Brother

In luminous, incisive prose, a startling new literary talent explores masculinity, race, and sexuality against the pulsing beats of hip hop and the relentless heat of summer.

In the sweltering summer of 1991, violence simmers in The Park, a Scarborough housing complex outside of Toronto where Michael and Francis, sons of Trinidadian immigrants, are coming of age and learning to stomach the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry. Francis has always been the leader, a surrogate father. When their single mother works double, sometimes triple shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home, it is Francis who helps the days pass, creating games and challenges, smuggling Michael into his older crew's barbershop hangout, and leading escapes into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness that cuts through their neighborhood, where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves.

Propelled by the pulsing beats and styles of hip hop, Francis, the older of the two brothers, dreams of a future in music. Michael's dreams are of Aisha, the smartest girl in their high school, whose own eyes are firmly set on a life elsewhere. But the bright hopes of all three are violently, irrevocably thwarted by a tragic shooting, and the police crackdown and suffocating suspicion that follow.

A devastating and emotional tour de force, David Chariandy's Brother is a heartbreaking and timely story about family, social deprivation, and the senseless loss of lives cut short by violence.

In luminous, incisive prose, a startling new literary talent explores masculinity, race, and sexuality against a backdrop of simmering violence during the summer of 1991.

WINNER OF THE ROGERS WRITERS' TRUST FICTION PRIZE
LONGLISTED FOR THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE

Michael and Francis are coming of age one sweltering summer in the Park, a housing complex outside of Toronto, learning to stomach the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry. While their Trinidadian single mother works double, sometimes triple shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home, Francis helps the days pass by inventing games and challenges, bringing Michael to his crew's barbershop hangout, and leading escapes into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves.

Propelled by the beats and styles of hip hop, Francis dreams of a future in music. Michael's dreams are of Aisha, the smartest girl in their high school whose own eyes are firmly set on a life elsewhere. But the bright hopes of all three are violently, irrevocably thwarted by a tragic shooting, and the police crackdown and suffocating suspicion that follow.

Honest and insightful in its portrayal of kinship, community, and lives cut short, David Chariandy's Brother is an emotional tour de force that marks the arrival of a stunning new literary voice.

"A brilliant, powerful elegy . . . pulsing with rhythm, and beating with life." --Marlon James, Man Booker Prizewinning author of A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEVEN KILLINGS

In luminous, incisive prose, a startling new literary talent explores masculinity, race, and sexuality against a backdrop of simmering violence during the summer of 1991.

WINNER OF THE ROGERS WRITERS' TRUST FICTION PRIZE
LONGLISTED FOR THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE

Michael and Francis are coming of age one sweltering summer in the Park, a housing complex outside of Toronto, learning to stomach the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry. While their Trinidadian single mother works double, sometimes triple shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home, Francis helps the days pass by inventing games and challenges, bringing Michael to his crew's barbershop hangout, and leading escapes into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves.

Propelled by the beats and styles of hip hop, Francis dreams of a future in music. Michael's dreams are of Aisha, the smartest girl in their high school whose own eyes are firmly set on a life elsewhere. But the bright hopes of all three are violently, irrevocably thwarted by a tragic shooting, and the police crackdown and suffocating suspicion that follow.

Honest and insightful in its portrayal of kinship, community, and lives cut short, David Chariandy's Brother is an emotional tour de force that marks the arrival of a stunning new literary voice.

"A brilliant, powerful elegy . . . pulsing with rhythm, and beating with life." --Marlon James, Man Booker Prizewinning author of A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEVEN KILLINGS

"Marks the beginning of an absolutely mammoth literary talent." --Kiese Laymon, author of LONG DIVISION and HEAVY

In luminous, incisive prose, a startling new literary talent explores masculinity, race, and sexuality against a backdrop of simmering violence during the summer of 1991.

WINNER OF THE ROGERS WRITERS' TRUST FICTION PRIZE
WINNER OF THE ETHEL WILSON PRIZE FOR FICTION

One sweltering summer in the Park, a housing complex outside of Toronto, Michael and Francis are coming of age and learning to stomach the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry. While their Trinidadian single mother works double, sometimes triple shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home, Francis helps the days pass by inventing games and challenges, bringing Michael to his crew's barbershop hangout, and leading escapes into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves.

Propelled by the beats and styles of hip hop, Francis dreams of a future in music. Michael's dreams are of Aisha, the smartest girl in their high school whose own eyes are firmly set on a life elsewhere. But the bright hopes of all three are violently, irrevocably thwarted by a tragic shooting, and the police crackdown and suffocating suspicion that follow.

Honest and insightful in its portrayal of kinship, community, and lives cut short, David Chariandy's Brother is an emotional tour de force that marks the arrival of a stunning new literary voice.

Toronto Book Award Winner
Rogers' Writers' Trust Fiction Prize Winner
Ethel Wilson Prize for Fiction Winner
The New York Public Library Best Books of the Year
Esquire Best Books of the Year
Kirkus Best Books of the Year
Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist

"Every sentence feels like a polished stone." --Entertainment Weekly

"Elegiac and incendiary" --Boston Globe

"A dwarf star of mourning and regret" --Wall Street Journal

"Elegant, vital, indubitably dope" --Guardian

"An important, vital and groundbreaking book" --Medium

"A brilliant, powerful elegy" --MARLON JAMES

"An absolutely mammoth literary talent" --KIESE LAYMON

"Riveting, composed, charged with feeling" --MADELEINE THIEN

In luminous, incisive prose, a startling new literary talent explores masculinity, race, and sexuality against a backdrop of simmering violence during the summer of 1991.

One sweltering summer in the Park, a housing complex outside of Toronto, Michael and Francis are coming of age and learning to stomach the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry. While their Trinidadian single mother works double, sometimes triple shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home, Francis helps the days pass by inventing games and challenges, bringing Michael to his crew's barbershop hangout, and leading escapes into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves.

Propelled by the beats and styles of hip hop, Francis dreams of a future in music. Michael's dreams are of Aisha, the smartest girl in their high school whose own eyes are firmly set on a life elsewhere. But the bright hopes of all three are violently, irrevocably thwarted by a tragic shooting, and the police crackdown and suffocating suspicion that follow.

Honest and insightful in its portrayal of kinship, community, and lives cut short, David Chariandy's Brother is an emotional tour de force that marks the arrival of a stunning new literary voice.