AND THEN THERE WAS US

A teenager, whose family has roots in Trinidad and Jamaica, juggles anxiety and grief after the sudden death of her mother.

It’s been over four years since 18-year-old Coi last heard from her estranged mother, Crissy, who breaks the silence between them with an unexpected call. It’s a terse exchange, filled with hostility, and results in Coi’s having a panic attack. Her father offers constant support, yet even his cocoon of protection can’t buffer her from the dramatic shifts and ongoing fallout between his former partner and only daughter. Coi voices a glaring truth about her expectations of the flawed mother who rejected her: “She didn’t have to be perfect.” Aunty, Crissy’s younger sister, “was always present,” however, recognizing the early signs of turmoil between Coi’s parents. After Crissy gets in a fatal car accident, Coi grapples with repairing the rifts and ruptures within her family; initially, she’s barely on speaking terms with her maternal grandmother. The first-person perspective immerses readers in Coi’s feelings, including her understandably sharp anger and disappointment, as the book explores themes of reconciliation and overcoming familial conflicts. Aunty supports Coi in becoming her own woman by sharing feminist texts; the book contains an implicit critique of the “strong Black woman” trope and also unpacks the fallout when a woman isn’t “a good mother.” Carter’s language isn’t dazzling, but his prose is clean, and he weaves in pop-culture references, adding a layer of relatability for young readers.

An emotional story of family and growth.