Brother is a moving, powerful, and poignant second novel by the award-winning David Chariandy that looks at family bonds, immigrant stories, and inherent prejudice that can shape and mould young hearts and minds.

Chariandy tells a beautiful story of Trinidadian immigrants - two brothers and their mother- and their new life in Scarborough. As they face the challenges of a new neighbourhood, we see them just as any other young boys - ones with dreams, hopes, ambitions and struggles. This story’s strength is its complex and relatable characters. Chariandy writes both young men with such depth and precision to make them both wholly unique and deeply relatable, which becomes more important when addressing the prejudice and negative assumptions the boys face as people of colour. Whether it is tough times in high school, finding love in the enchanting Aisha, adjusting to a new world, or the shot of a gun that changes everything, book lovers everywhere will be moved by this emotional story.

Like his first award-winning novel, Chariandy’s Brother is infused with so much emotion, complexity, and beautiful wording, creating an all-encompassing story and genuinely moving. You will be pulled into the brothers’ world and form strong bonds with the two boys. The neighbourhood and setting, too, are wonderfully described, creating a visual landscape of both the rough outskirts of Scarborough and the lush escape into the wilderness that is the Rouge Valley. Deeply Canadian, the story pairs both city life and nature to create a blueprint of Canada and what it means to grow up in the Greater Toronto Area.

Joseph Pierre narrates Brother and brings a beautiful tone to the poetic style of the book. His open, honest voice will connect with you and allows for the familial ties between mother, son, and little brother that are highlighted so well in this book to shine through. You will feel as though you are one of the brothers and part of the family. An absolute must-listen, this moving coming-of-age story that celebrates brown ancestry even as it highlights prejudice and privilege is sure to leave a long-lasting impression.