Review: Golden Child by Claire Adam

Golden Child by Claire Adam (releasing 1/29/19 from SJP for Hogarth)Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this release in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any additional compensation. 

Goodreads Summary:
A deeply affecting debut novel set in Trinidad, following the lives of a family as they navigate impossible choices about scarcity, loyalty, and love
Rural Trinidad: a brick house on stilts surrounded by bush; a family, quietly surviving, just trying to live a decent life. Clyde, the father, works long, exhausting shifts at the petroleum plant in southern Trinidad; Joy, his wife, looks after the home. Their two sons, thirteen years old, wake early every morning to travel to the capital, Port of Spain, for school. They are twins but nothing alike: Paul has always been considered odd, while Peter is widely believed to be a genius, destined for greatness.
When Paul goes walking in the bush one afternoon and doesn't come home, Clyde is forced to go looking for him, this child who has caused him endless trouble already, and who he has never really understood. And as the hours turn to days, and Clyde begins to understand Paul's fate, his world shatters--leaving him faced with a decision no parent should ever have to make.
Like the Trinidadian landscape itself, Golden Child is both beautiful and unsettling; a resoundingly human story of aspiration, betrayal, and love.

My Review:
As Sarah Jessica Parker's second title for Hogarth, I wasn't sure what to expect from her selections yet. A Place for Us was an unexpected jewel for me (read my review for it HERE). I loved experiencing the push/pull of a family that may be different from mine in wide sweeping characterizations (Indian-American, Muslim) but is also the same as mine--and most families--in that we are constantly trying to form our individual identities while also trying to figure out who we are in relation to other family members.

Golden Child opened my mind to what life may have been like for many Trinidadians in the 1980s in regards to corruption and the constant threat from drug lords. The story also educated me on a culture in one of my favorite ways--through food. There are dozens and dozens of references to favorite dishes, preparation styles, storage, and the transport of food that give readers a more detailed view into the characters' daily lives. I learned a lot about the landscape and culture of Trinidad through this story but I was absolutely gutted with the ending. I'm not going to give details because I don't want to spoil it for anyone but I needed some time to recover after this one. I couldn't decide if I loved it, hated it, or something else entirely. After much thought, I've decided to categorize it as "something else entirely" (just one of the reasons why I find the star rating system so difficult.) This book made me grow as a person and a reader and it is one of those books I am so glad to have read, but it also challenged my thoughts about what I "like" about a book. Previously, I found myself liking a book if it was all tied up at the end in a nice little package that I could describe to another reader in a few sentences. Now, I think I'm looking for more. I want to experience a book that pushes my reading boundaries, sails into uncharted territory, and ignores the comfortable formulas of contemporary releases--all of which I found in Golden Child. 

I can already predict a lot of divided opinions on this book, just as there were on A Place for Us. This may only be the second book in the SJP for Hogarth imprint but I also predict that her future selections will likely continue to include unsettling storylines, traditionally "unlikeable" or "difficult" characters, and complicated relationships.  

I don't think that everyone will like this book, but I would recommend it someone looking to diversify their reading material or to someone interested in complex family dynamics and relationships.