Brother by David Chariandy

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing on July 31, 2018

Michael and his brother Francis were born in Canada to parents who were born in Trinidad. They grew up in a neighborhood that became rougher as they entered their teens. Francis was killed ten years before the story begins. Flashbacks acquaint the reader with the ugly days at the time of Francis’ death, the anti-immigrant fervor and the neighborhood condemnation of Michael for being Francis’ brother. We also see Francis’ anger management problem, the way provocation triggered a form of crazy violence that earned him, for better or worse, a reputation as someone who would stand his ground. And we see how Francis suffers an unjust death because he stood his ground, although the precise cause of that death is something that David Chariandy withholds until late in the novel.

Now Michael lives with his mother. She may be experiencing the first symptoms of dementia or (as Michael’s friend Aisha believes) she may be suffering from complicated grief that left her “stuck,” unable to mourn properly because she cannot accept Francis’ death. Michael has made it his mission to care for and protect his mother, but the reader will wonder whether Michael’s actions are protecting his mother from reminders of Francis’ death or harming her by keeping her isolated from people who might help her grieve.

Aisha has returned to Canada after ten years in Europe to be with her father during his last days. After he dies, Michael invites Aisha to visit him, staying in his bedroom while he sleeps on the couch. Aisha and Michael were high school friends. Michael doesn’t really want to deal with the grief of someone who is no longer stuck at home, but Aisha believes that the best way to process grief is to share it, and to that end triggers a reunion of sorts, bringing people who knew Francis into Michael’s home.

The novel’s initial drama derives in part from the flashbacks that lead up to Francis’ death and in part from a conflict between Michael and Aisha about the proper way to care for Michael’s mother. The latter conflict presents something like a coming-of-age moment for Michael, and suggests that the right kind of help might make grief less debilitating, even if it can never be overcome.

Brother is a short novel, almost a character study that focuses on key formative events in the lives of a few people. Apart from Chariandy’s graceful prose, atmosphere and music are the keys to its success: the neighborhood barbershop that bring together immigrants of different cultures; the mixing of music from different eras and styles in a way that finds their commonality; the way people share a heritage through music; the rise of the DJ mix as an art form. Despite its narrow focus, the novel touches upon broad themes of social injustice endured by immigrants and the children of immigrants as they try to define an identity and a path to happiness in an unwelcoming society. For that reason, Brother is as timely as it is rewarding.

RECOMMENDED