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Facing the Sun
A Caribbean-set story about four friends who experience unexpected changes in their lives during the summer when a hotel developer purchases their community’s beloved beach.
Change is coming to Pinder Street…
Eve is the rock in her family of seven, the one they always depend on. But when her dad is diagnosed with cancer, she wants nothing more than to trade her worries for some red lipstick and a carefree night.
Faith is the dancer all the boys want, but she only has eyes for the one she can’t have. Only thing is, all the flirting in the world can’t distract her from her broken home life...or the secrets that she hides.
KeeKee is the poet who won’t follow the rules, not even to please her estranged father. But after a horrible betrayal, she’ll have to choose between being right and losing everyone she loves.
Nia is the prisoner longing to escape her overprotective mother. A summer art program might be her ticket to freedom, yet it comes with a terrible price—and the risk may not be worth the reward.
Ready or not, it’s time for these four friends to face the sun.
Change is coming to Pinder Street…
Eve is the rock in her family of seven, the one they always depend on. But when her dad is diagnosed with cancer, she wants nothing more than to trade her worries for some red lipstick and a carefree night.
Faith is the dancer all the boys want, but she only has eyes for the one she can’t have. Only thing is, all the flirting in the world can’t distract her from her broken home life...or the secrets that she hides.
KeeKee is the poet who won’t follow the rules, not even to please her estranged father. But after a horrible betrayal, she’ll have to choose between being right and losing everyone she loves.
Nia is the prisoner longing to escape her overprotective mother. A summer art program might be her ticket to freedom, yet it comes with a terrible price—and the risk may not be worth the reward.
Ready or not, it’s time for these four friends to face the sun.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published August 11, 2020
19 people are currently reading
1960 people want to read
About the author
Janice Lynn Mather
7 books52 followersJanice Lynn Mather is a Bahamian writer with an MFA from the University of British Columbia. Her first novel, Learning to Breathe, was a Governor General’s Literary Award finalist, a BC Book Prize finalist, shortlisted for the 2019 CCBC Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, an Amelia Bloomer’s Top Ten Recommended Feminist Books for Young Readers pick, and a Junior Library Guild selection. Facing the Sun is her second novel for young adults. Janice Lynn lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her family and a growing collection of dust bunnies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
June 27, 2021
A surprisingly great YA read filled with an amazing group of girls you won’t forget anytime soon!
In Janice Lynn-Mather Facing the Sun we are taken to Pinder Street in the Bahamas. The story opens with a group of friends be ran off the public beach by an unknown security guard. This is jarring for the group of friends because this beach is a public one… what exactly is happening?
Pinder Street is home to families who live and work together for ages. Their children know each other from birth and have been growing up together. We are taken into the friendship of Eve, Faith, KeeKee and Nia.
Eve is the most responsible teenager you will ever meet. Her father is the pastor at the community’s church, which means she takes care of her family along with his flock. While she loves her family, she would like some release to just be a teenager. Just when she thinks this may happen, her father is diagnosed with Cancer.
Faith’s family is falling apart in front of her eyes but she tries to hold it together. Her father stopped coming home, her sister no longer lives there and her mother is a shell of herself. Faith is trying to hold it all together but when her mother leaves trying to kill herself, Faith knows she needs help.
KeeKee is the friend you want to have, she is a poet who constantly listens to you. She’s got big dreams and a brother who everyone seems to be in love with. When her best friend steals her poem and the other one is caught sleeping with her brother… what else can she take?
Nia cannot leave the house unless her mother says so. Her mom wants her to be a journalist but she would rather study culinary arts She’s got no idea who her father is and her mother won’t tell her. One day Nia decides to take the risk to apply for a summer art program her mother did not approve, will this risk pay off?
Every girl is facing a huge problem they cannot seem to fix and it is compounded when they learn that a big hotel will be taking over the place they find the most solace… the beach.
This was such a great book. Yes, I had a warm time trying to remember everyone’s name and who they were. I think it took me until I was 65% into the book to finally get an understanding of the personality. I don’t think it is any fault to the writer, or maybe it is… she could have gone with four characters, I guess. Either wait I did enjoy reading about all of them and I didn’t think any character was too much alike.
This was my first time reading Janice Lyn-Mather and I will for sure be reading more from her. I loved how she dealt with father-daughter themes, grieve, mental illness, trauma, identity and coming of age.
A really enjoyable read.
In Janice Lynn-Mather Facing the Sun we are taken to Pinder Street in the Bahamas. The story opens with a group of friends be ran off the public beach by an unknown security guard. This is jarring for the group of friends because this beach is a public one… what exactly is happening?
Pinder Street is home to families who live and work together for ages. Their children know each other from birth and have been growing up together. We are taken into the friendship of Eve, Faith, KeeKee and Nia.
Eve is the most responsible teenager you will ever meet. Her father is the pastor at the community’s church, which means she takes care of her family along with his flock. While she loves her family, she would like some release to just be a teenager. Just when she thinks this may happen, her father is diagnosed with Cancer.
Faith’s family is falling apart in front of her eyes but she tries to hold it together. Her father stopped coming home, her sister no longer lives there and her mother is a shell of herself. Faith is trying to hold it all together but when her mother leaves trying to kill herself, Faith knows she needs help.
KeeKee is the friend you want to have, she is a poet who constantly listens to you. She’s got big dreams and a brother who everyone seems to be in love with. When her best friend steals her poem and the other one is caught sleeping with her brother… what else can she take?
Nia cannot leave the house unless her mother says so. Her mom wants her to be a journalist but she would rather study culinary arts She’s got no idea who her father is and her mother won’t tell her. One day Nia decides to take the risk to apply for a summer art program her mother did not approve, will this risk pay off?
Every girl is facing a huge problem they cannot seem to fix and it is compounded when they learn that a big hotel will be taking over the place they find the most solace… the beach.
This was such a great book. Yes, I had a warm time trying to remember everyone’s name and who they were. I think it took me until I was 65% into the book to finally get an understanding of the personality. I don’t think it is any fault to the writer, or maybe it is… she could have gone with four characters, I guess. Either wait I did enjoy reading about all of them and I didn’t think any character was too much alike.
This was my first time reading Janice Lyn-Mather and I will for sure be reading more from her. I loved how she dealt with father-daughter themes, grieve, mental illness, trauma, identity and coming of age.
A really enjoyable read.
September 6, 2020
"Instead of trying to twist my mess or emotions into words, I let myself sit there with her. Feel how it is for someone to really, truly know you, not just in traded stories, pressed bodies, close space, but in years and tears and misplaced laughter, in unspoken words, in actions that make the stopped world start to slowly spin again."
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an ARC of Facing the Sun in exchange for an honest review.
Setting: The setting wasn't the most important aspect of this book, but there were many places that held significance for the characters, like their beach and the church. And while they may not be the most relevant pieces of the story, as a reader you definitely feel how much the protagonists value their safe spots and come to love them as well.
Characters: There are four main characters in this novel, Keekee, Nia, Faith, and Eve, and we see the story from each of their points of view. While switching perspectives was confusing at first, as you familiarize yourself with them, you begin to truly understand the characters, love them, hate them, and feel for them. They each go on their own journey over the course of the novel, but their closeness allows their experiences to overlap heavily, and their friendship is amazing.
Overall: This book is mostly a coming of age, which is not what I usually read because those types of novels aren't my favourite. However, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it, especially to anyone who likes books about friendship :)
*3.75
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an ARC of Facing the Sun in exchange for an honest review.
Setting: The setting wasn't the most important aspect of this book, but there were many places that held significance for the characters, like their beach and the church. And while they may not be the most relevant pieces of the story, as a reader you definitely feel how much the protagonists value their safe spots and come to love them as well.
Characters: There are four main characters in this novel, Keekee, Nia, Faith, and Eve, and we see the story from each of their points of view. While switching perspectives was confusing at first, as you familiarize yourself with them, you begin to truly understand the characters, love them, hate them, and feel for them. They each go on their own journey over the course of the novel, but their closeness allows their experiences to overlap heavily, and their friendship is amazing.
Overall: This book is mostly a coming of age, which is not what I usually read because those types of novels aren't my favourite. However, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it, especially to anyone who likes books about friendship :)
*3.75
April 20, 2021
FACING THE SUN is about four friends who experience unexpected changes in their lives during the summer when a hotel developer purchases their community’s beloved beach.
UGH I loved being able to read Bahamian culture in the pages of a book. It honestly brings tears to my eyes. I loved how Mather used Bahamian vernacular as well as other cultural references throughout Facing the Sun. She also used actually street names and places in her book which I thoroughly enjoyed seeing as well.
Facing the Sun is Mather's second book and she did a fantastic job! Four POVs is a lot to juggle but Mather does a wonderful job at making each voice distinct throughout the book. In the beginning, I was a little confused but as the story progressed it was not a problem for me. I love how Mather connects the development of her story to the ocean and hotel development. Honestly Mather's use of the ocean in both her books as a place of calm, quiet peace is spot on. This plot had tension!!! There were some points where I was getting so frustrated with some of the characters I wanted to shake some sense into them. THE ENDING , Mather did not have to do that to us. I was shook because I honestly did not see that coming.
Eve was by far the character I liked the best throughout the book. I resonated with her the most through family dynamic and hierarchy. In the beginning, some of the MCs were annoying but by the end of the book, I liked them all and enjoyed their perspectives. This is a coming of age novel and as a reader, you could tell the character growth from the end of the book to the beginning of the book.
There was the undercurrent theme of neo-colonialism throughout the book, with the building of the hotel. Mather showed both sides of it. On one hand the hotel is blocking off beach access and destroyed a central gathering place for the community. However on the other hand it is providing jobs for the impoverished community and going to bring in an influx of money for the local businesses with tourism.
Other themes were as @jypsyjunction states “coming-of-age, consent, women’s health, family turmoil, and relationship issues.” It was great fun doing a buddy read with you! 🤍
UGH I loved being able to read Bahamian culture in the pages of a book. It honestly brings tears to my eyes. I loved how Mather used Bahamian vernacular as well as other cultural references throughout Facing the Sun. She also used actually street names and places in her book which I thoroughly enjoyed seeing as well.
Facing the Sun is Mather's second book and she did a fantastic job! Four POVs is a lot to juggle but Mather does a wonderful job at making each voice distinct throughout the book. In the beginning, I was a little confused but as the story progressed it was not a problem for me. I love how Mather connects the development of her story to the ocean and hotel development. Honestly Mather's use of the ocean in both her books as a place of calm, quiet peace is spot on. This plot had tension!!! There were some points where I was getting so frustrated with some of the characters I wanted to shake some sense into them. THE ENDING , Mather did not have to do that to us. I was shook because I honestly did not see that coming.
Eve was by far the character I liked the best throughout the book. I resonated with her the most through family dynamic and hierarchy. In the beginning, some of the MCs were annoying but by the end of the book, I liked them all and enjoyed their perspectives. This is a coming of age novel and as a reader, you could tell the character growth from the end of the book to the beginning of the book.
There was the undercurrent theme of neo-colonialism throughout the book, with the building of the hotel. Mather showed both sides of it. On one hand the hotel is blocking off beach access and destroyed a central gathering place for the community. However on the other hand it is providing jobs for the impoverished community and going to bring in an influx of money for the local businesses with tourism.
Other themes were as @jypsyjunction states “coming-of-age, consent, women’s health, family turmoil, and relationship issues.” It was great fun doing a buddy read with you! 🤍
September 13, 2020
YES, YES, AND YES.
I was sitting on the edge of my seat from beginning to end for this book. The reader is taken into the worlds of Eve, Nia, Faith, and KeeKee and these young ladies go through too much at a young age. The story is set in the Bahamas (the author is Bahamian too!) and exposes the negative side of tourism when the country forgoes to care for its citizens.
When I first began reading, I was getting confused with which character is talking even though there is a heading because all the characters' stories were pretty daunting.
It all begins when the group of ladies and their friend, Toons, visit the beach and it goes terribly wrong. From that day forth, some type of turmoil enters their individual lives in different ways. I felt a strong kinship to Eve who is the oldest of 5 siblings and a Pastor's Kid and I have a very similar life. Constantly being needed or it seems that way can take a toll especially when her Dad becomes sick and he's a pillar in the "Pinder Street" community. Each character learns different lessons and at the end, you think all is well and then BOOM, one last event hits and there's no solace for the reader. I was fuming because I needed closure but that's life unfortunately.
Please support this author and ALWAYS #readcaribbean.
I was sitting on the edge of my seat from beginning to end for this book. The reader is taken into the worlds of Eve, Nia, Faith, and KeeKee and these young ladies go through too much at a young age. The story is set in the Bahamas (the author is Bahamian too!) and exposes the negative side of tourism when the country forgoes to care for its citizens.
When I first began reading, I was getting confused with which character is talking even though there is a heading because all the characters' stories were pretty daunting.
It all begins when the group of ladies and their friend, Toons, visit the beach and it goes terribly wrong. From that day forth, some type of turmoil enters their individual lives in different ways. I felt a strong kinship to Eve who is the oldest of 5 siblings and a Pastor's Kid and I have a very similar life. Constantly being needed or it seems that way can take a toll especially when her Dad becomes sick and he's a pillar in the "Pinder Street" community. Each character learns different lessons and at the end, you think all is well and then BOOM, one last event hits and there's no solace for the reader. I was fuming because I needed closure but that's life unfortunately.
Please support this author and ALWAYS #readcaribbean.
August 17, 2020
I've been actively seeking out books written by West Indian authors and it was the cover of this one that grabbed me. Simply stunning cover.
I'm usually not a fan of multiple point-of-view books because it can become difficult to distinguish the voice of one protagonist from another and with the multiple characters in this book I faced this issue, which led to the story at times becoming a little confusing to keep track of. Beyond this, and despite the themes being at times cliche, it was nice to read a book based on a relatable landscape; the changing realities across the pages of Facing the Sun are those presently faced by many of us that live on small island developing nations regarding development in the tourism sector.
I'm usually not a fan of multiple point-of-view books because it can become difficult to distinguish the voice of one protagonist from another and with the multiple characters in this book I faced this issue, which led to the story at times becoming a little confusing to keep track of. Beyond this, and despite the themes being at times cliche, it was nice to read a book based on a relatable landscape; the changing realities across the pages of Facing the Sun are those presently faced by many of us that live on small island developing nations regarding development in the tourism sector.
September 29, 2020
Four teenage friends are all going through growing pains in this coming of age story set in The Bahamas. Their hang out beach is being closed for development as each of them struggle with changes in their lives, including their friendships with each other.
Unfortunately I found this book difficult to get into because of the constant switching of characters. I never could get fully invested in any one voice because I struggled trying to keep track of each story line. Also, there were too many secondary characters in the first few chapters that I became frustrated.
This book suits the reader interested in coming of age stories that also focuses strongly on friendship.
Unfortunately I found this book difficult to get into because of the constant switching of characters. I never could get fully invested in any one voice because I struggled trying to keep track of each story line. Also, there were too many secondary characters in the first few chapters that I became frustrated.
This book suits the reader interested in coming of age stories that also focuses strongly on friendship.
March 14, 2022
Read around the world project - The Bahamas
2.5 stars. I totally get the comparison to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. This centers around four teenage girls living next to a local beach slated for commercialization in present-day Bahamas, covering a range of coming-of-age conflicts. I have to echo other reviewers and agree that all the voices tended to blend together, to the point that I was still double checking section headings 80% in to figure out who was talking. The pacing also swings between slow and fast, and felt very uneven across the book's 400 pages.
2.5 stars. I totally get the comparison to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. This centers around four teenage girls living next to a local beach slated for commercialization in present-day Bahamas, covering a range of coming-of-age conflicts. I have to echo other reviewers and agree that all the voices tended to blend together, to the point that I was still double checking section headings 80% in to figure out who was talking. The pacing also swings between slow and fast, and felt very uneven across the book's 400 pages.
July 27, 2024
Read the World: The Bahamas
This is wonderful YA novel of four teenaged girls who grow up together on the same street in the Bahamas.
The author does a great job in fully realizing the neighborhood for the reader, and making the characters realistic. It’s just a good quick read with plenty of heart and character development.
This is wonderful YA novel of four teenaged girls who grow up together on the same street in the Bahamas.
The author does a great job in fully realizing the neighborhood for the reader, and making the characters realistic. It’s just a good quick read with plenty of heart and character development.
December 23, 2020
skipped to the end
unfortunately i have to recycle this book, as i did with seven fallen feathers
because of covid nobody really wants donated books
this book felt overly long for a teen-ya novel all about coming of age, death, dreams, creativity and life transitions
i read an arc, maybe the published version is shorter and edited better
i could relate. my dad has cancer.
i just couldn't get through the entire thing.
format is kind of similar to sisterhood of the traveling pants, but several characters "narrate" parts of each chapter
sisterhood uses third person narration, and only one girl is really featured per chapter, which makes it easier to follow
i am glad i tried it out. the author is canadian and she went to ubc. beautiful cover.
unfortunately i have to recycle this book, as i did with seven fallen feathers
because of covid nobody really wants donated books
this book felt overly long for a teen-ya novel all about coming of age, death, dreams, creativity and life transitions
i read an arc, maybe the published version is shorter and edited better
i could relate. my dad has cancer.
i just couldn't get through the entire thing.
format is kind of similar to sisterhood of the traveling pants, but several characters "narrate" parts of each chapter
sisterhood uses third person narration, and only one girl is really featured per chapter, which makes it easier to follow
i am glad i tried it out. the author is canadian and she went to ubc. beautiful cover.
May 10, 2022
As I read this book I started to feel confused at who was speaking and what was happening . Yes it had titles when it changed perspective and it told you who was speaking but it still confused me. At the beginning it was good the middle for me was getting confusing with all the different stories but by the end it was great, and you may be wondering if if was great why a 3 well, as much as the ending was good, sad and heartbreaking. The book made me look back and figure out who was speaking and what was going on. If you are interested I say GO FOR IT!!! It has some parts that speck to my soul and some that made me upset along with the characters.
My opinion is- if you are interested in reading it, I don’t think you can really go wrong
My opinion is- if you are interested in reading it, I don’t think you can really go wrong
June 3, 2021
I really like this book!! It tells a tale of black sisterhood and about how everyone, everything, can be connected. Some of the side characters were hard to root for, and I only really like two of the main characters after all the mistakes were made. Faith and Toons were straight up toxic, not matter how cute they were.
July 10, 2025
Read for my Read Around The World Challenge: Bahamas
I'm a bit confused on how I feel about this book cause there's nothing
that made me hate it or love it, it falls a bit in between. I think the multiple first person povs got me a bit confused at the beginning but the pacing helped me get on track. The story itself is good, it focus on very mundane topics in the lives of these four girls and their struggle to become independent and they all find their on self in the end so no notes on that, I just feel that the starting point of this book didn't really have that much of an impact on their stories as it implied it did. It seems common (for a very good reason) for carribean authors to discuss the issues of neo-colonialism, but the loss of their childhood beach to an hotel felt a bit unnecessary for what it was. That being said, the book feels very personal and deals with very real situations Bahamian girls face, it opens your eyes on a lot of issues so I understand the impact it might have. In the end a light read, maybe not fully for me but enjoyable.
I'm a bit confused on how I feel about this book cause there's nothing
that made me hate it or love it, it falls a bit in between. I think the multiple first person povs got me a bit confused at the beginning but the pacing helped me get on track. The story itself is good, it focus on very mundane topics in the lives of these four girls and their struggle to become independent and they all find their on self in the end so no notes on that, I just feel that the starting point of this book didn't really have that much of an impact on their stories as it implied it did. It seems common (for a very good reason) for carribean authors to discuss the issues of neo-colonialism, but the loss of their childhood beach to an hotel felt a bit unnecessary for what it was. That being said, the book feels very personal and deals with very real situations Bahamian girls face, it opens your eyes on a lot of issues so I understand the impact it might have. In the end a light read, maybe not fully for me but enjoyable.
May 31, 2020
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing a digital ARC of Facing the Sun in exchange for an honest review.
Facing the Sun is a coming of age story at its finest. Set in the Caribbean, the story follows its 4 protagonists as they navigate family, friendship, self-worth, and growing up. All 4 characters and their families feel dynamic and real and the prose and imagery are absolutely goregous.
My main issue comes along with the choice to have 4 perspective. It makes it take a while to get a feel for each girl individually because of how frequently the speaker changes in the first few chapters and at times in the middle of the book we see the same situation recounted and reflected on by each perspective making a few sections lose momentum.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this.
Facing the Sun is a coming of age story at its finest. Set in the Caribbean, the story follows its 4 protagonists as they navigate family, friendship, self-worth, and growing up. All 4 characters and their families feel dynamic and real and the prose and imagery are absolutely goregous.
My main issue comes along with the choice to have 4 perspective. It makes it take a while to get a feel for each girl individually because of how frequently the speaker changes in the first few chapters and at times in the middle of the book we see the same situation recounted and reflected on by each perspective making a few sections lose momentum.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this.
June 17, 2024
3.25/5
This story follows four Bahamian girls—Eve, Faith, KeeKee, and Nia—over one transformative summer in Nassau. They confront personal challenges and community changes when a luxury resort threatens their beach. Through friendship and resilience, they navigate family issues, secrets, and their evolving identities. The author draws comparison to Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants and that’s what reeled me in. I think this was a great YA book and it definitely tackled some culturally relevant themes (I especially loved how it showcased different father-daughter relationships). Other reviews said they felt that all the voices and perspectives tended to blend together and I agree. I actually did have to go back a few pages sometimes to make sure that I actually knew who was narrating. I also accept that my age group probably wasn’t the target audience for this book, so it didn’t hit the same.
This story follows four Bahamian girls—Eve, Faith, KeeKee, and Nia—over one transformative summer in Nassau. They confront personal challenges and community changes when a luxury resort threatens their beach. Through friendship and resilience, they navigate family issues, secrets, and their evolving identities. The author draws comparison to Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants and that’s what reeled me in. I think this was a great YA book and it definitely tackled some culturally relevant themes (I especially loved how it showcased different father-daughter relationships). Other reviews said they felt that all the voices and perspectives tended to blend together and I agree. I actually did have to go back a few pages sometimes to make sure that I actually knew who was narrating. I also accept that my age group probably wasn’t the target audience for this book, so it didn’t hit the same.
January 2, 2021
3.5.... maybe four stars. This is written from the perspective of four different teen girls. It gets confusing at times as to who was speaking but overall the book was well done. I loved the setting, locals in The Bahamas facing eviction from their beach due to tourism development. The girls were well developed and very relatable. There weren’t any big plot twists here or big action but this was a nice realistic fiction book.
February 1, 2025
"Trying to force yourself into perfection is only going to leave you bent out of shape."
June 7, 2021
Like The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants without the pants, magic, or travelling.
I hope she writes more about these characters!
I hope she writes more about these characters!
December 3, 2020
This one suffered from too many characters. It took far to long to get to know each character and I wished that they would have been cut down. There was far to much jumping around for me to really connect with any part of the story and after around 55% I just called it quits.
March 10, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital ARC!
This book was unexpected in so many ways. It had a story that really kept you in, even when you felt uncomfortable with what the characters were doing or thinking. It was clearly thoughtfully written, each character having their own distinct personalities and approaches to what was going on around them. It was wild to see so many people living in the same one-street, feeling like their world was so small, but having such starkly contrasting experiences, even with events that would overlap. The author does a phenomenal job with the setting (including some dialect writing), really drawing you in and making you feel like you were there. It's a riveting read with some really difficult topics, so it isn't something I would recommend for someone looking for a light book.
The writing style is very strong, although the way in which it switches perspectives was a little hard to follow for me. I'm the kind of reader that can get easily confused when a lot of characters are introduced at once, and I found this was the case for me in this book. While I did eventually pick everything up, it did take me some time, and it required me to go back in the book and revisit some parts so I could connect names to characters and experiences. Another difficulty for me was the way in which the book recounts past events, or has flashbacks; now this may have something to do with the copy I read being an arc, and perhaps it is corrected in the published novel, but there was no real separation between the flashbacks and the current events. There is one really poignant scene in particular that I found to be powerful, where it jumped back in forth between the flashback and the character's current going-on, but I really had to think hard and find the division between the two moments. Again, this could have to do with the fact that I read an arc and not the final copy.
Even with my two setbacks, I found this book to be a powerful one. It makes a lot of bold statements about gentrification, poverty, family divisions, sex, the availability of essential female sanitation products, and betrayal. As I mentioned, it is difficult to read at times with the heavy topics, but it is well worth it.
This book was unexpected in so many ways. It had a story that really kept you in, even when you felt uncomfortable with what the characters were doing or thinking. It was clearly thoughtfully written, each character having their own distinct personalities and approaches to what was going on around them. It was wild to see so many people living in the same one-street, feeling like their world was so small, but having such starkly contrasting experiences, even with events that would overlap. The author does a phenomenal job with the setting (including some dialect writing), really drawing you in and making you feel like you were there. It's a riveting read with some really difficult topics, so it isn't something I would recommend for someone looking for a light book.
The writing style is very strong, although the way in which it switches perspectives was a little hard to follow for me. I'm the kind of reader that can get easily confused when a lot of characters are introduced at once, and I found this was the case for me in this book. While I did eventually pick everything up, it did take me some time, and it required me to go back in the book and revisit some parts so I could connect names to characters and experiences. Another difficulty for me was the way in which the book recounts past events, or has flashbacks; now this may have something to do with the copy I read being an arc, and perhaps it is corrected in the published novel, but there was no real separation between the flashbacks and the current events. There is one really poignant scene in particular that I found to be powerful, where it jumped back in forth between the flashback and the character's current going-on, but I really had to think hard and find the division between the two moments. Again, this could have to do with the fact that I read an arc and not the final copy.
Even with my two setbacks, I found this book to be a powerful one. It makes a lot of bold statements about gentrification, poverty, family divisions, sex, the availability of essential female sanitation products, and betrayal. As I mentioned, it is difficult to read at times with the heavy topics, but it is well worth it.
August 12, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. I'll post that review upon publication.
Updated 8/12/20
3.5 stars
I really like the characters in this novel, but it took me a long time to distinguish them completely and become invested in their stories.
The four m.c.s have - at times - complicated friendships with each other and experience the same issues as most other young teens their age. Rather than connecting with the characters, I found myself remembering specific scenes or interactions. For me, there was too much jumping between the characters and not enough depth to grab on to in the beginning. I struggled a bit to figure out who was whom and how they related to each other.
While I did experience some frustrations and looser connections than I'd have liked throughout the first half of the novel, the pay off was solid. The narrative is clear, the relationships bear fruit, and the characters grow (or don't) in satisfying ways. Overall, this is a worthwhile read, but if I were to re-read this, I might consider being more methodical through the first couple of chapters for enhanced clarity.
Updated 8/12/20
3.5 stars
I really like the characters in this novel, but it took me a long time to distinguish them completely and become invested in their stories.
The four m.c.s have - at times - complicated friendships with each other and experience the same issues as most other young teens their age. Rather than connecting with the characters, I found myself remembering specific scenes or interactions. For me, there was too much jumping between the characters and not enough depth to grab on to in the beginning. I struggled a bit to figure out who was whom and how they related to each other.
While I did experience some frustrations and looser connections than I'd have liked throughout the first half of the novel, the pay off was solid. The narrative is clear, the relationships bear fruit, and the characters grow (or don't) in satisfying ways. Overall, this is a worthwhile read, but if I were to re-read this, I might consider being more methodical through the first couple of chapters for enhanced clarity.
July 24, 2020
REVIEW UPON RECEIVING THIS IN THE MAIL: this cover is so beautiful I want to cry
ACTUAL REVIEW: Thank you so much to my friends at Simon & Schuster for sending me an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Facing the Sun, an upcoming YA novel by Janice Lynn Mather. This novel follows four girls over a summer in their small neighborhood in the Bahamas. Nia is desperate to branch out away from her overprotective mother. Her next-door neighbor is KeeKee, a poet with an estranged father. Eve is the local pastor’s daughter and is often helping her family with her brood of younger siblings. Faith is a dancer and dealing with her mother, who is mentally ill.
The setting of this novel is beautiful. The girls and their families all live in the Pinder Street neighborhood, right near a beach. But change is coming to the neighborhood — developers have bought up land on the beach to create a resort. This change sparks a series of events that changes their families, their neighborhood, and their friendships forever.
I thought the novel was a really great examination of friendships, as well as an interesting perspective on what it’s like living in a neighborhood on the outside, looking in on the tourism industry. I also liked learning a bit about the geography of the Bahamas and seeing how the society of this island nation works.
The novel is set up so each character shares their point of view on what’s going on. Unfortunately for this novel, it didn’t work so well. It took me a while to learn about each character and find their voice, and the short sections didn’t allow us to really get to know each character well.
In all, this was an enjoyable YA read. Trigger warnings for infidelity and adultery, sexual risks, teen alcohol use, cancer, and mental illness. 3.5/5 stars!
ACTUAL REVIEW: Thank you so much to my friends at Simon & Schuster for sending me an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Facing the Sun, an upcoming YA novel by Janice Lynn Mather. This novel follows four girls over a summer in their small neighborhood in the Bahamas. Nia is desperate to branch out away from her overprotective mother. Her next-door neighbor is KeeKee, a poet with an estranged father. Eve is the local pastor’s daughter and is often helping her family with her brood of younger siblings. Faith is a dancer and dealing with her mother, who is mentally ill.
The setting of this novel is beautiful. The girls and their families all live in the Pinder Street neighborhood, right near a beach. But change is coming to the neighborhood — developers have bought up land on the beach to create a resort. This change sparks a series of events that changes their families, their neighborhood, and their friendships forever.
I thought the novel was a really great examination of friendships, as well as an interesting perspective on what it’s like living in a neighborhood on the outside, looking in on the tourism industry. I also liked learning a bit about the geography of the Bahamas and seeing how the society of this island nation works.
The novel is set up so each character shares their point of view on what’s going on. Unfortunately for this novel, it didn’t work so well. It took me a while to learn about each character and find their voice, and the short sections didn’t allow us to really get to know each character well.
In all, this was an enjoyable YA read. Trigger warnings for infidelity and adultery, sexual risks, teen alcohol use, cancer, and mental illness. 3.5/5 stars!
October 11, 2020
CW: Cheating, Illness of Parents, Inappropriate Relationships, Violence
This book was pitched as Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in the Caribbean 👖 which was one of my favorite books when I was in High School. That's not really how I'd describe it while it has four teenager girls, they are not really best friends or a close relationship. But it does occur over a summer.
This book starts off with the beach surrounding our characters Bahamas neighborhood being turned into a four star hotel and thus they are losing their beach and their church. From there we get to see the girls challenges against the changes of their neighborhood. Nia wants to escape her overbearing mother. KeeKee has a love of poetry. Eve is the preacher's daughter who is constantly caring for her big family. Faith has a controversial crush in the midst of dealing with her mother's worsening condition.
Look, I don't know I'm the person to review this book because it had a lot of things that agitate me. I don't like stories that involve taking credit for another's accomplishment, books where the parents read as more immature than their children, and problematic relationships. I have to be honest, I wanted to DNF it but I pushed through.
I'll say that the last portion of the book I liked more and got emotional towards the end. I think this book would never really work for me. However, I'll say I did like the storyline about the hotel going up and the impact it would have on the neighborhood. That story was interesting to me to see the balance between maintaining your neighborhood and the opportunities offered for financial betterment and stability.
This book was pitched as Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in the Caribbean 👖 which was one of my favorite books when I was in High School. That's not really how I'd describe it while it has four teenager girls, they are not really best friends or a close relationship. But it does occur over a summer.
This book starts off with the beach surrounding our characters Bahamas neighborhood being turned into a four star hotel and thus they are losing their beach and their church. From there we get to see the girls challenges against the changes of their neighborhood. Nia wants to escape her overbearing mother. KeeKee has a love of poetry. Eve is the preacher's daughter who is constantly caring for her big family. Faith has a controversial crush in the midst of dealing with her mother's worsening condition.
Look, I don't know I'm the person to review this book because it had a lot of things that agitate me. I don't like stories that involve taking credit for another's accomplishment, books where the parents read as more immature than their children, and problematic relationships. I have to be honest, I wanted to DNF it but I pushed through.
I'll say that the last portion of the book I liked more and got emotional towards the end. I think this book would never really work for me. However, I'll say I did like the storyline about the hotel going up and the impact it would have on the neighborhood. That story was interesting to me to see the balance between maintaining your neighborhood and the opportunities offered for financial betterment and stability.
dropped
February 28, 2022DNF - 34%
Multiple pov (4 childhood girl friends)
Set in the Bahamas, deals with the negative impact of tourism development on local communities. Supposedly.
Slow start. I struggled keeping track of who was who, initially. There's too many characters introduced all at once.
At 34%, most of the characters are still unbothered over the hotel development taking over the beach. Eve is concerned about it and the church's future, since it is set on the beach, but she's also worried after her father's cancer. And I'm not going to judge her mind for jumping from worry to worry, while also wishing her family would be less dependant on her alone.
Nia, Faith and Toons were getting on my nerves! Toons is KeeKee's brother for whom everyone seems to have a crush, or be in love with despite having a girlfriend. Ugh 🙄 They are all acting like fools, and making wrong choices I'm not interested in following.
I was led to believe that the critism on tourism taking precedence over the citizens would be central. And that's not what I'm getting, I'm just getting "I'm thrilled an adult man is noticing me" and other things I didn't sign up for, so I'm out. Minors being happy with inappropriate adult attention trigger me so no
Multiple pov (4 childhood girl friends)
Set in the Bahamas, deals with the negative impact of tourism development on local communities. Supposedly.
Slow start. I struggled keeping track of who was who, initially. There's too many characters introduced all at once.
At 34%, most of the characters are still unbothered over the hotel development taking over the beach. Eve is concerned about it and the church's future, since it is set on the beach, but she's also worried after her father's cancer. And I'm not going to judge her mind for jumping from worry to worry, while also wishing her family would be less dependant on her alone.
Nia, Faith and Toons were getting on my nerves! Toons is KeeKee's brother for whom everyone seems to have a crush, or be in love with despite having a girlfriend. Ugh 🙄 They are all acting like fools, and making wrong choices I'm not interested in following.
I was led to believe that the critism on tourism taking precedence over the citizens would be central. And that's not what I'm getting, I'm just getting "I'm thrilled an adult man is noticing me" and other things I didn't sign up for, so I'm out. Minors being happy with inappropriate adult attention trigger me so no
July 19, 2022
There’s something about this book that I just didn’t like. Maybe it was the characters, there were so many. Or maybe the plot (or lack thereof) - I’m not sure. I liked that it was set in the Bahamas. I’ve never read a book set there before so I thought that was great.
There’s a whole section of the plot where two of the girls go to camp, and I was really confused by it. I feel like the character development could’ve happened without it. It felt like the whole reason for the setting was to get the characters to a certain point. It just felt unnecessary.
Of all the girls, Eve was definitely my favorite. In truth, though, I read this book in February of 2021 (I am very behind on reviews) and I don’t remember much about it (I wrote this review in July, 2021). I thought it was a good YA. I wasn’t super enthralled, but I don’t think it was bad.
Just, indifferent.
There’s a whole section of the plot where two of the girls go to camp, and I was really confused by it. I feel like the character development could’ve happened without it. It felt like the whole reason for the setting was to get the characters to a certain point. It just felt unnecessary.
Of all the girls, Eve was definitely my favorite. In truth, though, I read this book in February of 2021 (I am very behind on reviews) and I don’t remember much about it (I wrote this review in July, 2021). I thought it was a good YA. I wasn’t super enthralled, but I don’t think it was bad.
Just, indifferent.
December 6, 2020
The term "coming-of-age" has never really made much sense to me. It's far too wide of a genre, and a bit vague. Surely every book with main characters between the ages of 10-18 could be considered coming-of-age? I also never really could identify something that could be considered coming-of-age. It feels like it will always remain a bit of a mystery, but then I read a book like this one, where "coming-of-age" seems to fit it perfectly. There's not really a distinctive plot in Facing the Sun. Sure, things happen, relationships are tested and built upon, and obstacles are encountered, dealt with, or overcome. But instead of having a distinct beginning and end, we get the feeling that the story existed before we got there, and will continue after we close the book. You might think that would be obvious, and happen in every story, but that isn't always the case. What I felt in this one was like I was peeking into a small section of the lives of our main characters, with just a glimpse into this one particular moment in time.
What this book is mostly built upon however, is the friendship between the four main characters: Eve, Faith, KeeKee, and Nia. Or rather, their relationships with one another. Because I am still not sure if they consider themselves true friends or not. They are clearly staples in each others' lives, and their comings and goings are so interconnected they don't have a choice in the matter. But what I assumed would be a story about a tightknit group of girls who were helping each other through their problems was instead a story about four people who consistently find themselves wrapped into each others' lives. Sometimes they get along, sometimes they don't. Sometimes one breaks off and has relationships outside, sometimes the group splits down the middle. Sometimes they're not a group at all. But overall, it was so interesting to see how they appeared in the daily lives of one another, connected in so many different ways other than just friendship.
However, it was the four different perspectives that was also the weakness of this book. I don't frown on multiple perspective, they keep things interesting within a story. But if I had to choose, I would prefer that a story doesn't flip back and forth so frequently between those perspectives. Particularly at the beginning, when we had barely been introduced to each of them at all, it was difficult to keep them all apart, even more so when their lives intermingle so much as I mentioned above. There was also no consistency in the separation of perspectives. Sometimes it would last one page, sometimes five. Other times, whole chapters were dedicated to one girl. It made it harder to discern between them all, and I had trouble keeping some of the other relationships straight.
I liked the writing style in this book a lot. It reminded me of Toni Morrison's writing, if I were being honest. I'm a skim reader - if I can skip over some words to read a book faster, I'll do it. Sometimes it makes me miss things, other times the writing is weak enough that I don't. This book made me force myself to slow down and take in every word, which I don't do often, but I do enjoy. Obviously reading every word in a book will make it more enjoyable. But forcing myself to do this also reminds me that the book is special, and that there is more to the characters and the story that is written between the words that cannot be missed, no matter how quickly I want to get through to the end.
I love that this book takes place in the Bahamas, because I think most of the world looks at the Caribbean and sees islands that are just meant for vacations. But real people live there, they make their livelihood there, and this book really makes that clear and evident. It was also really interesting to see this other side of tourism and the effect it has on the locals, with the main plot of the book revolving around a hotel development. I love that the author is Bahamian as well, which obviously makes it more genuine and real, and really enhances the experience for the reader. I don't know how much (or if any) of the book may have been based on experiences of the author, but regardless, the familiarity with the environment is there and much appreciated from a reader's perspective.
I read this book in one sitting (because what else is there to do in this pandemic), and never felt like I was bored at any point. I don't know what happens to the characters before the story begins. I don't know what will happen to them after. I really like how the book ended, with the sense that the story doesn't actually end there. Maybe they graduate and all go off in different directions in life. Maybe they all stick around. Maybe they all will work for the hotel after it's built. Regardless, I like that it continues, even though I've closed the book. These characters felt very real, and flawed, and not like they were created for a book and perfectly crafted. I enjoyed the experience of reading this a lot, even though as a reader, there wasn't a personal connection. It really goes to show that if a book is well-written and there's thought put into the story and the characters, it's not necessary to relate to everything inside of it. You can still get the same sense of home and hope within it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What this book is mostly built upon however, is the friendship between the four main characters: Eve, Faith, KeeKee, and Nia. Or rather, their relationships with one another. Because I am still not sure if they consider themselves true friends or not. They are clearly staples in each others' lives, and their comings and goings are so interconnected they don't have a choice in the matter. But what I assumed would be a story about a tightknit group of girls who were helping each other through their problems was instead a story about four people who consistently find themselves wrapped into each others' lives. Sometimes they get along, sometimes they don't. Sometimes one breaks off and has relationships outside, sometimes the group splits down the middle. Sometimes they're not a group at all. But overall, it was so interesting to see how they appeared in the daily lives of one another, connected in so many different ways other than just friendship.
However, it was the four different perspectives that was also the weakness of this book. I don't frown on multiple perspective, they keep things interesting within a story. But if I had to choose, I would prefer that a story doesn't flip back and forth so frequently between those perspectives. Particularly at the beginning, when we had barely been introduced to each of them at all, it was difficult to keep them all apart, even more so when their lives intermingle so much as I mentioned above. There was also no consistency in the separation of perspectives. Sometimes it would last one page, sometimes five. Other times, whole chapters were dedicated to one girl. It made it harder to discern between them all, and I had trouble keeping some of the other relationships straight.
I liked the writing style in this book a lot. It reminded me of Toni Morrison's writing, if I were being honest. I'm a skim reader - if I can skip over some words to read a book faster, I'll do it. Sometimes it makes me miss things, other times the writing is weak enough that I don't. This book made me force myself to slow down and take in every word, which I don't do often, but I do enjoy. Obviously reading every word in a book will make it more enjoyable. But forcing myself to do this also reminds me that the book is special, and that there is more to the characters and the story that is written between the words that cannot be missed, no matter how quickly I want to get through to the end.
I love that this book takes place in the Bahamas, because I think most of the world looks at the Caribbean and sees islands that are just meant for vacations. But real people live there, they make their livelihood there, and this book really makes that clear and evident. It was also really interesting to see this other side of tourism and the effect it has on the locals, with the main plot of the book revolving around a hotel development. I love that the author is Bahamian as well, which obviously makes it more genuine and real, and really enhances the experience for the reader. I don't know how much (or if any) of the book may have been based on experiences of the author, but regardless, the familiarity with the environment is there and much appreciated from a reader's perspective.
I read this book in one sitting (because what else is there to do in this pandemic), and never felt like I was bored at any point. I don't know what happens to the characters before the story begins. I don't know what will happen to them after. I really like how the book ended, with the sense that the story doesn't actually end there. Maybe they graduate and all go off in different directions in life. Maybe they all stick around. Maybe they all will work for the hotel after it's built. Regardless, I like that it continues, even though I've closed the book. These characters felt very real, and flawed, and not like they were created for a book and perfectly crafted. I enjoyed the experience of reading this a lot, even though as a reader, there wasn't a personal connection. It really goes to show that if a book is well-written and there's thought put into the story and the characters, it's not necessary to relate to everything inside of it. You can still get the same sense of home and hope within it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2020
Strong character development of 4 girls and 1 guy, whose lives intertwine through friendship and adversity. Each chapter takes on the voice of a character and their role in the overall story so you get to see each one's perspective of the same events. Easy, breezy, enjoyable reading for teenagers and up.
September 12, 2020
3 stars. RTC.
February 12, 2024
I read this for my Read the World series, Bahamas, and I really enjoyed this. It is kind of like Sisterhood of the traveling pants except instead of a pair of jeans they share it is the beach that is being taken over by a hotel that binds them together, well that and the character Toons. There are 4 POVs that we see in this YA fiction; Eve, Keekee, Nia, and Faith. This story takes place over the end of the school year and beginning of their summer (the girls are all around the age of 15) where their lives will change forever.
Each of the four girls has their own issues within their homelife and struggles and I was really invested into how they dealt with their struggles and home and with each other. Did I love all of the characters? No, however, even the ones that I was not that into were integral to the plot of other characters. I was not a fan of Faith but seeing a parent change as much as her mom did would change anyone. These girls felt real, which is hard to do in young adult fiction.
There is a lot that happens and i was really disappointed in Eve's mom, which I feel like wasn't really resolved and I was heartbroken for Eve. I'm being very vague here trying not to spoil anything but there is so much that happens with each girl and they are all very different. I was also not really impressed with Toons and it felt like he wasn't developed as much as the girls characters were, that he was just to move the plot and create conflict.
The true hero of this book was Mr. Rahming who runs the local corner store and knows everyone's business and looks out for those in the neighborhood. He was the only fully positive male character, Eve's dad wasn't the worst and had some really great moments but was in and out of the story. There were some Bahamian cultural aspects but it wasn't a story that could only be set in the Bahamas. I am excited to try some of the guava duff mentioned in the story.
They are young women and there is some "adult" (sex) content but it is very much a young adult book that I would recommend to teenagers especially if you liked the Traveling Pants books.
Each of the four girls has their own issues within their homelife and struggles and I was really invested into how they dealt with their struggles and home and with each other. Did I love all of the characters? No, however, even the ones that I was not that into were integral to the plot of other characters. I was not a fan of Faith but seeing a parent change as much as her mom did would change anyone. These girls felt real, which is hard to do in young adult fiction.
There is a lot that happens and i was really disappointed in Eve's mom, which I feel like wasn't really resolved and I was heartbroken for Eve. I'm being very vague here trying not to spoil anything but there is so much that happens with each girl and they are all very different. I was also not really impressed with Toons and it felt like he wasn't developed as much as the girls characters were, that he was just to move the plot and create conflict.
The true hero of this book was Mr. Rahming who runs the local corner store and knows everyone's business and looks out for those in the neighborhood. He was the only fully positive male character, Eve's dad wasn't the worst and had some really great moments but was in and out of the story. There were some Bahamian cultural aspects but it wasn't a story that could only be set in the Bahamas. I am excited to try some of the guava duff mentioned in the story.
They are young women and there is some "adult" (sex) content but it is very much a young adult book that I would recommend to teenagers especially if you liked the Traveling Pants books.
July 22, 2020
thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc for an honest review
"Facing the Sun" is a story about four teenage girls in Nassau who are battling different issues that they're having in their personal lives, as well as battling a common issue of a new development taking over the beach at the end of their street.
PROS -
~ Backstory: Each character has a unique backstory that really allowed the readers to understand each of the four girls a bit better.
~New Perspectives: Not once have I ever given thought to what people who live in the countries that are being turned into these giant holiday spots actually deal with in terms of giving up their land for these giant, uninviting buildings. I'm really glad I read this book for that reason alone.
~Angel: I didn't vibe with the majority of characters in this story, but the one character that really stood out to me is Angel. Angel is a fierce, loving, big-hearted woman who knows who she is and uses her confidence to help other women and I really enjoyed when she appeared in the story.
CONS -
~Layout: Unfortunately, I don't know if it was the format in which I read this book or if the book genuinely lacked a cohesive layout at the beginning, but it was hard to wrap my head around everything that was going on.
~Characters: I didn't love the characters. There were a lot of the times where the four girls would say things and I would actually have to stop and wonder how they could say those things to friends, family, etc., but that wasn't my main issue. I feel like for a good 50% of the book, the characters lacked individuality and I found myself going back to see whose perspective I was reading from.
~Cheating: They really excused a lot of cheating in this story and that doesn't sit right with me
Overall, I loved this story and I'm thankful I got to experience it, because it opened my eyes to things I have never thought about before. I recommend everyone to read this book, because it truly is remarkable.
"Facing the Sun" is a story about four teenage girls in Nassau who are battling different issues that they're having in their personal lives, as well as battling a common issue of a new development taking over the beach at the end of their street.
PROS -
~ Backstory: Each character has a unique backstory that really allowed the readers to understand each of the four girls a bit better.
~New Perspectives: Not once have I ever given thought to what people who live in the countries that are being turned into these giant holiday spots actually deal with in terms of giving up their land for these giant, uninviting buildings. I'm really glad I read this book for that reason alone.
~Angel: I didn't vibe with the majority of characters in this story, but the one character that really stood out to me is Angel. Angel is a fierce, loving, big-hearted woman who knows who she is and uses her confidence to help other women and I really enjoyed when she appeared in the story.
CONS -
~Layout: Unfortunately, I don't know if it was the format in which I read this book or if the book genuinely lacked a cohesive layout at the beginning, but it was hard to wrap my head around everything that was going on.
~Characters: I didn't love the characters. There were a lot of the times where the four girls would say things and I would actually have to stop and wonder how they could say those things to friends, family, etc., but that wasn't my main issue. I feel like for a good 50% of the book, the characters lacked individuality and I found myself going back to see whose perspective I was reading from.
~Cheating: They really excused a lot of cheating in this story and that doesn't sit right with me
Overall, I loved this story and I'm thankful I got to experience it, because it opened my eyes to things I have never thought about before. I recommend everyone to read this book, because it truly is remarkable.
August 26, 2022
Read as part of my world reading challenge. See all my reviews at https://YA-world-challenge.tumblr.com
“I wonder, not for the first time, how it would be to melt off the road and into that forest... Until no one I’m responsible for knows how to find me.”
First off, this book has some gorgeous lyrical prose, poetry oozing through each chapter (and sometimes in stanzas through KeeKee’s spoken word poems). Even just everyday moments are lovingly described.
We go beyond the tourist image of the Bahamas to follow the lives of four teenagers on the rural outskirts of Nassau. The summer begins with a hotel developer purchasing the local beach, which pretty much turns the community upside down. And while there is some villainy here, including thuggish threats, this isn’t a book were the underdog kids go up against the big corporations and win.
It’s more about having to confront change. About the grief of losing a parent who is still there, the hurt passed down through generations, the unfairness of responsibility, the grief of change when you want the world to stay, captured as it is. Having everything turn upside down and still having to “face the sun”.
This book hit kind of hard at points because I’ve been going through some hard times, but it’s not all heavy, and there are some great moments of friendship as we follow the four girls. They are not perfect, and they do have their falling-outs and betrayals, and I found their reactions and actions believable and relatable.
Bonus points for the sex-ed and sex positively themes. KeeKee’s mom gives out free condoms, and the narrative doesn’t shy away from things like periods.
It was a bit annoying that there was only one teenage boy, that pretty much everybody but his own sister was after at some point... but I have lived in small communities like that. 😂
Overall, this was a very beautiful snapshot of Bahamas life, and I enjoyed reading it.
“I wonder, not for the first time, how it would be to melt off the road and into that forest... Until no one I’m responsible for knows how to find me.”
First off, this book has some gorgeous lyrical prose, poetry oozing through each chapter (and sometimes in stanzas through KeeKee’s spoken word poems). Even just everyday moments are lovingly described.
We go beyond the tourist image of the Bahamas to follow the lives of four teenagers on the rural outskirts of Nassau. The summer begins with a hotel developer purchasing the local beach, which pretty much turns the community upside down. And while there is some villainy here, including thuggish threats, this isn’t a book were the underdog kids go up against the big corporations and win.
It’s more about having to confront change. About the grief of losing a parent who is still there, the hurt passed down through generations, the unfairness of responsibility, the grief of change when you want the world to stay, captured as it is. Having everything turn upside down and still having to “face the sun”.
This book hit kind of hard at points because I’ve been going through some hard times, but it’s not all heavy, and there are some great moments of friendship as we follow the four girls. They are not perfect, and they do have their falling-outs and betrayals, and I found their reactions and actions believable and relatable.
Bonus points for the sex-ed and sex positively themes. KeeKee’s mom gives out free condoms, and the narrative doesn’t shy away from things like periods.
It was a bit annoying that there was only one teenage boy, that pretty much everybody but his own sister was after at some point... but I have lived in small communities like that. 😂
Overall, this was a very beautiful snapshot of Bahamas life, and I enjoyed reading it.
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