Absolutely gorgeous book in the "contemporary person tries to find clues about thematically linked historical person" genre. In this case, a mixed-race college student from Jamaica trying to discover the fate of a mixed-race kid growing up in the 1920s, and following threads of Black Canadian history along the way. The student is recently orphaned, out of place, and a little distant, trying to find his way in a new and often hostile country. He searches for connection by diving into his research, but also by slowly getting involved in contemporary anti-racism movements. I liked all the different currents of people balancing politics and just getting by, all the different shapes resistance could take, and what the tipping points were.

The prose is beautiful, sliding near to poetry, often funny. It's a bit freer with PoV than a lot of contemporary fiction, with an edge of magical realism that wavers between actually happening and a flight of imagination. I loved the depth of her emotional landscapes and insights, which kept a very political book from ever dragging or feeling preachy. Lovely work!