We had an excellent discussion arising from this autobiographical memoir about growing up in Jamaica in the 1990s within a strict Rastafarian household. The book covered a spectrum of topics ranging from - female roles and oppression, domestic violence, child abuse, nature versus nurture, Rastafarian beliefs and customs, survival in the face of harsh odds, relationships within families, ordinary Jamaican lives in the 'White' world and, most powerfully, the wonders of language, words, poetry and self-expression. 

Those of us at the meeting all agreed that Safiya Sinclair's writing was extraordinarily compelling,  beautifully crafted, original, engaging and thoroughly authentic. However, there were a few questions raised as to the issues of memory and recall. We discussed this in the light of the current climate of challenging 'Truth' and acknowledged that Safiya's story is her own, it is her memoir. 

The narrative describes Jamaica and the life of Safiya and her three siblings as they grow up under the tyrannical eye - and the 'red belt' - of her father, Djani. Her mother, Esther, is the stalwart of the household, the 'workhorse' homemaker, who despite everything nurtures her children's education right from the start and whose undoubted intelligence and determination supports her first-born daughter in her drive to learn and particularly to write poetry.

Whilst we thought the actual writing was superb we simultaneously found the content raised all sorts of difficult issues. It is not an easy or soothing read, it is harsh, cruel, a bit of a punch in the guts. However, this extraordinary young woman survives and finds her freedom, and her voice, overcoming huge barriers on the way due to her innate intelligence and her unflinching tenacity in the face of all the obstacles strewn across her path.