Another Brooklyn is a novel by Jacqueline Woodson published in 2016. Although Woodson is primarily known as the author of several successful books for younger readers, Another Brooklyn is directed toward an adult readership with its themes that deal with aging, grief, and family relationships in its tale of an adult daughter having to return home to deal with details of her father’s death. In addition, the story is also expansive enough to touch upon issues related to prejudice, sexuality, and violence against women.
Another Brooklyn was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction in 2016. Woodson wound up losing to Colson Whitehead for The Underground Railroad but could take consolation in the fact that her YA novel Brown Girl Dreaming had earned the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature just two years earlier. That win and the subsequent nomination for Another Brooklyn served to very firmly establish for Woodson a reputation as a major American novelist with a broad talent capable of connecting with readers across the generation gap which is typically a gulf few bestsellers successfully traverse.
In addition to being recognized as worthy of literary honors, the novel was very well received by critics. Though not a runaway best-seller, even the book’s moderate commercial success makes it a relative phenomenon in a publishing world that prefers writers to stick with the demographic that knows them best. In an interview in 2018, Woodson said she was fielding offers for a possible film adaptation, but as of summer 2021, no production deal had yet been announced.
Another Brooklyn also has many fans in the reading community, particularly women of color. The story resonates with readers who are part of the African American diaspora and can identify with the struggles portrayed in the novel. The novel captures the essence of being a woman of color in America and the many issues that come with it, including racism, sexism, and the hardships that come with being a minority in a country that is often resistant to change. In terms of representation in literature, Another Brooklyn is a step forward in promoting diversity in books and giving a voice to readers who might not otherwise have one. Furthermore, the novel also speaks to the importance of family and how much it can influence our lives. The story of August and her journey to find herself is one that many readers can identify with and appreciate.
The novel has received praise for its exploration of the many facets of being a woman of color in America, particularly regarding the African American experience. Another Brooklyn gives a voice to those who are often overlooked in mainstream literature, and it captures the nuances of the African American diaspora with sincerity and honesty that many readers have found engaging. The characters in the novel are complex and nuanced, and Woodson’s writing style is accessible and easy to understand. The novel is an excellent example of how literature can be used to explore issues of race and gender and to provide readers with a new perspective on life.
