Dancehall rebel

Gr 10 Up--Denise is a young woman who has family in Canada and Jamaica. The novel starts out by offering insights into her life, including her rising fame as a streaming music influencer. Numerous issues are tackled, including discovering one's sexuality, the misogyny of reggae music, thinking about college, and trying to fit into her different cultures, both societal and familial. After her dad dies, Denise struggles to honor both his legacy as a DJ and her own modern ideas. A major plot point involves deconstructing the homophobic reggae hit "Chi-Chi Man," although the offensive lyrics are not printed in the book. Long stretches of dialogue are untagged and can be hard to follow and the narrative leaves some plot points unresolved. References are included to hate crimes, rape, murder, and a "spliff." Mentions of real singers, video games, and other pop culture make the story feel even more relevant, and the author is skilled at creating realistic and complex characters of all ages. VERDICT The narrative meanders but should hold the interest of more mature readers.

A teen challenges family norms and navigates her sexuality in this novel centering on an Afro-Caribbean Canadian community. Denise, a Black girl born and raised in Ontario by Jamaican immigrant parents, is about to go away to college to study business. Her upbringing has been deeply entrenched in Jamaican culture, and she proudly possesses a deep love of the food and language--and especially dancehall and reggae music. She follows in her father's footsteps as a DJ and branches out into online streaming. Denise realizes she may be entering a new phase of her life in more ways than one. During one of her frequent visits to Jamaica, she spots a young woman and experiences an immediate attraction to her. But because she's from a religious Christian family, Denise's exploration of her feelings causes tension among a lot of her family members, who are traditional in their views and perceive this behavior as a harmful foreign influence. Denise must figure out how to stay true to her evolving sense of self while still honoring everything's that led to who she is today. Robinson's language and descriptions of the dual worlds Denise navigates as a first-generation Canadian are authentic in this work with reluctant reader appeal that explores important themes relating to family, community, and identity. Some important, poignant moments feel rushed and are therefore diminished in impact, however. An accessible, realistic cross-cultural coming-of-age novel about seeking a balance between tradition and change. (Fiction. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.