Patsy

A Novel

By: Nicole Dennis-Benn

Narrated by: Sharon Gordon

Length: 17 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

When Patsy gets her long-coveted visa to America, it comes after years of yearning to leave Pennyfield, the beautiful but impoverished Jamaican town where she was raised. More than anything, Patsy wishes to be reunited with her oldest friend, Cicely, whose letters arrive from New York steeped in the promise of a happier life and the possible rekindling of their young love. But Patsy's plans don't include her overzealous, evangelical mother - or even her five-year-old daughter, Tru.

Beating with the pulse of a long-withheld confession, Patsy gives voice to a woman who looks to America for the opportunity to choose herself first - not to give a better life to her family back home. Patsy leaves Tru behind in a defiant act of self-preservation, hoping for a new start. But when Patsy arrives in Brooklyn, America is not as Cicely's treasured letters described; to survive as an undocumented immigrant, she is forced to work as a bathroom attendant and nanny. Meanwhile, Tru builds a faltering relationship with her father back in Jamaica, grappling with her own questions of identity and sexuality.

Expertly evoking the jittery streets of New York and the languid rhythms of Jamaica, Patsy weaves between the lives of Patsy and Tru in vignettes spanning more than a decade as mother and daughter ultimately find a way back to one another.

©2019 Nicole Dennis-Benn (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"It's tough to imagine anyone other than Sharon Gordon narrating this culture-rich novel about a Jamaican immigrant living in New York City. Gordon's portrayal of a variety of Jamaican voices - from softly melodic Jamaican-American dialect to hearty Kingston street patois - keeps this performance soaring despite the hardships of the characters." (AudioFile Magazine)

Patsy review

I got this book as a gift. I had no clue what to expect. It was riveting! I connected to the book on so many levels. Outstanding! Well done!

This is a wonderful book. I felt like I was in Jam

I enjoyed the book. Self love is important and self value. In life you need to take care of your mental health. Keep your children safe at all times.

 Authentic Jamaican literature

I really think this was a great book. It was very authentic. I love how this author exposed the hardships of America being an immigrant. This was very awesome. You did a great job. I will most definitely make this a book club fan phase. Thank you for blessing me with this great literature, I think you need to do a part two though to expose the normalcy of America of an immigrants succeeding now any type word typos I am legally blind and is using dictation

Important and engaging

Dennis-Benn does it again, bringing important, difficult themes to a novel that is easy to read and enjoy. The characters are relatable, even when they are frustrating. The ending happy without being unrealistic or tying up all of the loose ends. Having multiple points of view is definitely great for this story. The writing is honest and insightful, and there is empathy for all of the characters. When it comes to the end, there is the wish to know more about them and how things turn out.

Great Sequel

Loved this sequel to Here Comes The Sun!! Definitely took some unexpected turns that kept my attention!! Great read!!

Love

Love this book so much. I will read again and again and again good book.

Fascinating

The mother & daughter both suffered from neglect that was a result of lacking the love from their mother. They both realize this damage them similarly was brought forgiveness to the relationship.

Amazingly written

Topics like Queerness, being undocumented in America, colorism and love had me at a loss for words for the entirety of the listen. Wow, AMAZING! I ended up buying a physical copy of the book after listening to it on Audible.

very Broad and exciting

more informative then tv movies and text books this book opened up the highs and lows of.thej Isle of Jamaica people characters in this in this story very deep and engrossing very satisfied with the ending

Interesting and realistic immigration story.

First, listen at 1.25 speed, but still the narration is a bit halting.
Good character development and a tale common to many who care for NYC children. The ending is a bit abrupt and all tied up in a bow.