The story of a queer Black recovering opioid addict recently out of prison, who fights to stay clean and regain custody of her two children while her old life beckons.
The novel bristles with strong women, from aunties Jessie and Val to the inmates and sponsor who inspire Ranita to have faith in herself. Because it eschews plot twists for emotional reflection, the novel drags at times; but Lee’s handling of trauma is deft, and her portrayal of the carceral system’s cruelty is unflinching and empathetic.
