YOUR CORNER DARK

A young boy dares to dream of life outside of Jamaica despite facing many obstacles.

Franklyn Green is an 18-year-old high school senior. A hardworking and intellectually brilliant student, his goal is to attain a better way of life by pursuing a university education abroad through an engineering scholarship. Coming from a poor family and living in a rural community without even a system for running water, the odds are stacked against Frankie. The increasing numbers of boys and men in his community joining posses—including his uncle’s—and the ensuing gang wars leave Frankie even more determined to leave Jamaica. But then Frankie’s father is shot, and complications from the medical bills leave him in the toughest predicament of his life. Add an unexpected romance, and Frankie finds his life in upheaval, forcing him to adapt and reconsider how to make his way out of the country. Hall portrays a violent, corrupt, and almost lawless Jamaica, an impression likely to leave a bitter taste in readers’ mouths. The novel’s prose and pacing feel jumpy and lacking in cohesion; the execution sometimes prevents consistent immersion in the protagonist's world. This is an earnest attempt to portray a harsh reality experienced by many.

A story of family, sacrifice, perseverance, and survival.