Publishers Weekly
02/19/2024
Robinson’s vivacious debut follows a Jamaican teenager who weighs her Kingston roots against the prospect of an exciting new life in France. Pumkin Patterson, 13, lives with her dressmaker grandmother Cecille, her beloved and ambitious aunt Sophie, and her abusive, alcoholic mom Paulette. After Cecille dies suddenly and Sophie moves out, Pumkin sets her sights on following her aunt to Paris. To do so, she must gather enough money to pay a private language academy for lessons that will help her pass the French school entrance exam. With no hope of help from her mother, who disappears for days at a time, Pumkin draws on her talent for baking, selling her wares at school and at a local shop. After she befriends a wealthy classmate at the academy, her mother and an old friend from her neighborhood painfully and derisively label her “stoosh” (pretentious), prompting her to hide her new life from her home life and vice versa. Robinson’s clear eye for class and color discrimination extends to the parallel narrative of Sophie, who breaks up with a Jamaican lover in France because of his darker skin and patois, an act that throws Pumkin’s trajectory into stark relief. This perceptive coming-of-age novel marks Robinson as a writer to watch. Agent: David Forrer, InkWell Management. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"Sweetness in the Skin is a tender exploration of familial love, both the family you’re born to, and the one you find along the way. Robinson has written a treatise on the effects of colorism and class divisions that is heartbreaking and raw, yet joyful. This vivid story transported me to Pumkin’s world through an excursion of the senses, the sights, the sounds, and especially the tastes of Jamaica, taking me back to the one journey I took to my fatherland and leaving me yearning to return." — Charlene Carr, author of Hold My Girl
“Robinson’s debut explores a variety of themes, including colorism, generational trauma, class, and ambition, through the eyes of plucky Pumkin, who is wise beyond her years. Her struggles are authentic, as are the friendships she develops with the people who help her along the way. Readers who were moved by Abi Daré’s The Girl with the Louding Voice (2020) will be inspired by Pumkin’s journey.” — Booklist (starred review)
"I cherished every moment spent with Pumpkin in this mesmerizing and poignant exploration of familial love and self-discovery. Robinson's narrative is infused with passion, delicately balancing stunning flavors and humor to create a feast for the senses. This captivating tale will linger in your heart long after the final page. An absolute must-read." — Abi Daré, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl with the Louding Voice
“This triumphant and emotional debut from Robinson is recommended for readers who enjoyed Charmaine Wilkerson’s Black Cake or Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“This story by Ishi Robinson is a contemporary novel about family struggles, learning French, and, my favourite: baking. If those concepts don't hook you, I don't know what will. Sweetness in the Skin is perfect for anyone looking for a good ol' coming-of-age story, as it follows a young, lovable main character. Plus, it's set in Jamaica, and is a recent release — so this summer is truly the right time to pick up this book.” — Buzzfeed
“Debut novelist Robinson explores themes of class rivalry, racism, postcolonial damage, and self-determination. . . Sympathetic storytelling leavened with humor.” — Kirkus Reviews
"A coming-of-age story, a celebration of Jamaica that also examines its legacy of colonialism and classism." — BBC
“Robinson’s vivacious debut follows a Jamaican teenager who weighs her Kingston roots against the prospect of an exciting new life in France. . . . This perceptive coming-of-age novel marks Robinson as a writer to watch.” — Publishers Weekly
“Ishi Robinson has written a delightful coming-of-age story set in Jamaica, amid heartbreak, hopefulness, and mirth. This tender, at times humorous, coming-of-age tale celebrates the flavors and language of Jamaica while unveiling the impact of colorism and class divisions on one family. I found myself rooting for clever, vulnerable Pumkin as she reached for her dreams and yearned for acceptance.” — Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake
"Sweetness in the Skin is a mouth-watering delight of a novel, richly seasoned with the flavors, dialect and culture of Jamaica. Ishi Robinson's sumptuous writing is an utter joy, and the characters she's created are vivid and engaging. The twists and turns of Pumkin's quest to escape her predicament and realize her dream set my heart pounding as I raced to the satisfying conclusion. It's rare to find a book that's so thought-provoking, exciting and humorous in equal parts. A treat from start to finish!" — Sarah Haywood, New York Times bestselling author of The Cactus
"Sweetness in the Skin is a celebration of the Caribbean—our food, our language, and our people. I read this book with my heart in my mouth, hoping all of Pumkin’s dreams would come true." — Breanne Mc Ivor, author of The God of God Looks
"Emotionally transportive. A story so rich and resonant I never wanted it to end. Pumkin Patterson has my heart as one of the most authentic and original voices I've ever met in the pages of a book. I loved her." — Julietta Henderson, author of The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman
‘Vibrant, affecting and joyfully uplifting. I felt completely transported, and was cheering Pumkin along every step of the way!’ — Lucy Diamond, Sunday Times bestselling author
"Sweetness in the Skin may seem like a gentle coming of age story, but it is all the more compelling for its darker side." — The Berliner
New York Times bestselling author Charmaine Wilkerson
A delightful coming-of-age story set in Jamaica, amid heartbreak, hopefulness, and mirth.”
Library Journal
★ 11/01/2023
DEBUT Thirteen-year-old Pumpkin Patterson lives in a small house in Kingston, Jamaica, with her grandmother, her mother, and Aunt Sophie. Pumpkin has always been close to her aunt, with whom she shares a dream of moving to Paris and starting a bakery. When Sophie gets the chance to move to France, she takes it but leaves Pumpkin behind, promising to come for her soon. Determined to join her aunt and leave her impoverished life behind, Pumpkin uses her baking skills to earn money for the trip. Despite being thwarted time and again by her selfish mother, teachers at school, and her absentee father, Pumpkin learns that those who truly care will always be there for her. Pumpkin is a resilient protagonist who handles the discovery of her own identity, while dealing with issues of race, wealth, and social status, with more grace than is expected of a teenager. Her "never give up" spirit will endear her to readers from the first page. VERDICT This triumphant and emotional debut from Robinson is recommended for readers who enjoyed Charmaine Wilkerson's Black Cake or Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing.—Carmen Clark
JUNE 2024 - AudioFile
Deja Bowens's deft performance mines the humor and pathos of Pumkin Patterson, a determined 13-year-old who is navigating life in Kingston, Jamaica. Bowens's expressive voice brings depth to the characters--from Pumkin herself to her volatile mother, Paulette, and her ambitious Aunt Sophie. When Sophie offers Pumkin the opportunity to escape her parents' tumultuous relationship for schooling in France, she must use all her ingenuity to raise money for the entrance exam. Bowens's ability to convey Pumkin's resilience as she turns her passion for baking into a lifeline is truly remarkable. Her nuanced performance enhances the emotional impact of Pumkin's journey, making listeners feel every triumph and setback. M.R. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2024-02-17
A Jamaican girl seeks happiness and her place in the world, one baked good at a time.
Pumkin Patterson’s story starts when she’s 11, a bright student and the apple of her Auntie Sophie’s eye. Sophie lives with her half-sister—the resentful Paulette—Pumkin, and Pumkin’s beloved grandmother. Sophie and Paulette have a volatile relationship, impaired by Paulette’s belief that her mother favors the lighter-skinned and status-conscious Sophie. Sophie and Pumkin dream of escaping their deteriorated home in a disadvantaged Kingston neighborhood to live in France. When Sophie eventually goes to France, she promises to send for Pumkin as soon as she establishes herself. Pumkin is left with her neglectful and intermittently violent mother—the death of her grandmother and the reappearance of her repulsively reptilian father don’t help matters. The girl’s chance to move to France and attend school there depends on her ability to pass a French-language proficiency exam, but her efforts to accomplish this are thwarted by Paulette at every opportunity. Pumkin’s talents for entrepreneurship and baking serve her in good stead as she develops a devoted clientele in the neighborhood and at school. Her hard-won confectionary earnings might allow for test prep and registration for the all-important exam as well as a crucial measure of independence. Debut novelist Robinson explores themes of class rivalry, racism, postcolonial damage, and self-determination…all through the eyes and ears of a teenage baking wizard as the adults who cross Pumkin’s path articulate personal grievances or explanations of the status quo in Pumkin’s corner of Jamaica. This coming-of-age story employs extensive dialogue in Jamaican dialect, a sincere tone, and a young person’s perspective on class differences within a relatively small community (which may appeal to younger readers in search of their own escape plans).
Sympathetic storytelling leavened with humor.
