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Uncertain Kin
For readers of Frying Plantain and Scarborough, a luminous, mesmerizing collection of linked stories about the lives of woman and girls in The Bahamas, from rising literary star and Governor General's Award-finalist Janice Lynn Mather.
Set against the vivid backdrop of The Bahamas, these eighteen beautiful and haunting stories introduce us to women and girls searching for identity and belonging during moments of profound upheaval. These women are bold and big-hearted, complex and intimately familiar. They grapple with the bonds of kinship and the responsibilities of parenthood, with grief, longing, betrayal, coming of age and what it means to be a woman.
In Mango Summer, little girls begin disappearing from their beds during one lush, steaming August. In Morning Swim, a jogger, newly diagnosed with cancer, makes a sinister discovery on the beach. Nassau wakes up to blood-red water pouring from its taps after a pastor decries witchcraft in Drinking Water. In Boyo, a woman new to Vancouver struggles to plant roots in a city that doesn't seem to want her or her young son.
These stories are at once deeply grounded and tinged with folkoric and surreal elements--and all speak to the beauty and brutality of being alive.
Set against the vivid backdrop of The Bahamas, these eighteen beautiful and haunting stories introduce us to women and girls searching for identity and belonging during moments of profound upheaval. These women are bold and big-hearted, complex and intimately familiar. They grapple with the bonds of kinship and the responsibilities of parenthood, with grief, longing, betrayal, coming of age and what it means to be a woman.
In Mango Summer, little girls begin disappearing from their beds during one lush, steaming August. In Morning Swim, a jogger, newly diagnosed with cancer, makes a sinister discovery on the beach. Nassau wakes up to blood-red water pouring from its taps after a pastor decries witchcraft in Drinking Water. In Boyo, a woman new to Vancouver struggles to plant roots in a city that doesn't seem to want her or her young son.
These stories are at once deeply grounded and tinged with folkoric and surreal elements--and all speak to the beauty and brutality of being alive.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published April 26, 2022
6 people are currently reading
1095 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 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 5, 2022
*This collection is a prime example of why I’m always on the fence about short story collections. They typically turn out to be only a few gems thrown in amongst the stinkers. And that’s exactly how this collection turned out! With 18 stories featured, I only REALLY thoroughly enjoyed 6 stories and that’s not a great average. The rest left me feeling either indifferent or bored out of my mind and wanting to skip through them. That’s a lot of stories to feel indifferent about and I was definitely disappointed. I always hope to discover new authors when reading a collection of short stories, it’s usually a good into to their other work but after this one, I won’t be racing to read anything else by Mather.
*Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for the review copy. This in no way changes or affects my review.
*Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for the review copy. This in no way changes or affects my review.
May 17, 2022
4.5 stars - I would like to preface this review by saying I am a Bahamian so this is an #OwnVoice review.
I am not a big short story collection fan because they tend to be a mixed bag for me. However, Mather did not disappoint. There was not one story in this collection that didn't hit me in a powerful way. These stories may seem just like that - stories, but they speak to the very real and lived experiences of many Bahamian (and Caribbean) women. I have read Mather's other works and this has been by far my favourite of hers. I can see her growth as an author in this collection. This collection was marketed as an "adult" novel, but I found it still be more YA in nature and with the age of the characters.
The book was split into four sections - the stories having similar themes - and my favourite section was A Bond Unseen. All of those stories hit in a way that's hard to explain. There wasn’t a story in this book that I thought didn’t belong. I love seeing my dialect, my culture, and places familiar to me in the pages of a book. It speaks to my literary soul to see my dialect on the pages of a book (I actually would have liked to see even more). I wish Mather had transferred the dialect into the character's thoughts as well. Some of the stories - like Princess - reminded me of ones my aunties have told me about their youth or - like Mango Summer - reminded me of the Marco Archer case. Mather captures Bahamians in The Bahamas and those who immigrate to Canada in a way that makes them come to life. The everyday challenges of life were captured perfectly well. These stories are will stick with you.
I am not a big short story collection fan because they tend to be a mixed bag for me. However, Mather did not disappoint. There was not one story in this collection that didn't hit me in a powerful way. These stories may seem just like that - stories, but they speak to the very real and lived experiences of many Bahamian (and Caribbean) women. I have read Mather's other works and this has been by far my favourite of hers. I can see her growth as an author in this collection. This collection was marketed as an "adult" novel, but I found it still be more YA in nature and with the age of the characters.
The book was split into four sections - the stories having similar themes - and my favourite section was A Bond Unseen. All of those stories hit in a way that's hard to explain. There wasn’t a story in this book that I thought didn’t belong. I love seeing my dialect, my culture, and places familiar to me in the pages of a book. It speaks to my literary soul to see my dialect on the pages of a book (I actually would have liked to see even more). I wish Mather had transferred the dialect into the character's thoughts as well. Some of the stories - like Princess - reminded me of ones my aunties have told me about their youth or - like Mango Summer - reminded me of the Marco Archer case. Mather captures Bahamians in The Bahamas and those who immigrate to Canada in a way that makes them come to life. The everyday challenges of life were captured perfectly well. These stories are will stick with you.
May 12, 2022
An interesting collection of eighteen linked short stories highlighting everyday struggles and challenges of life in the Bahamas, including a few about immigrants who settled in Canada. Some grabbed my attention more than others but to be perfectly honest the cover was what drew me into this book. Short stories aren't typically my go-to but I always like to explore new and upcoming Canadian voices. Recommended for fans of books like Office of historical corrections by Danielle Evans or authors like Dionne Brand, Ian Williams or Austin Clarke.
December 1, 2023
3.5!
I really liked the writing, and a lot of the stories. Some were fabulous, others were just ok, which is what you get when you read short story collections sometimes. This is the kind of collection where you read one story, and then put it down for a bit before you pick up the next one.
I really liked the writing, and a lot of the stories. Some were fabulous, others were just ok, which is what you get when you read short story collections sometimes. This is the kind of collection where you read one story, and then put it down for a bit before you pick up the next one.
January 11, 2025
"Uncertain Kin" has been on my TBR since last February, and I’m glad I finally picked it up. It’s now one of three books I’ve read from my library’s "Fiction & Memoir for Black History Month" list from last year. What initially drew me to this book was its cover—it’s so unique, unlike anything I’ve seen before.
This is Janice Lynn Mather’s adult debut, and her storytelling is vivid and poetic. It feels like the kind of book you’d read in an undergrad literature course, where the full depth of the stories only becomes clear after analyzing them in class.
The collection includes 18 coming-of-age short stories, each exploring trauma or emotional heaviness, all set in The Bahamas. When you think of The Bahamas, you probably picture sun and beaches, but Mather focuses on a side of the islands tourists rarely see.
I wanted to give this book 5 stars, but I found the first few stories dragged a little. That said, the later stories were gripping—Mather definitely saved the best for last. I’d love to read more from her in the future.
This is Janice Lynn Mather’s adult debut, and her storytelling is vivid and poetic. It feels like the kind of book you’d read in an undergrad literature course, where the full depth of the stories only becomes clear after analyzing them in class.
The collection includes 18 coming-of-age short stories, each exploring trauma or emotional heaviness, all set in The Bahamas. When you think of The Bahamas, you probably picture sun and beaches, but Mather focuses on a side of the islands tourists rarely see.
I wanted to give this book 5 stars, but I found the first few stories dragged a little. That said, the later stories were gripping—Mather definitely saved the best for last. I’d love to read more from her in the future.
April 27, 2022
Oh wow, where do I even begin?
Uncertain Kin is definitely a book I started to read uncertain (heh) of what I would think. The cover is stunning, first off. Even more so in real life. The blurb didn't really intrigue me, but at the same time it did. I've been learning a lot about myself and my reading over the past couple months. The first thing I learned is that adult contemporary...especially that's just life and not focused on romance, is really my thing. I love it.
This collection follows women of all ages as they navigate their different struggles in life. It's sad at times, happy at others, and even a little strange...but it's all done so well! I just absolutely loved basically everything about this selection of stories. Mather is definitely an amazing writer. Her style is just perfect.
Definitely one to pick up. I think there's a big audience for this out there.
Uncertain Kin is definitely a book I started to read uncertain (heh) of what I would think. The cover is stunning, first off. Even more so in real life. The blurb didn't really intrigue me, but at the same time it did. I've been learning a lot about myself and my reading over the past couple months. The first thing I learned is that adult contemporary...especially that's just life and not focused on romance, is really my thing. I love it.
This collection follows women of all ages as they navigate their different struggles in life. It's sad at times, happy at others, and even a little strange...but it's all done so well! I just absolutely loved basically everything about this selection of stories. Mather is definitely an amazing writer. Her style is just perfect.
Definitely one to pick up. I think there's a big audience for this out there.
May 19, 2022
From the very first story, I knew Mather was going to delve into experiences and situations that would be all too familiar to this island girl. Community structure and strictures, familial disdain, dysfunction and lack of consideration, unknown avenues of support, and the struggle for better.
As I moved through each story, there was a haunting left behind by the character, their family, and their situation. Girls and women anchor each tale and the ways in which Mather details their identity and heart leaves a lingering feeling to return once more, just to once more connect with narratives that are all too real.
As I moved through each story, there was a haunting left behind by the character, their family, and their situation. Girls and women anchor each tale and the ways in which Mather details their identity and heart leaves a lingering feeling to return once more, just to once more connect with narratives that are all too real.
May 3, 2022
Breathtaking and beautiful. This is a collection that everyone should read.
Read
January 19, 2023I wanted to try out this collection of short stories by this totally unknown author to me, bc I saw someone talk about it, I saw the very pretty cover, and I decided to read something out of my comfort zone, I did not grasp everything I feel like, and maybe it's not really for me but I don't regret it^^
May 15, 2022
Thank you Double Day CA and Penguin Random House Canada for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
This book is a collection of 18 short stories that tackle girlhood and womanhood and the different challenges a girl or woman could encounter as she braves through life. I found the premise incredibly interesting and I am a lover of short stories, so I was very excited to read this. I also have enjoyed most of the short stories I've read, but I cannot say that I enjoyed this collection. There were maybe 3 of them that I do remember enjoying. The rest, I found unmemorable and uninteresting.
I did enjoy the writing at times as she writes in a way that forces the reader to read between lines which is a strength, but also a weakness. In many of her short stories, I found that it was a weakness. After finishing some of them I kept asking myself what was the point of the story and what exactly happened. I was left often wondering if that was just it or if there were elements that I missed out on. Most stories also felt underwhelming in my opinion and because there are so many of them, it was very easy to mix them up and get confused.
I found most of her characters interesting, but I have to admit, it was sometimes hard for me to follow and immerse myself entirely into a story because there were just so many names and characters. Each short story was not related and had a completely new group of characters to it which eventually makes it hard to follow.
I also do not understand the way the short stories were divided. They had no link between them and each divider sets some sort of mood that was not reflected in the stories, so I was not sure I understood the relevance.
Maybe I am the one who is looking too much into things.
All in all, the book has a beautiful cover, but the stories left me feeling bored and disappointed. Such a shame.
This book is a collection of 18 short stories that tackle girlhood and womanhood and the different challenges a girl or woman could encounter as she braves through life. I found the premise incredibly interesting and I am a lover of short stories, so I was very excited to read this. I also have enjoyed most of the short stories I've read, but I cannot say that I enjoyed this collection. There were maybe 3 of them that I do remember enjoying. The rest, I found unmemorable and uninteresting.
I did enjoy the writing at times as she writes in a way that forces the reader to read between lines which is a strength, but also a weakness. In many of her short stories, I found that it was a weakness. After finishing some of them I kept asking myself what was the point of the story and what exactly happened. I was left often wondering if that was just it or if there were elements that I missed out on. Most stories also felt underwhelming in my opinion and because there are so many of them, it was very easy to mix them up and get confused.
I found most of her characters interesting, but I have to admit, it was sometimes hard for me to follow and immerse myself entirely into a story because there were just so many names and characters. Each short story was not related and had a completely new group of characters to it which eventually makes it hard to follow.
I also do not understand the way the short stories were divided. They had no link between them and each divider sets some sort of mood that was not reflected in the stories, so I was not sure I understood the relevance.
Maybe I am the one who is looking too much into things.
All in all, the book has a beautiful cover, but the stories left me feeling bored and disappointed. Such a shame.
June 4, 2022
"It had been years; her arms and legs struggled for familiarity. Then she found it, the salt holding her body as she relaxed, as if it were a familiar lover. She moved through, parting it with her hands, pushing forward and out, legs frog- kicking behind her. Without thought, her limbs selected her old swimming style moments before her mind registered the irony: breaststroke. Her heart thumped but her moments were sure and calm, as though they belong to some other, more reliable body.~pg.33
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Thoughts ~
A haunting and beautiful collection!
Wow I loved this one! Mather digs deep in these 18 linked stories. These female characters come in all ages and are vivid and alive, exploring connection, relationships, yearing, grief, growing up, parenthood, and the human experience so richly. They are flawed and struggling but resilient. The depth and emotional range of each story was impressive. My first from this author, she completely won me over with her dazzling and compelling prose. Looking forward to reading more of her work.
Thank You to @doubledayca & @penguinrandomca for sending me this book opinions are my own.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
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🌿
Thoughts ~
A haunting and beautiful collection!
Wow I loved this one! Mather digs deep in these 18 linked stories. These female characters come in all ages and are vivid and alive, exploring connection, relationships, yearing, grief, growing up, parenthood, and the human experience so richly. They are flawed and struggling but resilient. The depth and emotional range of each story was impressive. My first from this author, she completely won me over with her dazzling and compelling prose. Looking forward to reading more of her work.
Thank You to @doubledayca & @penguinrandomca for sending me this book opinions are my own.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
May 11, 2025
3,5
Un conjunto de dieciocho cuentos costumbristas, agudos, la mayor parte de ellos ubicados en Bahamas (alguno en Canadá, donde reside actualmente la autora).
Los cuentos son muy buenos, reflejan en forma muy verosímil las relaciones humanas, en especial de familias, y en varios cuentos muestra una gran creatividad, con cuentos construidos con el material de los sueños (son los que más me han gustado). Pero el efecto repetitivo de un estilo y una temática provoca cierta saturación. Y son muchos para un libro de cuentos, tomando en cuenta que en general no son cortos.
He completado los nueve cuentos de las dos primeras partes (de cuatro), y casi el 60% del libro, y mi cerebro se ha bloqueado. Aunque, reitero, los cuentos son buenos, pero son muchos, demasiados. Hasta tal vez tenía suficiente material para una novela.
Un gusto conocerla Mis Mather. Me acordaré de sus cuentos.
Janice Mather nació en Bahamas en 1981. Realizó estudios superiores en la Universidad de Columbia Británica, Canadá, donde reside desde 2011.
Un conjunto de dieciocho cuentos costumbristas, agudos, la mayor parte de ellos ubicados en Bahamas (alguno en Canadá, donde reside actualmente la autora).
Los cuentos son muy buenos, reflejan en forma muy verosímil las relaciones humanas, en especial de familias, y en varios cuentos muestra una gran creatividad, con cuentos construidos con el material de los sueños (son los que más me han gustado). Pero el efecto repetitivo de un estilo y una temática provoca cierta saturación. Y son muchos para un libro de cuentos, tomando en cuenta que en general no son cortos.
He completado los nueve cuentos de las dos primeras partes (de cuatro), y casi el 60% del libro, y mi cerebro se ha bloqueado. Aunque, reitero, los cuentos son buenos, pero son muchos, demasiados. Hasta tal vez tenía suficiente material para una novela.
Un gusto conocerla Mis Mather. Me acordaré de sus cuentos.
Janice Mather nació en Bahamas en 1981. Realizó estudios superiores en la Universidad de Columbia Británica, Canadá, donde reside desde 2011.
May 14, 2022
I have thoroughly enjoyed the author’s novels… but this collection of interlinked stories fell short for me. While I get - intellectually - the connections between the stories… something about the sum total of the collection just didn’t gel for me.
Yes, there is beautiful prose. Yes, there are some interesting, intriguing and/or inspiring characters. But, when all is said and read, I am left hungry - with a feeling of want, of wanting more. While some of the stories felt complete unto themselves, in too many cases I felt like they were only partly formed.
Yes, there is beautiful prose. Yes, there are some interesting, intriguing and/or inspiring characters. But, when all is said and read, I am left hungry - with a feeling of want, of wanting more. While some of the stories felt complete unto themselves, in too many cases I felt like they were only partly formed.
August 6, 2023
This was an interesting collection of short stories that examined the everyday struggles and wins of women's lives in the Bahamas and in Canada. Like with the majority of my experiences with short story collections, there were some within this novel that pulled me in and others that did not. It was also difficult for me to find the connections between the stories, so a lot of it felt separated to me. Mather has a very beautiful writing style, so this collection definitely made me more interested in reading full length novels from her.
February 10, 2025
A glorious collection of stories. This is an elegant, extraordinary book and one that will stay with you for a long time. I think what makes these stories sing are their obvious commitment to excellence in craft. This is storytelling at its finest: piercing yet subtle; carefully woven and beautifully told.
March 4, 2025
Sometime around when this book came out I read a description and added it to my To-Read list. When I finally picked it up, I found it to be a short story collection. Lucky for me, I love a short story collection.
I loved Janice Lynn Mather's writing and I really enjoyed connecting all the stories back to the theme of "Uncertain Kin."
I loved Janice Lynn Mather's writing and I really enjoyed connecting all the stories back to the theme of "Uncertain Kin."
February 17, 2023
Very mixed collection of stories. A few standouts but most were middling. In a way, it was a gentle slice of life of girlhood in the Bahamas which was a unique perspective I’ve never read before but none of these stories were all that memorable to me.
September 12, 2024
Some of the stories, I loved. Others were interesting. But I enjoyed them all. For a peak into Bahamian life. But mostly because Ms Mather's is a very gifted writer. Her phrasing is often so beautiful & perfect for the moment.
May 27, 2022
If you loved Secret Lives of Church Ladies, you’ll like this. These stories are more complex though, a little abstract, in a good way.
October 20, 2022
Wow. Just wow. Such a stunning read.
October 28, 2022
I liked these stories but found them rough going.
Read
March 22, 20233.7*
I liked this :) could be a reread too ;)
I liked this :) could be a reread too ;)
July 30, 2023
Great book of short stories.
November 12, 2023
Intimate family secrets with a dash of Caribbean humour and authenticity. Rich.
May 12, 2022
This beautiful collection of short stories is set in The Bahamas – a setting I have never read about in books or traveled to.
Each story is about a girl or woman somewhere on the spectrum of life – from a woman dealing with breast cancer, to a pregnant teen, to missing girls, to mothers – each story is a poignant look into the beauty and pain of life.
If you are a fan of short stories, you will likely love this book. Some of the stories resonated more with me than others but the overall reading experience was wonderful.
Thank you to @doubledayca and @penguinrandomca for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Each story is about a girl or woman somewhere on the spectrum of life – from a woman dealing with breast cancer, to a pregnant teen, to missing girls, to mothers – each story is a poignant look into the beauty and pain of life.
If you are a fan of short stories, you will likely love this book. Some of the stories resonated more with me than others but the overall reading experience was wonderful.
Thank you to @doubledayca and @penguinrandomca for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2026
Eighteen short stories about different women in the Bahamas (a few set in Canada, still about Bahamian women).
Most of the stories are imbued with a tinge of eeriness and dread that I really enjoyed. That being said, some stories felt drafty or unfinished.
I echo the sentiment from other readers that there was a lot to read in between lines. I got the feeling that I was breezing through the book too quickly and that this one can benefit from a closer, slower reading. This is a book I'd love to discuss with someone or read as part of a class or book club. Overall 3.5 out of 5.
Most of the stories are imbued with a tinge of eeriness and dread that I really enjoyed. That being said, some stories felt drafty or unfinished.
I echo the sentiment from other readers that there was a lot to read in between lines. I got the feeling that I was breezing through the book too quickly and that this one can benefit from a closer, slower reading. This is a book I'd love to discuss with someone or read as part of a class or book club. Overall 3.5 out of 5.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews