Brown Girl in the Ring is a sci-fi novel by Canadian author Nalo Hopkinson. It was published in 1998 by Warner Aspect (now Hachette Book Group) as Hopkinson's debut novel. Set in a dystopian future, the city of Toronto has been barricaded and fallen into anarchy. An irreversible economic collapse has left the city in utter lawlessness, ruled by a criminal cohort. The rich have sought refuge in the affluent suburbs and neighboring cities.
The story revolves around Ti-Jeanne as she discovers her connection to spiritualism through her African-Caribbean heritage. As she spends more time with her mysterious grandmother, Ti-Jeanne unveils this new world of magical realism. Hopkinson explores the struggles of single parenthood, societal stigma, and communal responsibility with a capitalist backdrop.
Brown Girl in the Ring was adapted into a film by Canadian filmmaker Sharon Lewis titled Brown Girl Begins. The filmmaker opted to film a prequel to the book due to financial constraints. The film was released in 2017. The novel won the 1999 Locus Award for Best Debut Novel, and the 1999 Astounding Award for Best New Writer. It was nominated for the 1998 Philip K. Dick Award, 1998 Otherwise Award, 1999 Golden Duck Award, and the 2000 Aurora Award.
