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If I Survive You
- Narrated by: Torian Brackett
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
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If I Survive You
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Summary
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE
A major debut that follows a Jamaican family in Miami navigating recession, racism and Hurricane Andrew.
1979. Topper and Sanya flee to Miami as political violence consumes their native Kingston. But they soon learn that the welcome in America will be far from warm.
Trelawny, their youngest son, comes of age in a society which regards him with suspicion, greeting him with the puzzled question ‘What are you?’
Their eldest son Delano’s longing for a better future for his own children is equalled only by his recklessness in trying to secure it.
As both brothers navigate the obstacles littered in their path – an unreliable father, racism, a financial crisis and Hurricane Andrew – they find themselves increasingly pitted against one another. Will their rivalry be the thing that finally tears their family apart?
If I Survive You pulses with inimitable style, heart and barbed humour while unravelling what it means to carve out an existence between cultures, homes and pay checks. It announces Jonathan Escoffery as a chronicler of life at its most gruesome and hopeful.
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION
A most anticipated Book of 2023 in AnOther Magazine, Huffington Post UK and i Newspaper
Critic reviews
"Kaleidoscopic, urgent, hilarious, revelatory and like nothing you've read before. These are the stories that we never believed could be told, until Jonathan Escoffery told them." (Marlon James, author of A Brief History of Seven Killings)
"A collection of connected short stories that reads like a novel, that reads like real life, that reads like fiction written at the highest level. This is a compelling hurricane of a book that sweeps the past, present and future together into one inextricable knot. This is where Jonathan Escoffrey's career begins. There are no limits to where he will go." (Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House)
"An electrifying, enthralling debut about identity and belonging. Jonathan Escoffery illuminates both beauty and trauma and the ways in which so many of us Jamaicans are still looking for home within ourselves. Told with humor and clear-eyed grace, this spectacular collection introduces us to an amazing new voice." (Nicole Dennis-Benn, author of Here Comes the Sun)
What listeners say about If I Survive You
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- M. Stewart
- 03-12-23
The recklessness of the main character
Trelawny is such an unlikeable character!! His brother Delano and Father’s story seemed unfinished. I liked that Jamaican culture was part of this book and enjoy books from characters perspectives. Which this book has. I would recommend.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Eoghan
- 10-01-24
Powerful message and theme
Powerful message and theme however the book fails to draw you in, particularly the early portions.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- C. Ryan
- 13-10-23
The fight or flight response
It seems to me this novel explores the fight or flight response in family relationships and earning money. The structure of separate interlinked stories is different and I was carried along most of the time. But the continual fight or flight responses of the characters make a bleak world. I wished they would get over it all, grow up and move on, It is too pessimistic a novel for me but that may be the point.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Tolu Ojo-Williams
- 04-02-24
Linked short stories about an immigrant family in America
Performance by the author was great, the story was a little heart wrenching for me
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 14-03-23
A story about fathers
I initially thought it was a story about identity but also wonder if it is a story about fathers as well, how their relationships shape who we are. I enjoyed the first person narration greatly. I wish the story had been kinder but I think that’s the point. Narrator was brilliant.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- David M
- 05-09-23
Different
The book has the feel of a work of art rather than a regular story. A different kind of book from what I'm used to. Very refreshing read (although seriously depressing!). It left me thinking for several days after I finished listening.
This is 8 separate but linked stories, (it took me a while to get that), set around various members of a mixed race Jamaican family who emigrated to America (Miami) in the 1980s, and are just trying to survive as best they can. The family consists of Trelawny, (the main narrator), brother Delano and their parents Topper and Sanya. Chapter 2 is narrated by Topper in his Jamaican patois which I really couldn't understand at all!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Miss G Charlesworth
- 26-09-23
Deserved to be shortlisted for the Booker prize 23
Not what I expected, but sad to have finished. I was expecting a bit more from some of the stories, but then again it can be disappointing when things are wrapped up too neatly - not real life atall.
I really enjoyed Toppers chapter, and think I maybe got a bit more from it if I had been reading from a book rather than listening.
Fantastic narration
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Segun Osuntokun
- 03-09-23
A but of a mishmash but enjoyable
I thought the narration was excellent and the premise of the story sound. However, it sagged a little bit in the middle and I sometimes struggled to get under the skin of the characters. Overall, though a good tale, with valuable insights into colourism, racism and the relationship between fathers and sons and between siblings.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- ross c crawford
- 05-02-24
Poor
Really couldn’t get into this one. Story seems to jump around and the narration isn’t great either
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