Review Detail

WE ARE NOT BROKEN is a heartfelt and thoughtful memoir about growing up Black, framed around Nanny, the family matriarch, who is fierce, protective, loving, and changed so many lives. George (known as Matt, their middle name, as a child) tells stories from growing up with their brothers, Garrett, Rall, and Rasul (the latter two are technically cousins but raised like brothers) with all their mistakes, fun, and lessons learned.

It is so easy to fall in love with Nanny and all her Nannyisms throughout the story, the author and sibling's voices endear her to the reader. The vignettes we see through George's stories tell of a life lived fully, with enduring lessons. I appreciated the context that George gives around the stories, explaining, as relevant, historical context, problematic behaviors, misogyny, and racist context that takes this memoir a little deeper and can be quite eye-opening for readers.

Ultimately a powerful memoir about the Black experience, WE ARE NOT BROKEN is a heartfelt and thought-provoking read about family, love, and society. Highly recommend picking this one up.