Brother

Brothers Michael and Francis and their mother are immigrants from the Caribbean who live in a primarily immigrant neighbourhood of Toronto. The story focuses on how Michael and his mother deal with two major influences on their lives – the traumatic shooting of Francis and the ever-present impact of racism on all aspects of their lives. Michael’s quiet acceptance of racism illustrates how institutionalized and accepted racism is within Canadian culture. While this powerful novel addresses current issues, its writing style and sophisticated language are more suitable for mature readers as a literature circle or independent reading choice.