Kin

A fantastic and much-anticipated new novel from Tayari Jones, best known for writing An American Marriage. Kin is the story of Vernice and Annie, who were born in Louisiana at similar times and have been neighbours and best friends since the moment they could interact. They call each other ‘cradle mates’. Both girls are motherless, leaving a deep hole on their lives and an obsession that shadows them both, as they constantly seek mother figures. As they reach adulthood, they follow different paths and their lives are broken apart, but they are always writing letters to each other throughout their separations.

The chapters jump back and forth from Vernice to Annie in beautiful symmetry. Due to their circumstances, they leave each other and their hometown for different reasons and on distinct journeys. Vernice leaves to pursue studies and finds a life of expectation and privilege. Annie leaves to find the mother who abandoned her and discovers a wilder life of adventure and heartbreak. They are pulled back together along the way through heartwarming and devastating milestones with some powerful conclusions.

This novel is a wonderfully emotive and smart story of chosen family, friendships, motherhood and expectation. Spanning decades, large in scope, and set with the Deep South as the backdrop, Kin has a lot to say about what makes real kinship in today’s society. It is equal parts heartbreaking and beautiful – a deep exploration of belonging, identity and friendship.