Christina Cooke has a beautiful writing style. Her wording and descriptions of scenes were poetic. THE TITLE BEYYYY. Yinna een got no broughupsy aye.

Broughtupsy is shallow. The plot was not present. One could argue this is a character-driven book. But there was no character depth. The plot flashes back and forth between Akúa's present and her memories of the past. It was jarring. It would happen in the same paragraph with no warning. I was confused the first two or three times it occurred, wondering if I had missed something while I was reading.

The countdown of days left in Jamaica did not add to the plot. It was unnecessary. It prompted me to think there would be a build-up of reconciliation between Akúa and Tamika, or at least some deep talks but no. Nothing. The synopsis itself feels feel disjointed. How do we go from marketing Broughtupsy as a family reconciliation, love, awakening etc to growing friendship with a woman you've known for two days (and in total like two weeks)?

Akúa is already openly gay when she goes to see her sister in Jamaica. She is just getting out of a long-term relationship with a friend-turned-lover. I do not see how this novel can be a sexual awakening when she's already been awakened(?). I do agree people can evolve and change their sexual attraction but Jayda was not a change from her previous attraction. I thought the introduction of Jayda took away from what I perceived to be the main point of the book, at least in the first half.

The first half appears to be all about Bryson (her brother)'s death and trying to reconnect with the rest of her family as well as rediscovering herself as a Jamaican. Akúa left Jamaica at the age of 8 or 10 (lol I can't totally remember). However when she meets Jayda that plot point is totally abandoned. The introduction of Jayda was meant to explore what it is to be queer in Jamaica and openly yourself. I found Akúa to be engaging in a lot of dumb bitch shit. I love a good romance development but Jayda and Akúa together was shallow. I was not convinced. PLEASE keep in mind she has known this gyal for a total of 2 weeks but acting like this the greatest love story of her life?? It could have worked if Cooke had brought in more character development for Jayda.

OR more character development for everyone!! Tamika is stereotyped as this hard-feeling, religious sister. The interactions between her and Akúa should have been fleshed out more. Instead half the time they're together Akúa is running away for her to explore and re-learn 'her' Kingston. Akúa is the narrator of Broughtupsy so we are seeing from her bias. Akúa links Tamika to Jamaica so the fact that that was not developed more is... Their father is bland. Blah. Just there. Grief is almost the only emotion we see on him. I wanted more about his motivations and feelings about Tamika living in Jamaica away from them. I was confused about his acceptance (?) of Akúa as a gay woman. It is not mentioned how he felt. I automatically assumed it would have been negative, which shows my preconceived notion. HOWEVER I was just thinking that this man would be a typical old-school Caribbean father; especially keeping in mind this book is set in the 1990s. Spreading Bryson's ashes everywhere was unexplained. I understand it is used to show Akúa's reconnection process to Jamaica but I wanted to see Tamika's open feelings about this. Akúa's actions come off more as a YA MC than a grown adult (20 or 21) character. She acts quite childish at times.

I think this could make a decent book club book. I would be very interested to see what Jamaicans living within the country and Jamaicans living in the diaspora have to say about it.

After all this word vomit. I will summarize by saying the book felt like it was split into two distinct halves. The plot was fast and loose. The ending was.... The character development was shallow. I love love love loved the title.

Thank you to House of Anasai for the ARC (lol)