SURVIVE YOU consists of eight interconnected stories surrounding a Jamaican immigrant family living in Miami. Each chapter switches between the family member's perspectives but primarily focuses on Trelawny, the youngest son. Escoffery explores what it means to be American as the family navigates poverty, racism, dysfunctional family dynamics, and struggles to find belonging.

I resonated with some chapters and characters but couldn't connect to the others. In particular, I loved Trelawny's story in In Flux, where he experiences racism and colorism in school, and his lack of a "clear" racial identity continues to follow him throughout life. He isn't dark enough to be considered Black, not light enough to be white-passing, and he can't hang out with the Latinx kids because he doesn't speak Spanish. On top of that, Jamaican kids don't consider Trelawny one of them due to his disconnection from Jamaican culture. Such is the story of first-generation immigrants, straddling two cultures but belonging to none. My heart aches for Trelawny as he struggles to find a place in his family, career, and relationships throughout adulthood.

A powerful debut, SURVIVE YOU is a brilliant examination of how immigrants survive under white supremacy and capitalism.