A review by vaniavela
Sugar Town Queens by Malla Nunn

emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Amandla, a black South African teenager, finds a mysterious address and a bundle of money at the bottom of her mother's purse. Amandla is determined to find out what her mother is hiding.

Why did I like this book?

  1. Themes of bigotry, racism, and life in poverty are woven into the plot of this coming-of-age novel, full of mystery and doubts. 
  2. This book keeps you on your toes, written in an emotional and thoughtful way, depicting South African culture. 
  3. The main character is strong and human, giving us a fast-paced character-driven novel. 

I loved this book. It is a story of family relationships and how society poisons certain people's minds.

I totally recommend this book.

Rep: black/biracial South African female mc, white mother with PTSD and memory loss, white grandmother with heart failure (chronic/terminal), black south african male li, two black south african sapphic female sc.

CWs: Abandonment/forced institutionalization of MC's mother in the past, blood, chronic/terminal illness (heart failure), death, death of parent, emotional abuse, grief, medical content, medical trauma-forced electroshock treatment, misogyny, mental illness (PTSD/memory loss), racial slurs, racism, suicide, adult/minor relationship & rape, sexual harassment, gun violence, violence, religious bigotry, homophobia.
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