This book is a symphony.

Evoking a strong sense of place in the "dregs of Queens" and told from the plural perspective of the eponymous brown girls, Andreades’s debut novel is gorgeous and gratifying. The book’s short length belies its power and range. Lively vignettes narrated by a collective voice articulate the nuances & complexities bound up in the lived reality of brown girls in Queens. Andreades highlights the tensions of growing up within this community: balancing expectations and gratitude, ambition and rootedness, confidence and humility. The tone is unfettered, honest, and compassionate. 

Particularly notable is the way Andreades rejects the idea of caricature while also managing to tell a story from a collective narrator. In fact, this writing device turned the disconnected girls and women Andreades wished to represent into a tapestry. I never got the sense that she was flattening or stereotyping, rather imbuing with humanity and value every varied experience, saying, “This? This is us. Oh, and that? That, too.” 

Brown Girls would be an excellent choice for those who enjoyed Girl, Woman, Other or Infinite Country. I strongly recommend the audiobook thanks to masterful narration by Tashi Thomas.

 I really loved Brown Girls. It’s the story of second-generation immigrant girls growing up in Queens. The book follows them from early childhood through to the end of life, but the emphasis is heavily on their teens and twenties, the key coming-of-age years. What immediately stands out is that this novel is told in the first person plural, “we”. This does mean the reader never gets to know any of the girls individually, but I found it really drew me into the story as a reader, making me feel as if I was one of the group, or at the very least a fly on the wall as a group of girlfriends got together. The collective voice vividly highlighted the universality of some of their experiences like sexism, racism, and balancing the expectations of immigrant parents with the realities of life in America. Yet the diversity and individuality of their different experiences came through clearly as well. Some girls were encouraged by teachers; others were put down. Some went to college and achieved professional success; others did not. Some became parents; other aborted unwanted pregnancies, struggled with fertility, or chose to remain childless. Some escaped Queens; others remained there their whole life. The writing was lyrical, while still feeling rooted in reality. I’ve never been to Queens but this depiction feels vividly authentic. It’s easy to believe I’ve been transported there and given the opportunity to share the lives of this group of Brown girls. A unique book that is sure to stick with me.