In a community where poverty is kept close and passed from one generation to the next, two teenage boys, best friends, stand on top of twin tower blocks. Facing each other across the abyss of London's urban sprawl, they say their good-byes and jump. One dies. The other, alternating with the sister of the deceased, narrates this novel.
James gives us a window into the inner city -- his mom is a crack addict, his gang "brothers" force him to kill another black boy. Meina describes with feeling her family history in Somalia: after her parents are killed before her eyes, her village aunt sells her to six husbands -- before she is even a teenager. Desperate to rebuild their lives, James and Meina set out to find the place for which every child longs -- home.
Brutal and shockingly violent in places, rambunctious and lively in others and slyly, dryly witty in yet others, Meina and James's journey toward life through their past is ultimately a powerful story of redemptive love and the debut of an extraordinary literary talent.
Belong to a book club?
There is a reading group guide for Forest Gate which includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Peter Akinti. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. These ideas should enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
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"Sunday Synopsis" is a new feature for 2010. Every Sunday, we will post the synopsis of an upcoming book that we think deserves your attention. Think of it as a mini e-paper. It'll be there in the morning when you wake up for your coffee.
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