Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn is an unsentimental look beyond the fences surrounding the upscale resorts on the north coast of Jamaica. Much of the dialogue is in patois which takes a bit of getting used to, but is central to emphasizing the paradox between the tourist economy and the daily reality of impoverished Jamaicans. It’s an examination of a family of women who all have secrets, and the particular burden on the youngest girl who carries the hopes of all the others on her thin shoulders. Blunt about classicism and racism, it’s a powerful indictment of colonial history and the people who must find a way to live when options and freedom to love are limited.
Here Comes the Sun