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3.5 

Patsy: A Novel

By Nicole Dennis-Benn
Patsy: A Novel by Nicole Dennis-Benn digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

Best Books of 2019: Washington Post • O, The Oprah MagazineTime • NPR • People • Buzzfeed
A TODAY Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club Selection
Winner • Lambda Literary Award [Lesbian Fiction]
A Washington Post Lily Lit Club Selection
Longlisted • PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
American Library Association • A Barbara Gittings Literature Award Honor Book (Stonewall Book Awards)
Finalist • Aspen Words Literary Prize
Finalist • Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize
Apple Books • Best Books of the Month
New York Times Book Review • Editors’ Choice Selection
Kirkus Reviews • Most Memorable Fictional Families of the Year
Longlisted • The Morning News Tournament of Books
A Rumpus Book Club Selection

A beautifully layered portrait of motherhood, immigration, and the sacrifices we make in the name of love from award-winning novelist Nicole Dennis-Benn.

Heralded for writing “deeply memorable . . . women” (Jennifer Senior, New York Times), Nicole Dennis-Benn introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine for our times: the eponymous Patsy, who leaves her young daughter behind in Jamaica to follow Cicely, her oldest friend, to New York. Beating with the pulse of a long-withheld confession and peppered with lilting patois, Patsy gives voice to a woman who looks to America for the opportunity to love whomever she chooses, bravely putting herself first. But to survive as an undocumented immigrant, Patsy is forced to work as a nanny, while back in Jamaica her daughter, Tru, ironically struggles to understand why she was left behind. Greeted with international critical acclaim from readers who, at last, saw themselves represented in Patsy, this astonishing novel “fills a literary void with compassion, complexity and tenderness” (Joshunda Sanders, Time), offering up a vital portrait of the chasms between selfhood and motherhood, the American dream and reality.

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520 Reviews

3.5
Loudly Crying Face“DNFing 40% in… I’m ngl this is too hard to read.”
“My first true Caribbean written book by a Jamaican author and it was SO authentic. Nicole did such a great job with the telling of this story. It is very relatable for those who are immigrants/or are children of immigrants who moved to NY. Went through so many emotions - sadness, anger, happiness, relief, pride. Only not a 5 because I kinda wanted more at the end? That could just be me being greedy though. Overall, a great read.”
“This is Caribbean literature! The way Nicole Dennis-Benn writes is so ... I don't even have the words to truly describe. This story was as much about autonomy and choice as it was about migration. The story and characters are both nuanced, making it hard to really choose "who's right and who's wrong". All sides make you nod in agreement and then side eye a second later, lol. I also enjoyed how even worlds away both Tru and Patsy were living mirrored lives. To me, the heart of this story ... is the ability to and journey of taking ownership of your life, no matter the cards you were dealt. Not many of the characters are likable, but they are real. I love that we ended on a hopeful note especially for queer characters (which realistically doesn't happen most often, but is nice to read). I chose to read this book while following along via audio and I must say ... a special shout out to the narrator. This is by far THE BEST narration that I've heard for Caribbean literature, Jamaican literature to be exact and yes!! THIS is what we mean when we say 'hire Caribbean people to play Caribbean roles'. The authenticity of the narrator definitely enhanced the story for me. First book by Nicole Dennis-Benn, but surely not my last. I would absolutely recommend this book, especially to my Caribbean/Caribbean-American folx and all migrants and children of immigrants alike. You will find bits and pieces of resonance in this story. From a 1st generation, Brooklyn-born Yaadie, this is a must read. . . My one critique, lmao. Wtf is oxtail stew. lmao. Iight, I'm out!”
Thumbs Up“This book had a bit of a slow start, but it ended up being fantastic. Patsy is a young Jamaican mother who still struggles with her self-perception and believes she is not suited to be a mother to her 5-year-old daughter Trudy Ann (Tru). She wants to travel to America in order to see her childhood friend Cecily, whom she adores. The dialogue of the Jamaican natives is written in patois, that is, basically phonetically. I felt this made the storytelling more true to life. This book covers a lot of ground. It tells the tale of an illegal immigrant's life in a new country, which isn't exactly what one would wish for. It deals with various forms of love, significant errors, guilt, atonement, acceptance, and moving on. It addresses prejudice, discovering your identity, and refusing to let other people define you. It demonstrates that even those who appear to be cruel and self-centered can have some good in their hearts.”

About Nicole Dennis-Benn

Nicole Dennis-Benn is the author of Here Comes the Sun, a New York Times Notable Book and winner of the Lambda Literary Award. Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, she teaches at Princeton and lives with her wife in Brooklyn, New York.

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