Why David Chariandy’s Brother Is Worth Reading

Set in modern-day Scarborough, the award-winning book Brother by David Chariandy explores existent issues, such as bias and police brutality, as well as loss. I read the novel, a 2019 CBC book selection, for my grade eight English class. 

Brother follows the daily life of Michael, whose mother immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago. Michael lives with his mother, has never met his father, and used to have a brother. The story begins with the reunion of Michael and his childhood friend Aisha. They live in an area known as “The Park,” a poorer neighbourhood in Scarborough, considered by many outsiders as dangerous. When Michael goes to work at a grocery store, his manager suspects Michael of violence, pushing the idea of prejudice. Michael remembers his time with his older brother, Francis, and their fights against prejudice and low expectations. The story is comprised of Michael’s memories, which makes it compelling to compare the past to the present. 

Francis is described as strong and considerate, and continuously puts himself at risk to protect Michael from bullies. Francis, Michael, and their mother spend their time together; however, as they grow up, Francis grows distant from his mother and begins arguing. One night, while on a walk, Francis and Michael witness a shooting, causing the neighbourhood to grow suspicious of the brothers. People begin cutting ties with the family, which increases the time Michael spends with Francis. 

Tragedy, however, strikes and Michael and his mother are devastated. Back in the present, Aisha attempts to console the mother and son, who constantly think about Francis. Both Michael and his mother are traumatized, and Michael often feels frustrated and expresses anger when Aisha tries to help them recover.

The topics of prejudice and police brutality are enraging, yet made me continue reading, hoping that our protagonist would be safe. Michael often found himself in many biased situations and I found it engaging because prejudices are also common in real life.

Unlike fantasy stories, which cannot exist in real life, Brother constantly made me think about the issues in real life. Furthermore, the theme of police brutality caused most residents, even those who were innocent, to fear the authorities. It is an ominous theme that is well-written whenever Michael and others encounter the authorities. 

What sets Brother apart from other novels are the relationships. The relationship between Francis and Michael was especially interesting; even though they sometimes got into arguments, Francis always protected Michael. Without their father, the two always had to take care of each other, since their mother was always at work. Another fascinating relationship was the one between Michael and Aisha. Aisha cares about Michael, as seen when she tries to help him recover, but Michael often gets mad at Aisha and at times even wants her to leave. Even though the two are childhood friends, it sometimes seems like the relationship is fragile.

I highly recommend Brother if you enjoy stories about kinship, but also want a slice of life. At times I felt enraged and, at others I felt sad. Brother does have a lot of explicit language and content, so be prepared. Otherwise, Brother is an extraordinary novel with a unique plot, serious topics, and well-written relationships.