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Wild Fires
The only things Cassandra knows about her family are the stories she's heard in snatches over the years: about the aunt and cousin she never got to meet, about the man from the folded-up photograph in one of her aunt's drawers, and of course about her cousin Chevy, and his troubled past - but no one utters a word about them any more.
When a call from one of her sisters brings Cassandra news of Chevy's death, she has to return home for the funeral. To Toronto and the big house on Florence Street, where her sisters are hiding more than themselves in their rooms, where the tension brewing between her mother and aunts has been decades in the making, and where sooner or later every secret, unspoken word and painful memory will find its way out into the open.
Moving between Toronto and Trinidad, Wild Fires is a vivid and compelling story exploring the ways we mourn and why we avoid the very things that can save us.
When a call from one of her sisters brings Cassandra news of Chevy's death, she has to return home for the funeral. To Toronto and the big house on Florence Street, where her sisters are hiding more than themselves in their rooms, where the tension brewing between her mother and aunts has been decades in the making, and where sooner or later every secret, unspoken word and painful memory will find its way out into the open.
Moving between Toronto and Trinidad, Wild Fires is a vivid and compelling story exploring the ways we mourn and why we avoid the very things that can save us.
350 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2021
8 people are currently reading
453 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Jai
1 book14 followersWILD FIRES is Sophie Jai's debut novel. She was selected as a 2020 Writer-in-Residence and Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford for WILD FIRES, and was longlisted for the 2019 Bridport Prize Peggy Chapman-Andrews Award for a First Novel. Jai was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. She splits her time between Toronto and London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
May 10, 2022
If you asked me what the plot of this book was, I wouldn't really be able to tell you. I have no idea what actually happened aside from the funeral which is the main plot point of Wild Fires.
But what I can say is that I enjoyed the writing style, the descriptions of the setting(s) and the overall feel of the novel.
I didn't connect to the characters, but they were interesting to read about. I think they would've been even more interesting if the time jumps weren't all over the place and if everything was happening in a clear timeline.
There's a family tree at the start which I looove, but the formatting was off for my version so I couldn't get into it as much as I wanted to, and didn't flip back and forth whenever new characters appeared to see how they were related.
Wild Fires also deals with grief, and it does it well, but the previously mentioned time jumping sometimes (often) got in the way of that.
So overall it was a perfectly fine debut, maybe around 3.5 on the rating scale. I'm sure Sophie Jai will only get better in the future.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
But what I can say is that I enjoyed the writing style, the descriptions of the setting(s) and the overall feel of the novel.
I didn't connect to the characters, but they were interesting to read about. I think they would've been even more interesting if the time jumps weren't all over the place and if everything was happening in a clear timeline.
There's a family tree at the start which I looove, but the formatting was off for my version so I couldn't get into it as much as I wanted to, and didn't flip back and forth whenever new characters appeared to see how they were related.
Wild Fires also deals with grief, and it does it well, but the previously mentioned time jumping sometimes (often) got in the way of that.
So overall it was a perfectly fine debut, maybe around 3.5 on the rating scale. I'm sure Sophie Jai will only get better in the future.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
April 16, 2023
I took a long time to write this review because I kept thinking maybe I would have an "aha!" moment where I would be able to tell you exactly what the book is about.
Cassandra learns of the death of her family member while living and writing in London. She flies to Canada for the funeral service, there she is met by her family who are all from Trinidad and Tobago. Cassandra's family is known to sweep even an elephant under the rug, so them all gathering together, something is bound to come out.
It is clear Sophie Jai is an incredible writer, she knows how to craft a sentence that will leave the breathless. I wish however there was a stronger editor at hand because I truly felt the story was all over the place and as a debut author I wish they had suggested to tell the story in a more linear way. It all felt too confusing and hard to follow.
Either way, I cannot wait to read what Sophie Jai writes next.
Cassandra learns of the death of her family member while living and writing in London. She flies to Canada for the funeral service, there she is met by her family who are all from Trinidad and Tobago. Cassandra's family is known to sweep even an elephant under the rug, so them all gathering together, something is bound to come out.
It is clear Sophie Jai is an incredible writer, she knows how to craft a sentence that will leave the breathless. I wish however there was a stronger editor at hand because I truly felt the story was all over the place and as a debut author I wish they had suggested to tell the story in a more linear way. It all felt too confusing and hard to follow.
Either way, I cannot wait to read what Sophie Jai writes next.
May 9, 2022
The focus of Sophie Jai's debut novel is a family full of secrets and wracked by a generation of grief. Although the blurb suggests all the secrets will come out, I was left with questions unanswered. Still, I felt some quiet enjoyment in my time spent lurking in the sprawling Rampersad house.
Five years after fleeing to England, Cas is summoned back to the family home in Toronto for a funeral. Her cousin Chevy has died suddenly in his late 40s. There is no question - she must return. When she arrives at the unnaturally quiet house all the residents are there, shut behind the doors of their own rooms in their grief over the unexpected death. Her mother, her two sisters - one older, one younger - two aunts. But no Chevy of course. Auntie Moira and Uncle Bass are also on their way from Trinidad, and once they arrive, that's it. The whole family. A family that tends to count its number by those missing as much as those present.
The first ordeal will be the funeral, which Cas dreads, knowing that their unsuspecting Canadian friends and neighbours will be shocked by the family's particular style of Trinidadian mourning. But even Cas herself is shocked when Auntie Rani tries to climb into the coffin with her nephew. Then there will be Cecelia's birthday to get through. In her early 20s, Cece is still the baby of the family and Chevy's death will not be allowed to interfere with the celebration. But somewhere in between, everything begins to unravel, and by the time Cece's special day arrives, not all family members will be present.
My favourite parts of this story were the historical elements, detailing the family background from when they still lived in Trinidad. This focused largely on the older generation, plus Chevy as a child. But I also enjoyed the interplay between the 3 sisters of the younger generation; brought up between the two cultures and kept in the dark about some really key family events. Finally, special mention must go to the house, which was almost like a character in its own right.
With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an eARC to read and review.
Five years after fleeing to England, Cas is summoned back to the family home in Toronto for a funeral. Her cousin Chevy has died suddenly in his late 40s. There is no question - she must return. When she arrives at the unnaturally quiet house all the residents are there, shut behind the doors of their own rooms in their grief over the unexpected death. Her mother, her two sisters - one older, one younger - two aunts. But no Chevy of course. Auntie Moira and Uncle Bass are also on their way from Trinidad, and once they arrive, that's it. The whole family. A family that tends to count its number by those missing as much as those present.
The first ordeal will be the funeral, which Cas dreads, knowing that their unsuspecting Canadian friends and neighbours will be shocked by the family's particular style of Trinidadian mourning. But even Cas herself is shocked when Auntie Rani tries to climb into the coffin with her nephew. Then there will be Cecelia's birthday to get through. In her early 20s, Cece is still the baby of the family and Chevy's death will not be allowed to interfere with the celebration. But somewhere in between, everything begins to unravel, and by the time Cece's special day arrives, not all family members will be present.
My favourite parts of this story were the historical elements, detailing the family background from when they still lived in Trinidad. This focused largely on the older generation, plus Chevy as a child. But I also enjoyed the interplay between the 3 sisters of the younger generation; brought up between the two cultures and kept in the dark about some really key family events. Finally, special mention must go to the house, which was almost like a character in its own right.
With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an eARC to read and review.
May 16, 2022
Cassandra is notified of her cousin’s death and flies back to Toronto to her family home, but all is not well in the house. There’s clear tension between her aunt and her mum, and unfortunately the death of her cousin seems to have ripped open some old wounds. Cassandra ends up in the middle of the family drama as the past is brought back to present day, and stories that were once forgotten or not spoken about are coming to light.
This book focuses on complex familial relationships wrapped up in grief and secrets, honestly you can’t go wrong! The pacing was okay but I would have preferred it to have been a tad faster as the first half of the book felt a lot longer than the second half. If you’re a fan of contemporary fiction then you will enjoy this read. It’s rare to find a book that centres around grief so beautifully written, but this one certainly ticks that box.
Well worth a read, it’ll stay with you long after you’ve closed the book. Thank you so much to Harper Fiction for sending me a copy and having me on the booksta tour.
This book focuses on complex familial relationships wrapped up in grief and secrets, honestly you can’t go wrong! The pacing was okay but I would have preferred it to have been a tad faster as the first half of the book felt a lot longer than the second half. If you’re a fan of contemporary fiction then you will enjoy this read. It’s rare to find a book that centres around grief so beautifully written, but this one certainly ticks that box.
Well worth a read, it’ll stay with you long after you’ve closed the book. Thank you so much to Harper Fiction for sending me a copy and having me on the booksta tour.
April 18, 2022
Although I have wide and eclectic reading tastes, I do particularly enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, mysteries, thrillers and horrors. I think I prefer these as I crave books which tell complete stories that grip and intrigue me. I don’t often DNF books that I start to read, but if I do it’s usually because they don’t seem to be going anywhere, I lack any impetus to continue reading them or I’m really lost as to what is happening.
I’m afraid to say that Wild Fires by Sophie Jai fit right into all three of those categories and I ended up DNFing it at 40%. Usually I start and finish a book of this length in less than a week but I had found myself not wanting to pick it up and it took me over a week to get to 40%. The plot was confusing, jumping between present day and the past with no real explanation of which timeline as which. I didn’t really understand who the characters were or how they related to each other, and the timeline shifts added to this difficulty. There’s a family tree at the start of the book but it wasn’t formatted well for my Kindle which made it unreadable, and you couldn’t really keep going back to it to use it as a reference.
My next issue was the plot itself which didn’t seem to be going anywhere. A man named Chevy has died and everyone in the family seemed very upset about it (to the point of shouting and fainting at his funeral), but I really didn’t understand who he was or how he fit into the picture. There’s a ‘legend’ of him outrunning a car when he was younger, but the driver just braked a lot and let him win so that wasn’t exactly a thrilling outcome. As I found myself struggling with it so much I had a look at a few other Goodreads reviews and one mentioned that you never actually find out what the family secret is, even at the very end and this was the last straw for me. A book that doesn’t tell a story is not the right fit for me, so I put it down.
Overall, Wild Fires is a confusing and slow story which doesn’t seem to go anywhere. Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction & The Borough Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for a (very) honest review.
For more of my reviews check out www.kindig.co.uk
I’m afraid to say that Wild Fires by Sophie Jai fit right into all three of those categories and I ended up DNFing it at 40%. Usually I start and finish a book of this length in less than a week but I had found myself not wanting to pick it up and it took me over a week to get to 40%. The plot was confusing, jumping between present day and the past with no real explanation of which timeline as which. I didn’t really understand who the characters were or how they related to each other, and the timeline shifts added to this difficulty. There’s a family tree at the start of the book but it wasn’t formatted well for my Kindle which made it unreadable, and you couldn’t really keep going back to it to use it as a reference.
My next issue was the plot itself which didn’t seem to be going anywhere. A man named Chevy has died and everyone in the family seemed very upset about it (to the point of shouting and fainting at his funeral), but I really didn’t understand who he was or how he fit into the picture. There’s a ‘legend’ of him outrunning a car when he was younger, but the driver just braked a lot and let him win so that wasn’t exactly a thrilling outcome. As I found myself struggling with it so much I had a look at a few other Goodreads reviews and one mentioned that you never actually find out what the family secret is, even at the very end and this was the last straw for me. A book that doesn’t tell a story is not the right fit for me, so I put it down.
Overall, Wild Fires is a confusing and slow story which doesn’t seem to go anywhere. Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction & The Borough Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for a (very) honest review.
For more of my reviews check out www.kindig.co.uk
June 5, 2022
Family saga set in TORONTO and TRINIDAD
Wild Fires is a beautifully written and complex family saga set over several decades. The Rampersad family of Indian extraction lived in Trinidad until they emigrated to Canada in the early 1990s. I had not realised (until I looked it up) that 37% of the Trinidadian population is Indian… they came to Trinidad and Tobago as indentured labourers to work on the sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery in 1833. Famines, destruction of indigenous industries and unemployment under the colonial rule had left large chunks of the population in India without food and basic amenities. In the present day, Cassandra, one of the granddaughters of the original Rampersads, is now living in London and working as a freelance copywriter. She is summoned back to Toronto for the funeral following the death of her cousin, Chevy – who had spent most of his adult life not speaking. She finds her family as dysfunctional as she remembered them. There are many secrets in the past that impact on the present. Cassandra’s mother, Leela, is one of five sisters. Three of her sisters, Cassandra’s aunts, are still alive. Two live in the family house in Toronto, one has flown in from Trinidad for the funeral. Certain subjects (like why Chevy never spoke, or how one of the sisters died) are not spoken about. There is much mystery, intrigue and silence.
Cassandra is determined to find out more about the past, and how it is impacting the present. The aunts are somewhat larger than life – and at least one is a drama queen. The house revolves around their relationships. The story describes Cassandra’s digging and the effect it has on her. The final revelations are dramatic.
Trinidad of 30 or 40 years ago is well described, as it present day Toronto – from the steamy summer days of the Caribbean to the bitter winter cold of Canada. Both countries feel very real.
The background to the story (but hopefully not too much of the detail…) is autobiographical. Sophie Jai was born in Trinidad and brought up there and in Toronto before moving to London. Wild Fires is her debut novel and I believe she is an exciting new talent. I look forward to what comes next.
Wild Fires is a beautifully written and complex family saga set over several decades. The Rampersad family of Indian extraction lived in Trinidad until they emigrated to Canada in the early 1990s. I had not realised (until I looked it up) that 37% of the Trinidadian population is Indian… they came to Trinidad and Tobago as indentured labourers to work on the sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery in 1833. Famines, destruction of indigenous industries and unemployment under the colonial rule had left large chunks of the population in India without food and basic amenities. In the present day, Cassandra, one of the granddaughters of the original Rampersads, is now living in London and working as a freelance copywriter. She is summoned back to Toronto for the funeral following the death of her cousin, Chevy – who had spent most of his adult life not speaking. She finds her family as dysfunctional as she remembered them. There are many secrets in the past that impact on the present. Cassandra’s mother, Leela, is one of five sisters. Three of her sisters, Cassandra’s aunts, are still alive. Two live in the family house in Toronto, one has flown in from Trinidad for the funeral. Certain subjects (like why Chevy never spoke, or how one of the sisters died) are not spoken about. There is much mystery, intrigue and silence.
Cassandra is determined to find out more about the past, and how it is impacting the present. The aunts are somewhat larger than life – and at least one is a drama queen. The house revolves around their relationships. The story describes Cassandra’s digging and the effect it has on her. The final revelations are dramatic.
Trinidad of 30 or 40 years ago is well described, as it present day Toronto – from the steamy summer days of the Caribbean to the bitter winter cold of Canada. Both countries feel very real.
The background to the story (but hopefully not too much of the detail…) is autobiographical. Sophie Jai was born in Trinidad and brought up there and in Toronto before moving to London. Wild Fires is her debut novel and I believe she is an exciting new talent. I look forward to what comes next.
May 8, 2022
Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
This debut novel by Sophie Jai is an interesting insight into the Indo Trini community, and more so about the dynamics within quite a dysfunctional family.
Cassandra heads back to Toronto, Canada where her family settled, after leaving Trinidad, after hearing of her cousin's death.
But it's not just a straightforward trip, because she isn't just there to mourn and attend a funeral. Cassandra knows the family has many secrets, and the women in the family live in ways that are alien to most others. Her own mother is one of five sisters, and they all live under the same roof, apart from one who stayed on in Trinidad with her husband, and another who passed away under tragic circumstances. Also, there are Cassandra's older and younger sisters.
The story took me a little while to get into, as there is a lot of to-ing and frow-ing from past to the present, with the POV appearing to change, but each trip back adds another layer to the story. There are many secrets hidden within the family, and we still do not learn everything by the end of the story, but Jai's beautiful prose keeps you hooked.
This debut novel by Sophie Jai is an interesting insight into the Indo Trini community, and more so about the dynamics within quite a dysfunctional family.
Cassandra heads back to Toronto, Canada where her family settled, after leaving Trinidad, after hearing of her cousin's death.
But it's not just a straightforward trip, because she isn't just there to mourn and attend a funeral. Cassandra knows the family has many secrets, and the women in the family live in ways that are alien to most others. Her own mother is one of five sisters, and they all live under the same roof, apart from one who stayed on in Trinidad with her husband, and another who passed away under tragic circumstances. Also, there are Cassandra's older and younger sisters.
The story took me a little while to get into, as there is a lot of to-ing and frow-ing from past to the present, with the POV appearing to change, but each trip back adds another layer to the story. There are many secrets hidden within the family, and we still do not learn everything by the end of the story, but Jai's beautiful prose keeps you hooked.
August 10, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this blind and I'm glad I did. I picked it purely for the cover - surprise, surprise!
Ultimately, Wild Fires is a story about loss, self and family. In terms of plot, there isn't much of one, in my opinion. This is more to do with the fallout one deals with after a loss in the family.
Familie's are messy at the best of times, and Jai finds a way to amplify this through the death that occurs at the beginning of the book. I do enjoy books that focus on family dynamics, and find them fascinating. Jai also explores the differences in the way grief is shown across cultures. Our MC, Cassandra's family are from Trinidad but now reside in Toronto. There's a particularly difficult passage during the funeral that makes Cassandra, and the reader, feel uncomfortable as she see's the way their neighbours view the family as they publicly grieve. The way Jai executes this is flawless.
I do think that what the book lacked was direction and there was no clear resolution to much. Whilst I do like character driven novels, I feel like I knew more of the side characters personality/motives rather than Cassandra's. She felt quite passive, although I do recognise that this could have been intentional in terms of her dealing with her grief. I struggled to connect with Cassandra overall and found that her sister's and aunts were more compelling/interesting.
Overall, I think this is a good debut, and I would be interested to see what Jai comes out with next.
I went into this blind and I'm glad I did. I picked it purely for the cover - surprise, surprise!
Ultimately, Wild Fires is a story about loss, self and family. In terms of plot, there isn't much of one, in my opinion. This is more to do with the fallout one deals with after a loss in the family.
Familie's are messy at the best of times, and Jai finds a way to amplify this through the death that occurs at the beginning of the book. I do enjoy books that focus on family dynamics, and find them fascinating. Jai also explores the differences in the way grief is shown across cultures. Our MC, Cassandra's family are from Trinidad but now reside in Toronto. There's a particularly difficult passage during the funeral that makes Cassandra, and the reader, feel uncomfortable as she see's the way their neighbours view the family as they publicly grieve. The way Jai executes this is flawless.
I do think that what the book lacked was direction and there was no clear resolution to much. Whilst I do like character driven novels, I feel like I knew more of the side characters personality/motives rather than Cassandra's. She felt quite passive, although I do recognise that this could have been intentional in terms of her dealing with her grief. I struggled to connect with Cassandra overall and found that her sister's and aunts were more compelling/interesting.
Overall, I think this is a good debut, and I would be interested to see what Jai comes out with next.
May 8, 2022
It is the death of her cousin Chevy that brings Cassandra from London back to Toronto where her family is based after having left Trinidad. But she not only returns to the funeral but to a whole history of her family that suddenly pops up again. Stories she had forgotten but now remembers, things which have always been unsaid despite that fact that everybody knew them and secrets that now surface in the big house in Florence Street where the tension is growing day by day. The sisters and aunts find themselves in an exceptional emotional state that cracks open unhealed wounds which add to the ones that have come with the death of Chevy.
Sophie Jai was herself born in Trinidad just like her protagonist and grew up in Toronto, “Wild Fires” is her first novel and was published in 2021. It centres around a family in grief, but also a family between two countries and also between the past and the present and things that have never been addressed between the members. Having been away for some time allows Cassandra a role a bit of an outsider and she sees things of her family she has never understood.
The author wonderfully interweaves the present story of the family gathering at the Toronto home to mourn the loss and Cassandra’s childhood recollections and well-known family stories. Thus, we get to know the deceased and his role in the family web. Like Chevy’s story, also the aspects that link but also separate the generations of sisters are uncovered thus exposing long avoided conflicts.
The novel raises the questions if you can ever flee from the family bonds and how to deal with what happened in the past and has never openly be spoken out loud and discussed. Sophie Jai finds the perfect words to express the nuances in the atmosphere and paces the plot according to the characters’ increasingly conflicting mood.
I liked how the characters and their story unfolds, yet, I would have preferred a more accelerated pace and at the beginning, I struggled to understand the connection between them which was a bit confusing.
Sophie Jai was herself born in Trinidad just like her protagonist and grew up in Toronto, “Wild Fires” is her first novel and was published in 2021. It centres around a family in grief, but also a family between two countries and also between the past and the present and things that have never been addressed between the members. Having been away for some time allows Cassandra a role a bit of an outsider and she sees things of her family she has never understood.
The author wonderfully interweaves the present story of the family gathering at the Toronto home to mourn the loss and Cassandra’s childhood recollections and well-known family stories. Thus, we get to know the deceased and his role in the family web. Like Chevy’s story, also the aspects that link but also separate the generations of sisters are uncovered thus exposing long avoided conflicts.
The novel raises the questions if you can ever flee from the family bonds and how to deal with what happened in the past and has never openly be spoken out loud and discussed. Sophie Jai finds the perfect words to express the nuances in the atmosphere and paces the plot according to the characters’ increasingly conflicting mood.
I liked how the characters and their story unfolds, yet, I would have preferred a more accelerated pace and at the beginning, I struggled to understand the connection between them which was a bit confusing.
April 20, 2022
From the get-go, Wild Fires was super confusing. The opening to the book reads as if you should already know the characters and starting off by talking about someone called Onions was a little strange. Not that there’s anything wrong with being called Onions, but it really did confuse me. This Onions character was talking about someone called Chevy which doesn’t seem as unusual and the names are explained a little further on, but what a way to start a book.
During the first few chapters, I had to keep checking that this wasn’t part of a series as I felt like I was missing something. It isn’t, this is actually Sophie Jai’s debut and I’m sad to say that I won’t be checking out any of her further releases.
General fiction is not a genre I read often and every time I pick one up I realise why. I tend to find them boring and I feel really bad saying that is what happened here. I got 35% into the book before finally packing it up, this was a ‘did not finish for me. Not sure if I was missing something, but honestly nothing happened in the entirety of this 35% and it took me a very long time to get to that point. Absolutely no disrespect to Sophie Jai, but the writing style just was not for me.
The pacing of Wild Fires was very off for me. The chapters often moved between past and present and it was difficult to tell what was happening when. Constantly calling back to the past meant that there was little to no story progression in the 35% I read. I really wanted to get to 50% to give Wild Fires a fair chance, but I just could not make it.
Genuinely, I have little to no actual opinions on this and I don’t feel like I can as nothing happened in the bit I did read. Due to not finishing the book and finding the pacing very slow, I will be rating Wild Fires one star. If you are into general fiction then you may like Wild Fires so please do not let my review put you off.
During the first few chapters, I had to keep checking that this wasn’t part of a series as I felt like I was missing something. It isn’t, this is actually Sophie Jai’s debut and I’m sad to say that I won’t be checking out any of her further releases.
General fiction is not a genre I read often and every time I pick one up I realise why. I tend to find them boring and I feel really bad saying that is what happened here. I got 35% into the book before finally packing it up, this was a ‘did not finish for me. Not sure if I was missing something, but honestly nothing happened in the entirety of this 35% and it took me a very long time to get to that point. Absolutely no disrespect to Sophie Jai, but the writing style just was not for me.
The pacing of Wild Fires was very off for me. The chapters often moved between past and present and it was difficult to tell what was happening when. Constantly calling back to the past meant that there was little to no story progression in the 35% I read. I really wanted to get to 50% to give Wild Fires a fair chance, but I just could not make it.
Genuinely, I have little to no actual opinions on this and I don’t feel like I can as nothing happened in the bit I did read. Due to not finishing the book and finding the pacing very slow, I will be rating Wild Fires one star. If you are into general fiction then you may like Wild Fires so please do not let my review put you off.
May 12, 2022
Thanks to Borough Press for my gifted proof of this title in return for an honest review and place on the book tour.
I’m glad there was a small family tree at the beginning. It’s a story with a large cast of characters and it’s easy to get muddled up so that was a big help.
This book is a real exploration of character and inter-generational families. It’s not heavy on plot and the narrative doesn’t take up masses of time; instead it focusses on how the family navigate grief whilst rediscovering each other. There’s a nice balance between the present narrative and the backstories of our characters. Some of them have bigger roles than others and some I clicked with more than others - especially the older generations - but they’re all expertly detailed.
On a personal note, I will say I prefer it when speech is not written in a dialect or accent as it removes me from the action and the meaning behind the speech because I’m too focussed on the physical words; and yet I know this can have the opposite effect for other readers, so it’s definitely a personal preference.
It’s very original, unlike anything I’ve read before. Sophie has really gone to town with the description of place, character and emotion; I think she’s got a successful career ahead of her if this debut is anything to go by.
Not everything is answered in the book, a lot is left up to your own interpretation and understanding, and I think that’s quite nice, as each reader takes something personal away with them.
For me, I found it fascinating to read about characters from a different culture and background as me - it gave me something to think about as well as enjoy.
I’m glad there was a small family tree at the beginning. It’s a story with a large cast of characters and it’s easy to get muddled up so that was a big help.
This book is a real exploration of character and inter-generational families. It’s not heavy on plot and the narrative doesn’t take up masses of time; instead it focusses on how the family navigate grief whilst rediscovering each other. There’s a nice balance between the present narrative and the backstories of our characters. Some of them have bigger roles than others and some I clicked with more than others - especially the older generations - but they’re all expertly detailed.
On a personal note, I will say I prefer it when speech is not written in a dialect or accent as it removes me from the action and the meaning behind the speech because I’m too focussed on the physical words; and yet I know this can have the opposite effect for other readers, so it’s definitely a personal preference.
It’s very original, unlike anything I’ve read before. Sophie has really gone to town with the description of place, character and emotion; I think she’s got a successful career ahead of her if this debut is anything to go by.
Not everything is answered in the book, a lot is left up to your own interpretation and understanding, and I think that’s quite nice, as each reader takes something personal away with them.
For me, I found it fascinating to read about characters from a different culture and background as me - it gave me something to think about as well as enjoy.
May 17, 2022
This book follows the Rampersad family. From the beginning, the reader can sense the friction and resentment between the family members. It also becomes apparent that the family won’t discuss certain things that occurred in the past.
The family are originally from Trinidad, and it was Leela, one of the sisters who emigrated to Canada with her husband and daughters. As years went on, more family members followed them to Toronto, including Aunt Rani, Aunt Sangheeta, and cousin Chevy.
Cassandra returns to Toronto for her cousin’s funeral. For the past five years she has been living in London, but now she is back at her childhood house on Florence Street. Coming home unearths all of Cassandra’s memories about her childhood and her family.
The family suffered a lot of tragedy, starting with the death of Junior, followed by his mother Tippie. I was heartbroken when I found out Rani’s and Tippie’s story – and I understood the reason for the resentment between the sisters.
As I was reading, I got the impression that the aunts couldn’t let go of their painful past: what happened to their own parents, then to Junior and Tippie. It’s as if they were stuck on that giant loop of grief and they didn’t know how to let go.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of Trinidad and its locations, as well as the food.
Overall, it is a moving and emotive book.
The family are originally from Trinidad, and it was Leela, one of the sisters who emigrated to Canada with her husband and daughters. As years went on, more family members followed them to Toronto, including Aunt Rani, Aunt Sangheeta, and cousin Chevy.
Cassandra returns to Toronto for her cousin’s funeral. For the past five years she has been living in London, but now she is back at her childhood house on Florence Street. Coming home unearths all of Cassandra’s memories about her childhood and her family.
The family suffered a lot of tragedy, starting with the death of Junior, followed by his mother Tippie. I was heartbroken when I found out Rani’s and Tippie’s story – and I understood the reason for the resentment between the sisters.
As I was reading, I got the impression that the aunts couldn’t let go of their painful past: what happened to their own parents, then to Junior and Tippie. It’s as if they were stuck on that giant loop of grief and they didn’t know how to let go.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of Trinidad and its locations, as well as the food.
Overall, it is a moving and emotive book.
March 16, 2022
3.5 stars
I'll be honest. Wild Fires is not usually the type of book I would pick up. It falls more into the literary fiction category and that is not usually a genre that I enjoy reading. But surprisingly, I ended up enjoying this for the most part. Sophie Jai's gorgeous prose weaves a picture of complex family dynamics, combined with grief, pain and secrets buried in the past. There's some stunningly beautiful quotes spread throughout the story as well, which made reading it all the more fun. Though I would say, the pacing of the story was a tad bit too slow for me. I felt as though the writing style (as beautiful as it is) was dragging down the story a little bit, at least in the first half, which made getting through it feel like a chore.
But overall, Wild Fires is a book that I'll recommend because of the way it portrays family dynamics and familial relationships.
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and Netgalley for the e-ARC!
I'll be honest. Wild Fires is not usually the type of book I would pick up. It falls more into the literary fiction category and that is not usually a genre that I enjoy reading. But surprisingly, I ended up enjoying this for the most part. Sophie Jai's gorgeous prose weaves a picture of complex family dynamics, combined with grief, pain and secrets buried in the past. There's some stunningly beautiful quotes spread throughout the story as well, which made reading it all the more fun. Though I would say, the pacing of the story was a tad bit too slow for me. I felt as though the writing style (as beautiful as it is) was dragging down the story a little bit, at least in the first half, which made getting through it feel like a chore.
But overall, Wild Fires is a book that I'll recommend because of the way it portrays family dynamics and familial relationships.
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and Netgalley for the e-ARC!
April 8, 2022
Wild Fires by Sophie Jai is a striking and tender portrait of a family united and fractured by grief. When Cassandra receives a calling informing her of cousin Chevy’s death she flies to Toronto and returns to the family home. Her sisters are hiding themselves in their bedrooms and a simmering tension rises between her mother and aunts. The death of Chevy reopens old wounds of heartbreak and grief. Cassandra and her sisters know little about their family past and history shared only through snippets of conversation and hidden photographs. The story is set between Trinidad and Toronto and is a beautiful rendition of a family across the stages of loss and disconnect. The prose is rich and skilfully interwoven so the narrative feels like an epic unspooling of a generational story. A book that I would highly recommend to fans of contemporary literature that explore family relationships and history from an author who will watch out for future books 4 Stars ✨.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.
February 15, 2025
Нуднувата сімейна історія імігрантів з Трінідату в Канаді. Історія показує, що ти можеш жити де завгодно, але традиції твоєї країни нікуди не дінуться. Ми живемо наче і поряд, ходимо в один й той самий торгівельний центр, але враження, що ми живемо в різних країнах.
Я так і не зрозуміла, що то за «таємниця» і чому сестри більше 50 років життя не можуть розповідати про смерть племінника і завжди намагаються щось замовчувати.
Всі дорослі члени родини мають індійські імена (чомусь я впевнена). Я навіть читала вікіпедію про Трінідат. Там велика індійська діаспора.
В цілому було цікаво прочитати про сімʼю з країни, про яку я нічого не знаю.
Я так і не зрозуміла, що то за «таємниця» і чому сестри більше 50 років життя не можуть розповідати про смерть племінника і завжди намагаються щось замовчувати.
Всі дорослі члени родини мають індійські імена (чомусь я впевнена). Я навіть читала вікіпедію про Трінідат. Там велика індійська діаспора.
В цілому було цікаво прочитати про сімʼю з країни, про яку я нічого не знаю.
January 9, 2022
Once Cassandra moves home after the death of her cousin, she becomes encapsulated in finding out more about family secrets. Amongst the grief, arguments and family secrets everything begins to unravel, which leads to the downfall of the family, resulting in one of them disappearing. It vividly describes family dysfunction in a way that a lot of people will relate to.
Read
December 12, 2022DNF. Sounded interesting just wasn’t for me
June 30, 2022
I found Wild Fires to be very confusing from the beginning. The chapters often moved between past and present and it was difficult to tell what was happening when; which for me made the reading process more complicated.
It took me a while to accept it, but by the time I got to 30% of the book, I knew I was not going to finish it. There is nothing wrong with the writing style of the author, as it is very descriptive and articulated; but I found the plot a bit dull. Nothing really happened in the entirety of this 30% that I read, and considering how long it took me to get there, I just decided to put it aside.
It took me a while to accept it, but by the time I got to 30% of the book, I knew I was not going to finish it. There is nothing wrong with the writing style of the author, as it is very descriptive and articulated; but I found the plot a bit dull. Nothing really happened in the entirety of this 30% that I read, and considering how long it took me to get there, I just decided to put it aside.
June 8, 2022
I do enjoy a good family drama and Wild Fires has plenty of family secrets and grievances that made for an engrossing read. Wild Fires is about the Rampersad family as they are all drawn back to the family home in Toronto to mourn the loss of Chevy. The story is told from the point of view of Cassandra, his younger cousin who travels back from England for the funeral at her childhood home, where the family gather, along with her sisters Briony and Ce-Ce. Already living in the house is the girl’s mother Leela and two of her sisters, Rani and Sangeetha. The family are devastated by the death of Chevy but you instantly get the impression there are many issues – no-one really talks to each other, moving around the house around each other, rather than together and mostly keeping to themselves in their rooms.
To understand more, the author takes us back to Trinidad in the late 1960s where the five Rampersad sisters are alone after the death of their parents. Oldest sister Rani immediately takes the role of the mother figure but the whole family is charmed when a man called Blues comes into their lives and leaves the 2nd eldest sister Tippie with two young children to care for (one of whom is Chevy). Devastating events follow and the family never truly recovers. Several years later, Leela her husband and daughters move to Toronto to try and leave their past behind and gradually the rest of the family follow living in the house in Toronto together.
I really enjoyed the dual setting of Trinidad and Toronto and I like how the author still wrote using the Trinidad dialect. I found the story a little slow going to begin with – there are a lot of characters introduced quite early on (there is a family tree in the front which really helped keep track of everyone) but I think because we didn’t really get to know any of them for a while, it took me a while to get into it. But once I did, and the secrets started to be revealed, I really enjoyed Wild Fires, and actually read the last half in one sitting.
Wild Fires is a female centred devastating family story which shows the complicated relationships between siblings and the impact grief can have. By the end I felt I knew each character and had sympathy for each despite their flaws. Wild Fires is a good character led novel which explores different cultures and I’m glad I stuck with it.
To understand more, the author takes us back to Trinidad in the late 1960s where the five Rampersad sisters are alone after the death of their parents. Oldest sister Rani immediately takes the role of the mother figure but the whole family is charmed when a man called Blues comes into their lives and leaves the 2nd eldest sister Tippie with two young children to care for (one of whom is Chevy). Devastating events follow and the family never truly recovers. Several years later, Leela her husband and daughters move to Toronto to try and leave their past behind and gradually the rest of the family follow living in the house in Toronto together.
I really enjoyed the dual setting of Trinidad and Toronto and I like how the author still wrote using the Trinidad dialect. I found the story a little slow going to begin with – there are a lot of characters introduced quite early on (there is a family tree in the front which really helped keep track of everyone) but I think because we didn’t really get to know any of them for a while, it took me a while to get into it. But once I did, and the secrets started to be revealed, I really enjoyed Wild Fires, and actually read the last half in one sitting.
Wild Fires is a female centred devastating family story which shows the complicated relationships between siblings and the impact grief can have. By the end I felt I knew each character and had sympathy for each despite their flaws. Wild Fires is a good character led novel which explores different cultures and I’m glad I stuck with it.
May 17, 2022
Another fabulous debut. I was thoroughly engrossed in this novel and read it in little more than a single sitting. It was another one I opened because my digital ARC was about to expire off of my device. So yes, there was an urgency to having to read it in short order, but… I didn’t want to put it down anyway.
This is another rather quiet novel… introspective, exploring the impact of grief held close…and never spoken about. The characters - and the character development - and the prose - oh the gorgeous beautiful prose - set this novel apart. Sophia Jai knows how to write!!
Across generations, across cultures and countries… this novel moves back and forth in time and space - just like the characters do between Trinidad and Toronto. Moody and foreboding, the author always has you where she wants you. And the houses - back home in Trinidad, and here in Toronto - they are so central to everything… they are familiar, they hold the memories… they are characters themselves, members of the family.
There is so much here - this is a perfect book club book. Layer upon layer upon layer… I can only imagine the conversations to be had once a group of readers begin digging into this. I will be recommending this to at least one of my book clubs.
And yes… I fell in love with Hagar, as in The Stone Angel, when I was a teenager…
This is another rather quiet novel… introspective, exploring the impact of grief held close…and never spoken about. The characters - and the character development - and the prose - oh the gorgeous beautiful prose - set this novel apart. Sophia Jai knows how to write!!
Across generations, across cultures and countries… this novel moves back and forth in time and space - just like the characters do between Trinidad and Toronto. Moody and foreboding, the author always has you where she wants you. And the houses - back home in Trinidad, and here in Toronto - they are so central to everything… they are familiar, they hold the memories… they are characters themselves, members of the family.
There is so much here - this is a perfect book club book. Layer upon layer upon layer… I can only imagine the conversations to be had once a group of readers begin digging into this. I will be recommending this to at least one of my book clubs.
And yes… I fell in love with Hagar, as in The Stone Angel, when I was a teenager…
August 9, 2022
Wild Fires is a fantastic debut that hooks you with it's relatability and memorable characters.
Cassandra Rampersad has been living and working in London, but after the sudden death of her cousin Chevy, she is called back home to Toronto to be with her family after years apart. Upon her arrival, Cassandra finds her family just as closed off as she's always known them to be. Her three aunts, uncle, mother and two sisters all react differently to the death, and with the house full, personalities and histories begin to clash. Cassandra becomes aware of secrets her mother and aunts kept tucked aside for decades, and they too are ready to speak their truths.
Wild Fires, while a slow paced read, immediately drew me in with it's prose and kept me hooked. Sophie is a wonderful writer and her story and characters are crafted with care. I loved that each character (and there are quite a few) was well fleshed out, down to their quirks and appearances. It made them so easy to imagine while reading. I also enjoyed the mix of flashbacks and present day as it added depth and context to the overall story as well as the family.
While I felt particularly connected to the story because of the character's Indo-Trinidadian background, the themes of family and grief are universal. I'm certainly looking forward to what Sophie writes next!
Cassandra Rampersad has been living and working in London, but after the sudden death of her cousin Chevy, she is called back home to Toronto to be with her family after years apart. Upon her arrival, Cassandra finds her family just as closed off as she's always known them to be. Her three aunts, uncle, mother and two sisters all react differently to the death, and with the house full, personalities and histories begin to clash. Cassandra becomes aware of secrets her mother and aunts kept tucked aside for decades, and they too are ready to speak their truths.
Wild Fires, while a slow paced read, immediately drew me in with it's prose and kept me hooked. Sophie is a wonderful writer and her story and characters are crafted with care. I loved that each character (and there are quite a few) was well fleshed out, down to their quirks and appearances. It made them so easy to imagine while reading. I also enjoyed the mix of flashbacks and present day as it added depth and context to the overall story as well as the family.
While I felt particularly connected to the story because of the character's Indo-Trinidadian background, the themes of family and grief are universal. I'm certainly looking forward to what Sophie writes next!
October 2, 2023
DNF. It's extremely rare I don't finish a book and I wouldn't usually review it. I just could get into this book or make much sense of it. I tried and made it to 58%, but it wasn't getting any better and I was just skimming it at that point. It was a depressing story based around a funeral (but not overly so or emotional at all), with flash backs to different times in the families lives. Other than that, I don't really know what else happened... nothing really.
Also, it was difficult to read and follow the dialogue as it was in an accent or how the characters would have spoken(?).
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy and opportunity to read and review.
Also, it was difficult to read and follow the dialogue as it was in an accent or how the characters would have spoken(?).
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy and opportunity to read and review.
January 29, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and The Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a well written book, but I just didn't connect with it. The plot and themes weren't strong enough to keep me invested. Based on the blurb this book should have been right up my street, and the hype supported that too, but ultimately in didn't live up to my expectations.
This is a well written book, but I just didn't connect with it. The plot and themes weren't strong enough to keep me invested. Based on the blurb this book should have been right up my street, and the hype supported that too, but ultimately in didn't live up to my expectations.
May 9, 2023
"There blackness brought to light emotions she had not yet known slept within - where in her heart had these devious darknesses hid? It is almost futile to use words for that thing which words evade, to shape what has no shape, to that which the body simultaneously contains and expels. Any effort to structure it begins failing; it has no boundaries, it does not colour within the lines. This thing is grief, and grief is like an inside joke: you have to have been there to really get it".
TW: death of a child, grief.
I don't know what I expected, but Wild Fires delivered considerably past my expectations. On the surface, the book follows Cassandra as she returns home to join her family following the passing of a relative. Connected by blood and physically together, their history of unspoken open secrets and the grief attributed to their familial fractures.
Jai makes the reader work for it. She gives nothing away easily, imploring the reader to delve into the history of the family, understanding who every single person is, and where they fall into the winding history of Chevy's life and death. She goes into painstaking detail emphasising how sister played a part in the others lives, where circumstances were so difficult, that one "could have been cruel...vile...turned hysterical and run into the wild never to return and no one would have blamed her". Just like life, however, there was no smooth resolution, no happy ending, no perfectly rounded up ending where everyone gets what they deserve.
Instead, the reader has the opportunity to experience true grief in real time along with the characters. Through those who have lost a family member, a lover, the anonymity of an unspoken secret and the innocence of distance from the event. It's rare to read a story where you can dive so deep, and if I'm honest - there were moments where I wasn't sure if I had it in me. But I enjoyed the prose, the bleak, honest look at lives unfairly impacted by others without a second thought.
Thank you SO much NetGalley for this Arc.
TW: death of a child, grief.
I don't know what I expected, but Wild Fires delivered considerably past my expectations. On the surface, the book follows Cassandra as she returns home to join her family following the passing of a relative. Connected by blood and physically together, their history of unspoken open secrets and the grief attributed to their familial fractures.
Jai makes the reader work for it. She gives nothing away easily, imploring the reader to delve into the history of the family, understanding who every single person is, and where they fall into the winding history of Chevy's life and death. She goes into painstaking detail emphasising how sister played a part in the others lives, where circumstances were so difficult, that one "could have been cruel...vile...turned hysterical and run into the wild never to return and no one would have blamed her". Just like life, however, there was no smooth resolution, no happy ending, no perfectly rounded up ending where everyone gets what they deserve.
Instead, the reader has the opportunity to experience true grief in real time along with the characters. Through those who have lost a family member, a lover, the anonymity of an unspoken secret and the innocence of distance from the event. It's rare to read a story where you can dive so deep, and if I'm honest - there were moments where I wasn't sure if I had it in me. But I enjoyed the prose, the bleak, honest look at lives unfairly impacted by others without a second thought.
Thank you SO much NetGalley for this Arc.
May 8, 2022
The story actually begins with an image of the Rampersad family tree.
Now, this is something that proved to be invaluable for me as I read this book. There were many moments where I referred back to the tree. Without it I would have been left lost at times as to who was who.
That I guess would be my only complaint about this book.
Despite being at times confused by where certain family members came into it all, I found Wild Fires as a whole to be an intelligent and compelling story.
There are many strong female characters in this tale, every single one of them unique and with their own personal dealings of mourning.
Changing between the present with flashes of the past and split into three parts, Jai has spun a story that is sensitive and touching. A slow burner, Sophie takes her time with each section, all of which are brought together seamlessly.
Much culture has gone into all of the pages, the language used felt authentic. I'd quite like to hear this via audiobook to hear the characters really bought to life.
Generational.
It was interesting to observe just how each of the characters dealt with the sadness presented to them.
The author done a brilliant job of trying to show us the complexities of those family dynamics, how they could support each other in their times of need, the knowing whether to be there or stand back and let them grieve in their own way.
You need time to read this book.
Changes in timelines, locations (Trinidad and Toronto) and characters conversing meant that a lot of concentration was needed, but that isn't a criticism as such, I found that it made me take me time, really taking in all of the details.
Quiet but strong.
Wild Fires is a dark and highly charged debut that I wouldn't hesitate in recommending.
Now, this is something that proved to be invaluable for me as I read this book. There were many moments where I referred back to the tree. Without it I would have been left lost at times as to who was who.
That I guess would be my only complaint about this book.
Despite being at times confused by where certain family members came into it all, I found Wild Fires as a whole to be an intelligent and compelling story.
There are many strong female characters in this tale, every single one of them unique and with their own personal dealings of mourning.
Changing between the present with flashes of the past and split into three parts, Jai has spun a story that is sensitive and touching. A slow burner, Sophie takes her time with each section, all of which are brought together seamlessly.
Much culture has gone into all of the pages, the language used felt authentic. I'd quite like to hear this via audiobook to hear the characters really bought to life.
Generational.
It was interesting to observe just how each of the characters dealt with the sadness presented to them.
The author done a brilliant job of trying to show us the complexities of those family dynamics, how they could support each other in their times of need, the knowing whether to be there or stand back and let them grieve in their own way.
You need time to read this book.
Changes in timelines, locations (Trinidad and Toronto) and characters conversing meant that a lot of concentration was needed, but that isn't a criticism as such, I found that it made me take me time, really taking in all of the details.
Quiet but strong.
Wild Fires is a dark and highly charged debut that I wouldn't hesitate in recommending.
November 4, 2023
I read this as an audio book. The blurb I read prior to starting interested me, but I admit I only scan blurbs briefly, so as the story evolves, I can not have pre-knowledge of what is going to happen.
With mention of Toronto, Trinidad, families dealing with death, unknown lives of ancestors, including who these people really were, life in the confines of a large house (but a family seeming to "do their own thing"). All this and many more aspects of their lives was narrated with the delightful way of speaking with a Trinidadian accent and pattern of speaking as if you were actually in their " home country". For myself living in Toronto I worked and lived amongst Trinidadians and many more Carribean cultures, a warm comfort throughout the book drew me in.
However, I soon had difficulty keeping each generation separate, the timelines being highlighted straight, and nicknames identifying the various people.
All of this may have contributed my confusion and difficulty in going deeper into the family dynamics. When I finished, I felt I learned more about the book reading the various reviews of other readers. But I did finish it, and in some ways would like to reread it, to organize the story into more meaningful segments to improve the flow.
I will look out for other books by this new author.
With mention of Toronto, Trinidad, families dealing with death, unknown lives of ancestors, including who these people really were, life in the confines of a large house (but a family seeming to "do their own thing"). All this and many more aspects of their lives was narrated with the delightful way of speaking with a Trinidadian accent and pattern of speaking as if you were actually in their " home country". For myself living in Toronto I worked and lived amongst Trinidadians and many more Carribean cultures, a warm comfort throughout the book drew me in.
However, I soon had difficulty keeping each generation separate, the timelines being highlighted straight, and nicknames identifying the various people.
All of this may have contributed my confusion and difficulty in going deeper into the family dynamics. When I finished, I felt I learned more about the book reading the various reviews of other readers. But I did finish it, and in some ways would like to reread it, to organize the story into more meaningful segments to improve the flow.
I will look out for other books by this new author.
January 2, 2022
A great read the author knows what makes families tick and through her story of an adult daughter going home to attend a family funeral she shows the grief and love held in large families
The storey of the family evolves slowly through flash back scenes where we discover the point of view of some but crucially not all the family members.We never really discover the whole story of past deaths and even the death that has bought the family together and threatens to tear them apart Ii loved this as it was so like a real family where everyone has a view but not always the whole one
The family are Trinidadian emigrants to Toronto Canada and this allows a fabulous comparison hot with cold ,emigrant with resident
The book is beautifully written and had me invested from very early on .The characters are recognisable we may not be from Trinidad or live in Canada but most of us will recognise ourselves some where in this family .Families can be claustrophobic at times and this feeling is added to by the closeness of this group all living together in one big house
The author has a natural feeling for the psychology of families in love and grief and I will be watching their future work
I read an early copy on NetGalley Uk
The storey of the family evolves slowly through flash back scenes where we discover the point of view of some but crucially not all the family members.We never really discover the whole story of past deaths and even the death that has bought the family together and threatens to tear them apart Ii loved this as it was so like a real family where everyone has a view but not always the whole one
The family are Trinidadian emigrants to Toronto Canada and this allows a fabulous comparison hot with cold ,emigrant with resident
The book is beautifully written and had me invested from very early on .The characters are recognisable we may not be from Trinidad or live in Canada but most of us will recognise ourselves some where in this family .Families can be claustrophobic at times and this feeling is added to by the closeness of this group all living together in one big house
The author has a natural feeling for the psychology of families in love and grief and I will be watching their future work
I read an early copy on NetGalley Uk
May 12, 2022
Thank you, Harper Collins UK, for a gifted copy of this book for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.
"Grief is like an inside joke: you have to have been there to really get it."
This book is Sophie Jai's debut novel, based on Cassandra's family trauma, brought to the surface after her cousin's death. The drama spans through generations before hers, and it is not long before secrets are revealed, and memories are relived.
Initially, this storyline had enormous potential. Unfortunately, it did not flow well for me. Although this author's writing style intrigued me, there was too much jumping between timelines and generations. Being thrown into the action is usually an ideal way to pull in readers; however, this did not work well in Wild Fires.
I have not written this author off entirely, as this is the debut, and we all must start somewhere right; as mentioned, the potential is immense. I am confident that this author can produce fantastic reads with a bit of tweaking, so I will be picking up her future work!
Overall, this did not work for me, but why not read it for yourself and see what you think?
"Grief is like an inside joke: you have to have been there to really get it."
This book is Sophie Jai's debut novel, based on Cassandra's family trauma, brought to the surface after her cousin's death. The drama spans through generations before hers, and it is not long before secrets are revealed, and memories are relived.
Initially, this storyline had enormous potential. Unfortunately, it did not flow well for me. Although this author's writing style intrigued me, there was too much jumping between timelines and generations. Being thrown into the action is usually an ideal way to pull in readers; however, this did not work well in Wild Fires.
I have not written this author off entirely, as this is the debut, and we all must start somewhere right; as mentioned, the potential is immense. I am confident that this author can produce fantastic reads with a bit of tweaking, so I will be picking up her future work!
Overall, this did not work for me, but why not read it for yourself and see what you think?
June 22, 2022
When Cassandra returns to her family home, there is something amiss. The death of her cousin has brought buried family trauma to light and Cassandra ends up in the middle of it as the past pays a visit to the present. The story is set over the course of several decades, and spans from Toronto to Trinidad.
Reading a book about family dynamics which is centred on grief is not an easy thing, but Jai's writing is exemplary. She masterfully illustrates the way that grief is dealt with across different cultures, and the way that it ripples across a family. There isn't a strong plot driving the story - and I think that would have been unnatural and jarring, as the focus of the book is more on Cassandra and her family, intergenerational relationships, and the secrets that we all hide.
Considering that this is Jai's debut novel, I'm excited to see what she writes next. It's completely unlike anything I've ever read before. I've never been so immersed in the descriptions of character, emotion, place... Absolutely worth reading!
Reading a book about family dynamics which is centred on grief is not an easy thing, but Jai's writing is exemplary. She masterfully illustrates the way that grief is dealt with across different cultures, and the way that it ripples across a family. There isn't a strong plot driving the story - and I think that would have been unnatural and jarring, as the focus of the book is more on Cassandra and her family, intergenerational relationships, and the secrets that we all hide.
Considering that this is Jai's debut novel, I'm excited to see what she writes next. It's completely unlike anything I've ever read before. I've never been so immersed in the descriptions of character, emotion, place... Absolutely worth reading!
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