Here's a quote .....a reminder to 'thyself', which I liked very much.
"Sixty-three years on this earth had taught Hyacinth that it wasn't so much the mistakes that people made but how flexible they were in their aftermath that made all the difference and how their lives turned out."
Parts will break your heart....and parts will tenderly mend your heart.
Thank you to Penguin Publishing, Netgalley, and Naomi Jackson
challenge of crumples.
When the two sisters leave for Barbados to live with their grandmother for the summer- the girls receive more steadiness of supervision, routines, chores, and rituals, than from their mother back in New York. The reader will wonder why....waiting to know more about the mystery of both parents.
Naomi Jackson takes us on a journey with each of the girls. Their characters - along with the
grandmother-are all so realistic you can see yourself in each of them. The reader can be age
10, or 16, or 63.
It's actually a little challenging to review this novel.., because I think much said
of anything, can spoil readers having their own experience. Its RICH IN
QUALITY... It will touch you deeply. It's a great book club discussion pick.
It could also be a wonderful movie!
My one criticism, is that I felt too many names were introduced at the start of the storytelling.
Several were minor characters that we didn't need to know yet. I would have liked to be more
familiar with the main characters first. However, the positives, of everything else, by far, out
weigh any negatives. Had I read the 'blurp' a little more closely, I would have been familiar with
the main characters names better.
Here's a quote .....a reminder to 'thyself', which I liked very much.
"Sixty-three years on this earth had taught Hyacinth that it wasn't so much the mistakes that people made but how flexible they were in their aftermath that made all the difference and how their lives turned out."
Parts will break your heart....and parts will tenderly mend your heart.
Thank you to Penguin Publishing, Netgalley, and Naomi Jackson
August 28, 2021
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The Star Side of Bird Hill is an enjoyable coming-of-age novel about two sisters, Dionne and Phaedra, who are sent off by their mother to spend their summer with their grandmother, Hyacinth, in a small town in Barbados. The girls' aren't too happy to leave Brooklyn, even if their homelife hasn't been great given that their mother, who is suffering from depression and no longer works, can't look after them (or herself for the matter). In Bird Hill they are forced to acclimatise to a different culture, and are often treated as foreign by their grandmother's community. Although Phaedra, who is 10, misses her mum, she soon grows attached to Hyacinth, especially once she learns how vital a role she plays in the community. Fifteen-year-old Dionne on the other hand, repeatedly clashes with Hyacinth and her rules. Even if she resents her mother, for having sent her away and for forcing her to take care of both her and Phaedra, she's clearly hurting.
As the summer goes by the two sisters adapt to life in Bird Hill. Phaedra, who is made fun of by other young girls for being a bit of a tomboy, finds fulfilment in learning more of her family's history and of her grandmother's job as a midwife. Dionne takes far longer to adjust to Bird Hill and their grandmother's presence. She flaunts her rules and seems intent on being as difficult as possible. After certain events happen, she too begins to reconcile herself with her life in Bird Hill and Hyacinth.
Throughout the course of the novel we are given flashbacks into the girls' childhood as well as the start and end of their mother's relationship with their father.
While the storyline is somewhat conventional of this 'coming-of-age' genre, the author injects vitality into her story thanks to the character of Hyacinth and the vividly rendered setting of Bird Hill. Hyacinth was a force of nature (and funny too: “Oh Lord, please deliver me from these Yankee children”). I loved her no-nonsense attitude and the many wisdoms she imparts on her granddaughters. Phaedra too was a likeable character (who likes reading Jamaica Kincaid, always a plus in my books), who had a clear personality from the get-go. Dionne, in comparison, was a far weaker character. She's very much the epitome of rebellious and angsty teenager who spends most of her time disrespecting her elders and thinking about sex. Which is fair enough, but because Hyacinth and Phaedra weren't relegated to their 'grandmother' or 'young child' role, Dionne's poor characterisation—which hinges on her being a teenager—stood out.
The writing was heavy on the 'telling' and light on the 'showing'. Conversations are summarised rather than being 'played' on the page, and because the third-person narrative switches from character-to-charcater the same events or information would be repeated over the course of a few pages. The flashbacks could have been better integrated within the narrative, as they often broke the flow of the story, and gave us chunks of backstory that could have been portioned out more uniformly.
Still, I liked reading about Bird Hill, Hyacinth, and Phaedra. And even if the story touches on topics such as mental illnesses, it did so without delving too deep in them, so that it maintained an overall lighthearted, if bittersweet, tone.
I would probably recommend it to readers who enjoyed Frying Plantain or other novel that focus on family relationships between women (mother/daughters, granddaughters/grandmothers).
“Loving a country besides the one you lived in was a recipe for disaster.”
The Star Side of Bird Hill is an enjoyable coming-of-age novel about two sisters, Dionne and Phaedra, who are sent off by their mother to spend their summer with their grandmother, Hyacinth, in a small town in Barbados. The girls' aren't too happy to leave Brooklyn, even if their homelife hasn't been great given that their mother, who is suffering from depression and no longer works, can't look after them (or herself for the matter). In Bird Hill they are forced to acclimatise to a different culture, and are often treated as foreign by their grandmother's community. Although Phaedra, who is 10, misses her mum, she soon grows attached to Hyacinth, especially once she learns how vital a role she plays in the community. Fifteen-year-old Dionne on the other hand, repeatedly clashes with Hyacinth and her rules. Even if she resents her mother, for having sent her away and for forcing her to take care of both her and Phaedra, she's clearly hurting.
As the summer goes by the two sisters adapt to life in Bird Hill. Phaedra, who is made fun of by other young girls for being a bit of a tomboy, finds fulfilment in learning more of her family's history and of her grandmother's job as a midwife. Dionne takes far longer to adjust to Bird Hill and their grandmother's presence. She flaunts her rules and seems intent on being as difficult as possible. After certain events happen, she too begins to reconcile herself with her life in Bird Hill and Hyacinth.
Throughout the course of the novel we are given flashbacks into the girls' childhood as well as the start and end of their mother's relationship with their father.
“You practice being one kind of thing too long, and soon enough that's who you become.”
While the storyline is somewhat conventional of this 'coming-of-age' genre, the author injects vitality into her story thanks to the character of Hyacinth and the vividly rendered setting of Bird Hill. Hyacinth was a force of nature (and funny too: “Oh Lord, please deliver me from these Yankee children”). I loved her no-nonsense attitude and the many wisdoms she imparts on her granddaughters. Phaedra too was a likeable character (who likes reading Jamaica Kincaid, always a plus in my books), who had a clear personality from the get-go. Dionne, in comparison, was a far weaker character. She's very much the epitome of rebellious and angsty teenager who spends most of her time disrespecting her elders and thinking about sex. Which is fair enough, but because Hyacinth and Phaedra weren't relegated to their 'grandmother' or 'young child' role, Dionne's poor characterisation—which hinges on her being a teenager—stood out.
The writing was heavy on the 'telling' and light on the 'showing'. Conversations are summarised rather than being 'played' on the page, and because the third-person narrative switches from character-to-charcater the same events or information would be repeated over the course of a few pages. The flashbacks could have been better integrated within the narrative, as they often broke the flow of the story, and gave us chunks of backstory that could have been portioned out more uniformly.
Still, I liked reading about Bird Hill, Hyacinth, and Phaedra. And even if the story touches on topics such as mental illnesses, it did so without delving too deep in them, so that it maintained an overall lighthearted, if bittersweet, tone.
I would probably recommend it to readers who enjoyed Frying Plantain or other novel that focus on family relationships between women (mother/daughters, granddaughters/grandmothers).
April 6, 2016
“Hyacinth said that it was a gift to greet a new day, and that you needed to meet it in a way that showed how grateful you were to have your life spared. “
This sentence, on page 29 of Naomi Jackson's 298 page beautiful and engaging novel, Star Side of Bird Hill, essentially sums up the entire story. It brings to light a cacophony of seasoned wisdom and lessons for the youth who believe they are invincible. Set in St. John, Barbados a town on the east side of the island full of spirit -- not just from the noted church that quietly but profoundly becomes a symbolic character (in my opinion), but from the inhabitants and the environment itself-- and subset in Brooklyn, New York, a massive borough redefined by emotional overload and a chaotically profound Renaissance, the story follows the lives of two girls, sisters, Dionne and Phaedra and their transition between two worlds that hold the distinct similarity of having family in both and Hyacinth, their feisty, conscientious grandmother.
Star Side of Bird Hill burst through my senses from the opening lines like a blazing sun on the clear Caribbean Sea, glistening beautifully blue; alluring, passionate and inviting. I completed the reading of Star Side…, cruising toward the Bahamas enveloped by tropical breezes and the pungently sweet smell of the Atlantic Ocean. Periodically, I’d close my eyes and lose myself in Hyacinth’s rose garden, or among the tombstones, or on dirt roads that led to an amazing sandy beachfront. Through effortless story telling, Naomi takes her readers on that journey, that smooth yet complex cruise, through thunderous storms and sweltering heat, docking, ultimately, in paradise.
The star of the novel, the one character that demonstrates the greatest growth and development is difficult to exact, but Phaedra, who at ten, is taken through an emotional whirlwind of familial dynamics, presents an omnipotence that Jackson eases in like air. Led by the antics of her older sister, Dionne, Phaedra is endowed with the benefit of seeing the tale of two cities through three sets of generational eyes. Late night antics, fitting into an unfamiliar environment, religious influences, and community camaraderie, shape her into a child who never truly loses her innocence, but rapidly matures and opts to become a member of the new world in which she finds herself. For this, we adore her, sometimes forgetting that she is still very young. Jackson gently but deliberately weaves a story that encapsulates the reader in the traditions of the "old country" and meshes it with the "new” generation from the states. She brings into the fold the challenges of mental illness and that subject remains subtle but constant, effectively helping to shape the understanding of personalities and events.
The novel covers the relationship of three female family members, a grandmother and her two grand-daughters, during what was initially a summer visit (this after Avril’s demons go awry). With masterful and vivid descriptions, Jackson allows us into the daily and sometimes challenging lives of the women; allows us to venture through that forbidden door, and plant ourselves in a quiet corner. The reader is provided a journey into the complex simplicity of love, honor, tradition, and growth. The matriarch, Hyacinth (grandmother), a woman steeped in Bajan traditions yet keen to the understanding of the present, shows the reader the depth of her strength and conviction to her church. She loves her granddaughters with the same love she has for her daughter, their mother. Her life has been filled with matters that made her strong, but, from my perspective, weakened enough of her resolve to soften her. The girls visit was a renewal, a breath of air, and the progressive tone of the story reflects that renaissance. The reader thus imbibes the lives of all of these characters.
Jackson produces an amazing tale filled with a kaleidoscope of emotion and depth with one exception, the introduction of Errol, the father of Dionne and Phaedra. Errol is plastic, pathetic, predictable, conniving, and, as a character, surprisingly one dimensional. Arriving with his girlfriend to retrieve the girls, his methods and remarks are un-fatherly. Errol is the portrait of a snake, a tempter, a charmer, a sly beast adorning sleekly howling attire. His past isn’t hidden, not completely, which makes him even more sinister than, and just as transparent as, the beaches surrounding Barbados. Naomi Jackson made Errol colorful, but he was a backdrop, an added feature to secure the looming apparition of mental illness. With alacrity, his character meets his end in a way that many may see as an easy way out, but suitable for his nature.
There is so much lurking, a virtual cacophony of coyly placed events, like an omnipotent eye, throughout Star Side…, from remarks about darkening skin (via direct sun exposure) and trials of life, to drunkenness on darkened roads and carefully described sexual and spiritual exploration (yes, I saw these as one in the same).
I’ve read the book twice, each time getting a tall glass more than the previous read. I’ve scanned for quotes, lost myself in the mystery of gravesites, dark nights, teen spirit, and innuendoes. The book was endless, even as I read these last few lines about Phaedra:
“What she wanted more than anything was to believe what Avril had taught her, was true, that she could save herself if she needed to.”
Simply put: Full Circle.
Thank you, Naomi Jackson, for a voyage that left me satiated and eager for the next beautiful jaunt!
This sentence, on page 29 of Naomi Jackson's 298 page beautiful and engaging novel, Star Side of Bird Hill, essentially sums up the entire story. It brings to light a cacophony of seasoned wisdom and lessons for the youth who believe they are invincible. Set in St. John, Barbados a town on the east side of the island full of spirit -- not just from the noted church that quietly but profoundly becomes a symbolic character (in my opinion), but from the inhabitants and the environment itself-- and subset in Brooklyn, New York, a massive borough redefined by emotional overload and a chaotically profound Renaissance, the story follows the lives of two girls, sisters, Dionne and Phaedra and their transition between two worlds that hold the distinct similarity of having family in both and Hyacinth, their feisty, conscientious grandmother.
Star Side of Bird Hill burst through my senses from the opening lines like a blazing sun on the clear Caribbean Sea, glistening beautifully blue; alluring, passionate and inviting. I completed the reading of Star Side…, cruising toward the Bahamas enveloped by tropical breezes and the pungently sweet smell of the Atlantic Ocean. Periodically, I’d close my eyes and lose myself in Hyacinth’s rose garden, or among the tombstones, or on dirt roads that led to an amazing sandy beachfront. Through effortless story telling, Naomi takes her readers on that journey, that smooth yet complex cruise, through thunderous storms and sweltering heat, docking, ultimately, in paradise.
The star of the novel, the one character that demonstrates the greatest growth and development is difficult to exact, but Phaedra, who at ten, is taken through an emotional whirlwind of familial dynamics, presents an omnipotence that Jackson eases in like air. Led by the antics of her older sister, Dionne, Phaedra is endowed with the benefit of seeing the tale of two cities through three sets of generational eyes. Late night antics, fitting into an unfamiliar environment, religious influences, and community camaraderie, shape her into a child who never truly loses her innocence, but rapidly matures and opts to become a member of the new world in which she finds herself. For this, we adore her, sometimes forgetting that she is still very young. Jackson gently but deliberately weaves a story that encapsulates the reader in the traditions of the "old country" and meshes it with the "new” generation from the states. She brings into the fold the challenges of mental illness and that subject remains subtle but constant, effectively helping to shape the understanding of personalities and events.
The novel covers the relationship of three female family members, a grandmother and her two grand-daughters, during what was initially a summer visit (this after Avril’s demons go awry). With masterful and vivid descriptions, Jackson allows us into the daily and sometimes challenging lives of the women; allows us to venture through that forbidden door, and plant ourselves in a quiet corner. The reader is provided a journey into the complex simplicity of love, honor, tradition, and growth. The matriarch, Hyacinth (grandmother), a woman steeped in Bajan traditions yet keen to the understanding of the present, shows the reader the depth of her strength and conviction to her church. She loves her granddaughters with the same love she has for her daughter, their mother. Her life has been filled with matters that made her strong, but, from my perspective, weakened enough of her resolve to soften her. The girls visit was a renewal, a breath of air, and the progressive tone of the story reflects that renaissance. The reader thus imbibes the lives of all of these characters.
Jackson produces an amazing tale filled with a kaleidoscope of emotion and depth with one exception, the introduction of Errol, the father of Dionne and Phaedra. Errol is plastic, pathetic, predictable, conniving, and, as a character, surprisingly one dimensional. Arriving with his girlfriend to retrieve the girls, his methods and remarks are un-fatherly. Errol is the portrait of a snake, a tempter, a charmer, a sly beast adorning sleekly howling attire. His past isn’t hidden, not completely, which makes him even more sinister than, and just as transparent as, the beaches surrounding Barbados. Naomi Jackson made Errol colorful, but he was a backdrop, an added feature to secure the looming apparition of mental illness. With alacrity, his character meets his end in a way that many may see as an easy way out, but suitable for his nature.
There is so much lurking, a virtual cacophony of coyly placed events, like an omnipotent eye, throughout Star Side…, from remarks about darkening skin (via direct sun exposure) and trials of life, to drunkenness on darkened roads and carefully described sexual and spiritual exploration (yes, I saw these as one in the same).
I’ve read the book twice, each time getting a tall glass more than the previous read. I’ve scanned for quotes, lost myself in the mystery of gravesites, dark nights, teen spirit, and innuendoes. The book was endless, even as I read these last few lines about Phaedra:
“What she wanted more than anything was to believe what Avril had taught her, was true, that she could save herself if she needed to.”
Simply put: Full Circle.
Thank you, Naomi Jackson, for a voyage that left me satiated and eager for the next beautiful jaunt!
June 24, 2015
The Star Side of Bird Hill is a lovely well written book with a good story -- although readers should know it has a sad undercurrent with a very sad event right in the middle. It's the 1980s, and Dionne and Phaedra are sent from Brooklyn to live with their grandmother in Barbados because their mother Avril has essentially fallen apart and can't look after them. Dionne is 16, and she finds Barbados very staid compared to Brooklyn. Phaedra is 10 and misses her mother but is happy to enjoy the safe place offered by her grandmother. The themes are familiar -- dislocation, coming of age in between two cultures, family dissolution -- but the execution is really well done. Jackson writes beautifully -- her writing is a bit lyrical and stream of consciousness, flitting around in time and from different points of view, but none of which is overdone. And I really enjoyed the characters, especially Phaedra -- who tries to make sense of her world -- and her grandmother Hyancinth -- sometimes harsh but full of love, wisdom and great sayings. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
July 7, 2015
I can't remember the last time a book made me laugh AND cry. Loved, loved, LOVED the characters in this book.
Read
July 1, 2015I feel like the descriptions of this book revealed too much, so I'm just going to tell you a little and then wave my arms in the air like Kermit because, holy cats, this novel is wonderful. It's a great summer in Brooklyn, but Phaedra and her older sister, Dionne have been shipped off to Barbardos to stay with the grandmother they hardly know. The girls' mother is suffering from depression, and thinks the trip will do them good. The girls try to adjust to the unfamiliar ways of the island, while their grandmother Hyacinth attempts to help raise them and keep them close in a way she didn't with their mother. This book is wonderful, and lyrical, a really stellar debut. (I declare 2015 The Year of the Debut Novel, because wow, there have been so many amazing ones!)
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December 18, 2024
Updated for BookOfCinz Book Club
I re-read this book and loved it event more! I think the Grandmother is absolutely amazing.
For a debut novel this was really amazing. It is clear from Jackson's authors list in her acknowledgment that she is in great company.
I would have loved to give this book a higher ratings but there were somethings I could not see pass. What I absolutely LOVED about this novel is how it genuinely captures the island of Barbados. As a Jamaican, living in Trinidad and visited Barbados at least three times, I can say Jackson know her island. There was something magical and tropical about Jackson's writing that I loved.
I am really looking forward to her second book. If you are a Caribbean national, you will love this authentic piece of gem!
I re-read this book and loved it event more! I think the Grandmother is absolutely amazing.
For a debut novel this was really amazing. It is clear from Jackson's authors list in her acknowledgment that she is in great company.
I would have loved to give this book a higher ratings but there were somethings I could not see pass. What I absolutely LOVED about this novel is how it genuinely captures the island of Barbados. As a Jamaican, living in Trinidad and visited Barbados at least three times, I can say Jackson know her island. There was something magical and tropical about Jackson's writing that I loved.
I am really looking forward to her second book. If you are a Caribbean national, you will love this authentic piece of gem!
August 13, 2015
I was hoping this book would charm me more than it did, but it was still a well-written book about the power of family and the strength we find in times of despair.
When their mother's depression becomes too much for her to bear, 16-year-old Dionne and 10-year-old Phaedra are sent to live in Barbados for the summer with Hyacinth, the eccentric but strong-willed grandmother they barely know. Hyacinth, a midwife, is a pillar of the community, although some treat her differently because she also practices the spiritual rituals of obeah.
For Dionne, the summer in Barbados is both a punishment and a blessing. She does everything she can to avoid her grandmother's watchful eye as she tests her boundaries and explores her burgeoning sexuality, although she recognizes the emotional toll that takes. But at the same time, it is a bit of a relief to not have to care for Phaedra herself, or deal the burdens of living with a severely depressed mother.
"She knew intimately the precarious nature of their life, the way that it depended on a series of carefully constructed lies, the ones she told to get meat on credit at the butcher at the end of the month when her mother's money ran out; the ones she told to fend off her and Phaedra's teachers' suspicions; the ones she told to keep her friends from coming over to her house, and seeing her mother."
Phaedra is having a harder time, trying to understand the reasons her mother became ill and whether she will inherit those traits. In an effort to learn more about her grandmother's midwifery and her obeah practices, she confronts the knottiness of adult secrets, and realizes that as much as the excitement of getting older appeals to her, the risks frighten her a bit. She, too, is torn between the magic of Barbados and missing her mother.
The Star Side of Bird Hill is populated by rich, colorful characters, and Naomi Jackson's vivid descriptions of Barbados definitely bring its landscape, its culture, and its people to life. But while the story is interesting, its pieces fell into place a little too neatly and predictably for me, and it didn't hold my interest as much as I hoped it would. Still, this is a moving, thought-provoking book, which captures the emotional turmoil of growing up amidst crises as well as the strength a parent needs to love a child who is troubled.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
When their mother's depression becomes too much for her to bear, 16-year-old Dionne and 10-year-old Phaedra are sent to live in Barbados for the summer with Hyacinth, the eccentric but strong-willed grandmother they barely know. Hyacinth, a midwife, is a pillar of the community, although some treat her differently because she also practices the spiritual rituals of obeah.
For Dionne, the summer in Barbados is both a punishment and a blessing. She does everything she can to avoid her grandmother's watchful eye as she tests her boundaries and explores her burgeoning sexuality, although she recognizes the emotional toll that takes. But at the same time, it is a bit of a relief to not have to care for Phaedra herself, or deal the burdens of living with a severely depressed mother.
"She knew intimately the precarious nature of their life, the way that it depended on a series of carefully constructed lies, the ones she told to get meat on credit at the butcher at the end of the month when her mother's money ran out; the ones she told to fend off her and Phaedra's teachers' suspicions; the ones she told to keep her friends from coming over to her house, and seeing her mother."
Phaedra is having a harder time, trying to understand the reasons her mother became ill and whether she will inherit those traits. In an effort to learn more about her grandmother's midwifery and her obeah practices, she confronts the knottiness of adult secrets, and realizes that as much as the excitement of getting older appeals to her, the risks frighten her a bit. She, too, is torn between the magic of Barbados and missing her mother.
The Star Side of Bird Hill is populated by rich, colorful characters, and Naomi Jackson's vivid descriptions of Barbados definitely bring its landscape, its culture, and its people to life. But while the story is interesting, its pieces fell into place a little too neatly and predictably for me, and it didn't hold my interest as much as I hoped it would. Still, this is a moving, thought-provoking book, which captures the emotional turmoil of growing up amidst crises as well as the strength a parent needs to love a child who is troubled.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
July 23, 2015
This poignant coming of age story combines lyrical writing with a realistic earthiness, occasionally it’s slightly too earthy for my tastes, and it features two sisters, Phaedra age 10 and Dionne age 16, whose plans for the summer are upended when their barely functioning mother sends them a world away, from Brooklyn to Barbados, to live with their grandmother, a midwife and herbalist, skills that have been passed down in their family since the times of enslavement. Caribbean culture and the sisters’ new lives on Bird Hill are beautifully and believable evoked, the characters are almost achingly real, and the story held me more and more in thrall as I went on.
In reading reviews, one thing that surprised me is some of the reactions to the cover art. The author chose the image from a painting titled “Too Much Makeup” because the wary girl it depicts reminds her of 16-year-old Dionne, who continued to wear makeup in Barbados as a kind of armor and a connection to the life she was forced away from in Brooklyn, but a number of reviewers on Amazon and other sites have made a point of saying they hate the it. I’m generally partial to all things colorful and I like the cover art, especially since the author’s description helped me see Dionne in it. What do you think?
In reading reviews, one thing that surprised me is some of the reactions to the cover art. The author chose the image from a painting titled “Too Much Makeup” because the wary girl it depicts reminds her of 16-year-old Dionne, who continued to wear makeup in Barbados as a kind of armor and a connection to the life she was forced away from in Brooklyn, but a number of reviewers on Amazon and other sites have made a point of saying they hate the it. I’m generally partial to all things colorful and I like the cover art, especially since the author’s description helped me see Dionne in it. What do you think?
July 27, 2016
!!! https://africanbookaddict.com/2016/07...
I bought this late last year partly because of the sassy book cover and because Naomi Jackson (the author) is an alum of Williams College - Middlebury's (my alma mater) sister liberal arts school in the boonies! This was a very decent coming-of-age story. I liked Naomi's easy-going and descriptive writing style. Her descriptions of Barbados definitely make this a great summer read. I felt like I was with the characters on the sandy beaches and I could even hear the voices of both Dionne and Phaedra in this book - that's how thorough Naomi's descriptions are.
I didn't expect this book to be as deep as it was. Issues of depression, mental illness, death, divorce, suicide, homosexuality, bi-cultural upbringing, Christianity, voodoo etc are all tackled in this book. I really admired the strength of Hyacinth - Dionne and Phaedra's grandma. I love books that highlight the strength of women! Some of the incidences in the book seemed far-fetched and I definitely have some questions to ask Naomi Jackson if I ever get the chance to meet her. I sensed some similarities in this storyline to Danticat's 'Breath, Eyes, Memory' - even though Danticat took the themes of mother-daughter relationships, depression, sexual assault and suicide to another (mature) level...
More on africanbookaddict.com!
I bought this late last year partly because of the sassy book cover and because Naomi Jackson (the author) is an alum of Williams College - Middlebury's (my alma mater) sister liberal arts school in the boonies! This was a very decent coming-of-age story. I liked Naomi's easy-going and descriptive writing style. Her descriptions of Barbados definitely make this a great summer read. I felt like I was with the characters on the sandy beaches and I could even hear the voices of both Dionne and Phaedra in this book - that's how thorough Naomi's descriptions are.
I didn't expect this book to be as deep as it was. Issues of depression, mental illness, death, divorce, suicide, homosexuality, bi-cultural upbringing, Christianity, voodoo etc are all tackled in this book. I really admired the strength of Hyacinth - Dionne and Phaedra's grandma. I love books that highlight the strength of women! Some of the incidences in the book seemed far-fetched and I definitely have some questions to ask Naomi Jackson if I ever get the chance to meet her. I sensed some similarities in this storyline to Danticat's 'Breath, Eyes, Memory' - even though Danticat took the themes of mother-daughter relationships, depression, sexual assault and suicide to another (mature) level...
More on africanbookaddict.com!
July 10, 2015
I received a copy from this from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was happy to come across this book, because in my quest to read a book from every country, I had yet to find one from Barbados. The two sisters in the novel, Dionne (16) and Phaedra (10) move from Brooklyn to Barbados to live with their grandmother. There is a bit in there about the contrast between homes (in the states you get to decide what/who you're going to be, and "on the hill" who you are is who your people have been) and cultures, and both girls struggle to fit in either place.
Their mother suffers from mental illness, and the story sometimes dips into events of the past to explain some of that context. The grandmother is an important character, teaching them about the old ways and how to be strong, whether or not they want to hear it.
It was interesting to me to see the similarities between the people presented in this novel with other novels I've read from the Caribbean, and then the small details that make Barbados distinct.
I was happy to come across this book, because in my quest to read a book from every country, I had yet to find one from Barbados. The two sisters in the novel, Dionne (16) and Phaedra (10) move from Brooklyn to Barbados to live with their grandmother. There is a bit in there about the contrast between homes (in the states you get to decide what/who you're going to be, and "on the hill" who you are is who your people have been) and cultures, and both girls struggle to fit in either place.
Their mother suffers from mental illness, and the story sometimes dips into events of the past to explain some of that context. The grandmother is an important character, teaching them about the old ways and how to be strong, whether or not they want to hear it.
It was interesting to me to see the similarities between the people presented in this novel with other novels I've read from the Caribbean, and then the small details that make Barbados distinct.
July 5, 2020
Such a subtle stunner steeped in Caribbean culture and mores. But I can't help but feel sore about Donna, a fat girl child Jackson found hard to envision outside of a connection to food.
September 5, 2020
Cute! Definitely recommend.
September 27, 2015
A year or two back, I vowed I'd read more multicultural stuff and more books by women authors. While I can't say I've gone gangbusters on the vow, I can say progress has been made. This here is a "twofer." Naomi Jackson gives us the story of two Brooklyn, NY, girls who are sent by their overwhelmed mother to Grandma Hyacinth in Barbados. To say life is different on the island is understatement.
Dionne is a willful 16 and her little sister Phaedra a sensitive and precocious ten when they meet their witch doctor-like grandma, who is as full of sayings and homespun wisdom as she is cures from herbs and roots. It is especially rough for Dionne, who is coming into her body and curious as a cat about the body electrics known as boys. Grandma does her best to prevent any power surges, but hormones will have their way. Meanwhile, Phaedra's just taking it all in -- the wonder that is her scheming older sister, her mysterious grandmother, the unusual tropical island.
Up in Brooklyn, Mom remains a distant mystery and a too-close-for-comfort memory on the island where she herself grew up. Her presence is palpable throughout the pages.
Best thing about the book? Hyacinth. This is one strong lady, despite her 63 years. Lots of personality and will to match Dionne's. You might want a ringside seat. And when the girls' long-disappeared daddy reappears to "take the girls" it's tropical fireworks. Overall, interesting. Some semblance of plot perks up toward the end, but other than that, you're in for a character study with poetic outbursts here and there.
Dionne is a willful 16 and her little sister Phaedra a sensitive and precocious ten when they meet their witch doctor-like grandma, who is as full of sayings and homespun wisdom as she is cures from herbs and roots. It is especially rough for Dionne, who is coming into her body and curious as a cat about the body electrics known as boys. Grandma does her best to prevent any power surges, but hormones will have their way. Meanwhile, Phaedra's just taking it all in -- the wonder that is her scheming older sister, her mysterious grandmother, the unusual tropical island.
Up in Brooklyn, Mom remains a distant mystery and a too-close-for-comfort memory on the island where she herself grew up. Her presence is palpable throughout the pages.
Best thing about the book? Hyacinth. This is one strong lady, despite her 63 years. Lots of personality and will to match Dionne's. You might want a ringside seat. And when the girls' long-disappeared daddy reappears to "take the girls" it's tropical fireworks. Overall, interesting. Some semblance of plot perks up toward the end, but other than that, you're in for a character study with poetic outbursts here and there.
October 25, 2022
Naomi Jackson is another whippersnapper, like Nicole Krauss (History of Love), who is wise beyond her handful of years. This bittersweet story about girls and women and women and girls and time and loss and the disguises of love focusses on two sisters who are worlds apart.
One sister, with the exquisite, improbable name Phaedra treads slowly, consciously, tactilely like a blind old soul carrying ancient wounds whose origins have been forgotten but whose pains remain. She seems, at times, to have a sensate gift, a knowledge of others gained by observation, smell? aura? Something others don’t observe; that doesn’t necessarily protect her, but may forewarn her.
The other sister is full of rage and full of lust - both undirected, often interchangeable.
“Dionne was the kind of girl who always wanted to be prepared for the event of someone else’s judgment, even a stranger’s.”
Both are children of unfortunate adults above which they’ll need to rise. During which the unknowns that land in their path force them to learn who they are & will be. And their reactions; what catalyzes tenderness, anger, insight, love, running away and coming home - all make this a must read.
One sister, with the exquisite, improbable name Phaedra treads slowly, consciously, tactilely like a blind old soul carrying ancient wounds whose origins have been forgotten but whose pains remain. She seems, at times, to have a sensate gift, a knowledge of others gained by observation, smell? aura? Something others don’t observe; that doesn’t necessarily protect her, but may forewarn her.
The other sister is full of rage and full of lust - both undirected, often interchangeable.
“Dionne was the kind of girl who always wanted to be prepared for the event of someone else’s judgment, even a stranger’s.”
Both are children of unfortunate adults above which they’ll need to rise. During which the unknowns that land in their path force them to learn who they are & will be. And their reactions; what catalyzes tenderness, anger, insight, love, running away and coming home - all make this a must read.
April 21, 2015
The Starry Side of Bird Hill is a coming of age story for Brooklynites Dionne, a headstrong, boy-crazy teen and her younger, tomboy sister, Phaedra. Their parents are first generation Bajan immigrants who struggle with becoming acclimated to each other, their new country, and realizing their dreams. The increasing pressures and challenges negatively affect their marriage (which eventually fails) and homelife for their children take a turn for the worse. The siblings are sent to their sagacious maternal grandmother, Hyacinth, an obeah midwife, in Barbados for the summer and while a restless Dionne rebels, Phaedra settles in nicely.
Drama and more tragedy ensue forcing their long lost father to return to Barbados to reclaim the girls and take them to return to Miami, Florida. Dionne relishes the offer while Phaedra and Hyacinth are reluctant - the family unit is threatened, yet decisions must be made rather quickly.
The story submerges the reader in island culture, food, festivals/holiday, folklore - aspects I really enjoyed. This is a lyrical tale steeped in family values and love. A notable debut that young adults and mature readers will enjoy.
Drama and more tragedy ensue forcing their long lost father to return to Barbados to reclaim the girls and take them to return to Miami, Florida. Dionne relishes the offer while Phaedra and Hyacinth are reluctant - the family unit is threatened, yet decisions must be made rather quickly.
The story submerges the reader in island culture, food, festivals/holiday, folklore - aspects I really enjoyed. This is a lyrical tale steeped in family values and love. A notable debut that young adults and mature readers will enjoy.
March 28, 2017
Sigh. I am such a sucker for books around immigrants, belonging and a sense of family. But I guess for every White Teeth, there is a The Star Side of Bird Hill. I wanted to like everything about this, the uprooting of Dionne and Phaedra from their lives in Brooklyn to the island of Barbados and the foot of Bird Hill, the mystery surrounding their mother's illness and their father's departure and their own family history, filled with magic of the literal and metaphorical kind. I wanted to read this coming of age tale about the clash between modernity and old ways of life and feel transported to somewhere different. Instead, I got a disjointed story that didn't know whether it wanted to be family drama or bittersweet comedy.
The story follows Dionne, a headstrong sixteen year old and her sister Phaedra, who are sent by their mother Avril to live in Bird Hill with their grandmother Hyacinth. Their mother is depressed and her marriage has fallen apart, but she believes that some time apart from her daughters will help her and put them both in touch with their heritage. The way of life in Bird Hill is a mash up of faith in God (they attend Vocational Bible Studies) and one in the old ways, portrayed by their grandmother, part witch woman and part midwife, a keeper of the hill's secrets and a soother of wounds. The girls rebel against this way of life, whether through exploring their sexuality or becoming more and more reclusive. But tragedy strikes the family and they are all left floundering, having to rely on one another for support and love. On paper, it sounds great, but in practice it ends up being a mess, as I couldn't connect with either character and found both their "voices" to be shallow and annoying.
The plot also meanders, reading a lot like disjointed scenes that Jackson thought sounded great but which really fall flat. The worst part in all of this is that her writing isn't terrible, and there are small bits where I genuinely felt sad, where I could sympathise with Dionne's plight and feel sorry for Phaedra's outsider status. I also had immense pity for Avril, someone who wants so much, cares so much and whose demons are just too strong to fight. When the inevitable came, I was both shocked and ready for it and its fallout. But the one thing that annoyed me beyond belief was Errol, the girls' father. I could deal with his absence and the fact that he couldn't save Avril and left, but it's like Jackson wanted to demonise him further, to really make sure I hated him; he's a philanderer and a homophobe, he's an alcoholic who doesn't seem to genuinely care about his daughters, but when she revealed that , I pretty much threw in the towel. It just came out of the blue and for nothing more than shock value.
As far as I'm concerned, there are better stories than this out there. It's not an offensive book, but it's also not one I could recommend to anyone I know. If you want to read coming of age tales about immigrants and their children, go to Zadie Smith before Naomi Jackson.
The story follows Dionne, a headstrong sixteen year old and her sister Phaedra, who are sent by their mother Avril to live in Bird Hill with their grandmother Hyacinth. Their mother is depressed and her marriage has fallen apart, but she believes that some time apart from her daughters will help her and put them both in touch with their heritage. The way of life in Bird Hill is a mash up of faith in God (they attend Vocational Bible Studies) and one in the old ways, portrayed by their grandmother, part witch woman and part midwife, a keeper of the hill's secrets and a soother of wounds. The girls rebel against this way of life, whether through exploring their sexuality or becoming more and more reclusive. But tragedy strikes the family and they are all left floundering, having to rely on one another for support and love. On paper, it sounds great, but in practice it ends up being a mess, as I couldn't connect with either character and found both their "voices" to be shallow and annoying.
The plot also meanders, reading a lot like disjointed scenes that Jackson thought sounded great but which really fall flat. The worst part in all of this is that her writing isn't terrible, and there are small bits where I genuinely felt sad, where I could sympathise with Dionne's plight and feel sorry for Phaedra's outsider status. I also had immense pity for Avril, someone who wants so much, cares so much and whose demons are just too strong to fight. When the inevitable came, I was both shocked and ready for it and its fallout. But the one thing that annoyed me beyond belief was Errol, the girls' father. I could deal with his absence and the fact that he couldn't save Avril and left, but it's like Jackson wanted to demonise him further, to really make sure I hated him; he's a philanderer and a homophobe, he's an alcoholic who doesn't seem to genuinely care about his daughters, but when she revealed that , I pretty much threw in the towel. It just came out of the blue and for nothing more than shock value.
As far as I'm concerned, there are better stories than this out there. It's not an offensive book, but it's also not one I could recommend to anyone I know. If you want to read coming of age tales about immigrants and their children, go to Zadie Smith before Naomi Jackson.
January 5, 2019
This is the debut novel of Naomi Jackson set on the island of Barbados. In the rural village of Bird Hill, we meet and follow two sisters Dionne and Phaedra Ann Braithwaite. They are spending the summer with their grandmother. And it is clear that all is not well with these girls who live in Brooklyn with their mother. As the narrative unwinds, family secrets are spilled and life changes for these two girls.
This is a dense but worthwhile reading experience. The topics tackled are meaty and are treated deftly by Miss Jackson. She captured life in rural areas pretty accurately. The dialogue had to be adjusted for understanding but still maintains the essence of local speech. It was a bit too neat with endings but for a Bildungsroman it was brilliant.
If you struggle with the beginning chapter, it takes a while to find its rhythm so keep at it.
This is a dense but worthwhile reading experience. The topics tackled are meaty and are treated deftly by Miss Jackson. She captured life in rural areas pretty accurately. The dialogue had to be adjusted for understanding but still maintains the essence of local speech. It was a bit too neat with endings but for a Bildungsroman it was brilliant.
If you struggle with the beginning chapter, it takes a while to find its rhythm so keep at it.
November 27, 2015
Two sisters, ages 16 and 10 are sent by their mother to visit their grandmother in Barbados for the summer. Their mother is suffering from depression and having difficulty looking after the girls
,Both mother and father are first generation immigrants who have struggled with their new country and realizing their dreams and now are struggling with their own relationship.
Dionne is 16 years old and entering the boy crazy years and exploring her womanhood and is pretty sure she would rather be back with her friends in Brooklyn.
Their grandmother, Hyacinth, is a midwife and spiritual healer. She is very well known and respected in the community of Bird Hill.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Phaedra, age 10, takes to living on Bird Hill immediately. Never really fitting in with the girls back home she finds the freedom and beauty of Barbados exciting. She loves to swim and roam free and learn about the history of her family and Barbados..
The characters in this book are so well developed that I felt I was getting to know them along with their grandmother.
When faced with their departure and return to Brooklyn at the end of the summer their both react differently, do they stay in the ancestral homeland or return to what they have known their whole life?
The family dynamics and learning the Caribbean culture drives this book and the writing is exceptional. I enjoyed learning about the "real" Barbados and the family story. There were some points, however, that were quite sad towards the middle but necessary to the story.
I would highly recommend this book to young adults and anyone wanting to read a very unique coming of age book.
,Both mother and father are first generation immigrants who have struggled with their new country and realizing their dreams and now are struggling with their own relationship.
Dionne is 16 years old and entering the boy crazy years and exploring her womanhood and is pretty sure she would rather be back with her friends in Brooklyn.
Their grandmother, Hyacinth, is a midwife and spiritual healer. She is very well known and respected in the community of Bird Hill.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Phaedra, age 10, takes to living on Bird Hill immediately. Never really fitting in with the girls back home she finds the freedom and beauty of Barbados exciting. She loves to swim and roam free and learn about the history of her family and Barbados..
The characters in this book are so well developed that I felt I was getting to know them along with their grandmother.
When faced with their departure and return to Brooklyn at the end of the summer their both react differently, do they stay in the ancestral homeland or return to what they have known their whole life?
The family dynamics and learning the Caribbean culture drives this book and the writing is exceptional. I enjoyed learning about the "real" Barbados and the family story. There were some points, however, that were quite sad towards the middle but necessary to the story.
I would highly recommend this book to young adults and anyone wanting to read a very unique coming of age book.
April 29, 2015
Jackson’s debut novel is rich with realistically complex characters and subtle wit and wisdom as the characters understand the love of family and the ties that bind them.
Two sisters, Dionne age 16 and Phaedra age 10, are sent by their mother to visit their grandmother Hyacinth in Barbados for the summer. Their mother will remain in Brooklyn to “get herself together” before the start of the new school year. Upon arriving the two sisters have a different reaction to Bird Hill, a rural and close-knit community. Phaedra, who often felt like an outcast in Brooklyn, immediately feels at home and lavishes in learning all that Barbadian. Dionne who is on the cusp of womanhood and was the one making decisions for her and her sister as her mother spiraled out of control can’t wait to get back to Brooklyn. Hyacinth while delighted to have her granddaughters for the summer and is anticipating once again seeing her daughter will find herself facing challenges she did not expect at this time in her life. But life is full of surprises good and bad and often just living is the best teacher as the three characters will learn over the summer.
Graceful prose, a well-paced plot, and crisp storytelling will keep readers enthralled.
I recommend to those who are yearning for a lovely story filled with love, laughter, and tears. A wonderful new voice in Caribbean literature and I look forward to the author’s next book.
Two sisters, Dionne age 16 and Phaedra age 10, are sent by their mother to visit their grandmother Hyacinth in Barbados for the summer. Their mother will remain in Brooklyn to “get herself together” before the start of the new school year. Upon arriving the two sisters have a different reaction to Bird Hill, a rural and close-knit community. Phaedra, who often felt like an outcast in Brooklyn, immediately feels at home and lavishes in learning all that Barbadian. Dionne who is on the cusp of womanhood and was the one making decisions for her and her sister as her mother spiraled out of control can’t wait to get back to Brooklyn. Hyacinth while delighted to have her granddaughters for the summer and is anticipating once again seeing her daughter will find herself facing challenges she did not expect at this time in her life. But life is full of surprises good and bad and often just living is the best teacher as the three characters will learn over the summer.
Graceful prose, a well-paced plot, and crisp storytelling will keep readers enthralled.
I recommend to those who are yearning for a lovely story filled with love, laughter, and tears. A wonderful new voice in Caribbean literature and I look forward to the author’s next book.
December 22, 2015
This is not the Barbados you've seen in brochures. It's the Barbados of a community, of two sisters growing up, of falling in love, of heartbreak, of betrayal, of mystery, and in the grand scheme of things: immigration. Two sisters leave Brooklyn to go live with their grandmother in the summer of 1989. The sisters are ten and sixteen. The grandmother is a midwife and a spiritual healer. In the hands of many people, it is with the grandmother that things could go horribly, horribly wrong, in what Dhonielle Clayton would call a Minstrel Show. But this is in safe hands and it is tied into the story to create depth to the world, to the family, and the grandmother. As both sisters acclimate to their new home and finally come to terms with it, they are then faced with the decision of staying in Barbados or returning to Brooklyn bringing the continual immigrant dilemma to surface: where is home?
January 30, 2019
A very enjoyable read of a kind I almost never seek out. I admire Jackson for fearlessly adopting a nearly antiquated way of storytelling, at least in the realms of contemporary literary fiction--the novel is written with an omniscient voice, interspersed with lyrical passages of free indirect style, the kind of book Thomas Hardy might have written if he were a young woman of West indian origin writing in the 21st century. It's a brave and very effective choice that allowed the author to write exceedingly tender and beautiful passages of community gatherings and ways of life. The story took me right to the edge of two precipitously dangerous metaphorical cliffs, sentimentalism and melodrama, but never fell over.
October 5, 2016
Wow! I loved this novel. The pace was a bit slow for me but the time the author takes in building the plot and narrative was worth it! The colorful cover art does belie the gravity of the issues dealt with in the novel. So, be warned. Regardless, I do recommend this!
P.S: I listened to a podcast (Another Round) a couple weeks ago where a few ladies talked about their frustrations with coming-of-age films about black girls that always have a tragedy (Precious). Although I enjoyed this novel and believe in the representation of people's struggle with mental health in literature, especially in the black community, I definitely understand and identify with the desire to see other narratives of black girls, coming of age, that doesn't have to be somber and tragic.
P.S: I listened to a podcast (Another Round) a couple weeks ago where a few ladies talked about their frustrations with coming-of-age films about black girls that always have a tragedy (Precious). Although I enjoyed this novel and believe in the representation of people's struggle with mental health in literature, especially in the black community, I definitely understand and identify with the desire to see other narratives of black girls, coming of age, that doesn't have to be somber and tragic.
September 12, 2015
This was a nice read with a very believable plot and nicely drawn characters. It is a coming of age story regarding two sisters (10 & 16) who have been raised in New York though not necessarily happily. The girls are sent to Bird Hill to live with their grandma for the summer and because of unforeseen circumstances their lives are turned up side down.
May 22, 2019
Loved it! Oh the memories while reading this book made me think about summers with my grandmother. Video review here ->https://youtu.be/rexb7flPya0
July 3, 2015
2.5 stars
This rambling little book presents a decent coming-of-age tale of two sisters, but it is disorganized and I found its supposedly wise grandmother figure at best trite and at worst infuriating.
Sisters Dionne (age 16) and Phaedra (10) have grown up in Brooklyn, but when their severely depressed mother realizes she can no longer care for them, they’re off to spend the summer with their grandmother, Hyacinth, in Barbados. It’s hard to describe the plot, because there isn’t much of one: the girls adjust to their new surroundings, become familiar with the community and deal with further developments in their tumultuous family life. All this is interspersed with the author's simply telling us a lot about these people and their histories, in a way that often feels disjointed and rambling, lacking smooth transitions.
Jackson’s characterization does show promise: I found Phaedra, the most prominent character, endearing, and empathized with the pricklier Dionne. Both girls have well-defined personalities, and their relationships with each other and the people around them are believable. Although they aren’t real, I found myself hoping that they would succeed despite their difficult childhood. If the author had shown us more, through a more focused plot, they might have truly shone, but the potential is there.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for their grandmother. Hyacinth is positioned as the moral center of the novel, unlike her troubled daughter and almost cartoonishly villainous son-in-law. But I soured on her within the first couple of chapters. Phaedra goes out to play with a boy who tells her to do something; she refuses, so he grabs a large rock and hurls it at her head, knocking her over. When Phaedra tells Hyacinth she is done with this boy, Hyacinth’s response is: “What did he do to you?” – it can’t be simply that he gave her a concussion, keeping her in bed for days. Telling a young girl that serious assault is not a good enough reason to stop seeing a boy (that’s just how boys behave when they like girls, says Hyacinth) is one of the most irresponsible pieces of advice I can think of. On other occasions, Hyacinth spouts banal advice that is meant to sound deep, often to cover for her own shortcomings (let anyone criticize her and she will take the opportunity to lecture them about not blaming others for their own problems, even when the criticism is warranted).
Finally, the novel would have benefited from more precision in the narration. Some key facts are kept unclear: we’re told the girls have never visited Barbados nor Hyacinth the United States, yet there are several indications they’ve seen each other before. And then there are passages like this, telling us practically nothing: “Vacation Bible School always followed the same schedule: a prayer when they arrived, morning activities, lunch, afternoon activities, and a prayer before dismissal.” I doubt any reader would be surprised to learn that Vacation Bible School includes prayers, nor that the students eat lunch between morning and afternoon activities, whatever those might be.
At any rate, this is a fast read and it seems to be written with knowledge of Barbados and its culture, so for many it may be worth reading. It is the author’s first published novel, and shows potential which she will hopefully continue to develop. But in the meanwhile, there are other coming-of-age novels out there more deserving of your time.
This rambling little book presents a decent coming-of-age tale of two sisters, but it is disorganized and I found its supposedly wise grandmother figure at best trite and at worst infuriating.
Sisters Dionne (age 16) and Phaedra (10) have grown up in Brooklyn, but when their severely depressed mother realizes she can no longer care for them, they’re off to spend the summer with their grandmother, Hyacinth, in Barbados. It’s hard to describe the plot, because there isn’t much of one: the girls adjust to their new surroundings, become familiar with the community and deal with further developments in their tumultuous family life. All this is interspersed with the author's simply telling us a lot about these people and their histories, in a way that often feels disjointed and rambling, lacking smooth transitions.
Jackson’s characterization does show promise: I found Phaedra, the most prominent character, endearing, and empathized with the pricklier Dionne. Both girls have well-defined personalities, and their relationships with each other and the people around them are believable. Although they aren’t real, I found myself hoping that they would succeed despite their difficult childhood. If the author had shown us more, through a more focused plot, they might have truly shone, but the potential is there.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for their grandmother. Hyacinth is positioned as the moral center of the novel, unlike her troubled daughter and almost cartoonishly villainous son-in-law. But I soured on her within the first couple of chapters. Phaedra goes out to play with a boy who tells her to do something; she refuses, so he grabs a large rock and hurls it at her head, knocking her over. When Phaedra tells Hyacinth she is done with this boy, Hyacinth’s response is: “What did he do to you?” – it can’t be simply that he gave her a concussion, keeping her in bed for days. Telling a young girl that serious assault is not a good enough reason to stop seeing a boy (that’s just how boys behave when they like girls, says Hyacinth) is one of the most irresponsible pieces of advice I can think of. On other occasions, Hyacinth spouts banal advice that is meant to sound deep, often to cover for her own shortcomings (let anyone criticize her and she will take the opportunity to lecture them about not blaming others for their own problems, even when the criticism is warranted).
Finally, the novel would have benefited from more precision in the narration. Some key facts are kept unclear: we’re told the girls have never visited Barbados nor Hyacinth the United States, yet there are several indications they’ve seen each other before. And then there are passages like this, telling us practically nothing: “Vacation Bible School always followed the same schedule: a prayer when they arrived, morning activities, lunch, afternoon activities, and a prayer before dismissal.” I doubt any reader would be surprised to learn that Vacation Bible School includes prayers, nor that the students eat lunch between morning and afternoon activities, whatever those might be.
At any rate, this is a fast read and it seems to be written with knowledge of Barbados and its culture, so for many it may be worth reading. It is the author’s first published novel, and shows potential which she will hopefully continue to develop. But in the meanwhile, there are other coming-of-age novels out there more deserving of your time.
May 10, 2015
Rating: 5/5 stars
-I was given an Advance Review Copy of this book by the Penguin Press-
You can also find this review on Hedgehog Book Reviews!!
Dionne and Phaedra are two adolescent sisters living with their mom, Avril, in Brooklyn. After deciding that the girls need to get more in touch with their extended family, Avril sends the girls to Barbados for the summer. Dionne and Phaedra spend those hot months living with their grandmother and attending Catholic Summer School--which is very different from the way they were living in New York. Phone calls and letters from Avril become scarce, and the girls become closer to their grandmother and community in Barbados. Both Dionne and Phaedra use this summer to grow and learn more about the family their mother left behind.
This is such a beautiful coming of age novel for two girls. Dionne and Phaedra are, by far, different characters but they both come to a point of realization and mental/emotional growth by the end of the novel. They share the narration of the story equally and the reader comfortably gets to know both characters and understand how their brains work.
I loved this book, I loved the writing, and I loved the characters. Jackson did such a phenomenal job with character development, even for the somewhat minor ones. I feel like I really got to know the grandmother, the neighbors, and the classmates that interacted with the girls every day. Since I am closer to Dionne's age, I connected with her the most. Jackson definitely made her struggles genuine. They are struggles that I've dealt with myself. Seeing Dionne grow into a confident young woman made me feel proud for her and I definitely saw aspects of my own life and decisions in her's. There was definitely a big smile on my face when I was reading the ending of the novel.
I'm going to categorize this book in both the young adult and adult section of my blog. I truly think that all women and girls should read this book at some point so PLEASE put this on your "to buy/read" list for next month! I'm grateful that I got to read it in advance!
-I was given an Advance Review Copy of this book by the Penguin Press-
You can also find this review on Hedgehog Book Reviews!!
Dionne and Phaedra are two adolescent sisters living with their mom, Avril, in Brooklyn. After deciding that the girls need to get more in touch with their extended family, Avril sends the girls to Barbados for the summer. Dionne and Phaedra spend those hot months living with their grandmother and attending Catholic Summer School--which is very different from the way they were living in New York. Phone calls and letters from Avril become scarce, and the girls become closer to their grandmother and community in Barbados. Both Dionne and Phaedra use this summer to grow and learn more about the family their mother left behind.
This is such a beautiful coming of age novel for two girls. Dionne and Phaedra are, by far, different characters but they both come to a point of realization and mental/emotional growth by the end of the novel. They share the narration of the story equally and the reader comfortably gets to know both characters and understand how their brains work.
I loved this book, I loved the writing, and I loved the characters. Jackson did such a phenomenal job with character development, even for the somewhat minor ones. I feel like I really got to know the grandmother, the neighbors, and the classmates that interacted with the girls every day. Since I am closer to Dionne's age, I connected with her the most. Jackson definitely made her struggles genuine. They are struggles that I've dealt with myself. Seeing Dionne grow into a confident young woman made me feel proud for her and I definitely saw aspects of my own life and decisions in her's. There was definitely a big smile on my face when I was reading the ending of the novel.
I'm going to categorize this book in both the young adult and adult section of my blog. I truly think that all women and girls should read this book at some point so PLEASE put this on your "to buy/read" list for next month! I'm grateful that I got to read it in advance!
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