Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson | A Review

Jacqueline Woodson’s novella Another Brooklyn is about a woman named August as she reflects back on her childhood in Brooklyn in the 1970s. She recounts what it was like to grow up with her brother, to watch her father as he discovered Islam, to ache for her mother who they left behind in Tennessee, and to navigate Brooklyn with her friends Gigi, Sylvia, and Angela. She recounts the beautiful moments of their childhoods, along with the sad, frightening ones.

A few years ago, I read Woodson’s Newbery Honor-winning book Brown Girl Dreaming. I found the story beautiful and heartbreaking, but I was not a fan of the fact that it was written in verse. For me, it felt like prose broken up at random into lines of poetry. Another Brooklyn is written in prose, but it retains its poetic quality, as it’s composed in short vignettes, and as August tells her story with a tinge of sadness and nostalgia in her voice. 

Another Brooklyn is fragmented – as I’ve seen people criticize – but I think it works. At points, this novella feels distant, and perhaps too flowery to be real life. But August herself recognizes that it’s not the moments in our lives that hold the power; its the memories. And the structure and style of the story capture this idea perfectly. The writing paints a hazy but potent picture for the reader, just like memories, and August often acknowledges the lack of specifics of her storytelling by stating, “this is memory.”

Although this is a work of fiction, Another Brooklyn reads like a memoir, making it all the more powerful. In the author’s note, Woodson explains that she crafted characters who are unlike her, but she was able to become one with each of them during the writing process. She also explains how she places them in a familiar setting, Bushwick, which is where she grew up. By doing this, she’s created something that feels true and authentic.

Another Brooklyn is an entrancing and gorgeously written coming-of-age story. It explores the imprints our memories leave on our psyches, along with the pain and loss that come with the passing of time. 

Rating: 4/5

Check out Another Brooklyn on Goodreads.