If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery

This book, which is more eight interlocked stories than a novel per se, is constructed with heart, intensity, and a surprising amount of humor, considering the central themes. The linked stories center on Trelawny as he struggles to carve out a place for himself amid financial disaster, racism, and flat-out bad luck. His parents, who are a mix of colors and cultures, have emigrated from Jamaica in the 1970's looking for opportunity and a better life. After a fight with his father―who is reckoning with his failures as a parent and his longing for Jamaica―Trelawny is left homeless, and works a series of odd, often hilarious jobs. Meanwhile, his brother, Delano, attempts a disastrous cash grab to get his kids back, and his cousin, Cukie, looks for a father who doesn't want to be found. They are all experiencing the danger of climbing without a safety net. The book is all about what it means to be in between homes and cultures in a world at the mercy of capitalism and whiteness. It is occasionally lyrical, studded with sly commentary and contagious laughter, all the while delivering body blows.