by Tiana Coven
“The black seeps into her, masking any sentiments, mangling any desire to forgive, hardening the weak pulp of a muscle beating inside her chest.” -Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn
tw: sexual assault/homophobia
It’s not often that I come across a novel that is so raw and honest as Here Comes the Sun. The story follows four women in Montego Bay, Jamaica: Margot, a woman who has been sexually exploited by her mother as a result of homophobia and poverty, and has learned how to sell her sexuality to make ends meet, Delores (Margot’s mother) who runs a tourist shop and faces the trials of raising two daughters while facing poverty, Thandi (Margot’s younger sister, who struggles with colorism, which runs rampant in Jamaica, and Verdene [Margot’s lover], a woman who is regarded as a witch because she is openly gay.) This book touches on heavy subjects such as sexual assault, colorism, fetishization, homophobia, and how tourism negatively affects the native community in Jamaica. Overall, this book truly reflects the harsh reality of life as a woman in Jamaica within its fictional pages.
***
You can read more of Tiana’s reviews and recommendations on her book blog, Tiana Reads LGBT.
