Jade is a Twisted Green

Jade is a Twisted Green 

Jade is a Twisted Green is the latest novel to be checked off of my always growing to be read list. This is the debut novel from author Tanya Turton. I always feel there is something special about every author’s debut novel, and this one was no exception. I was very excited to start reading Jade is a Twisted Green! 

The cover art and title is what captured my attention with this novel, and then the description drew me in and made me want to read it. 

“The wound is the place where the light enters you.” 

Tanya Turton, Jade is a Twisted Green

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Have you read Jade is a Twisted Green? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

About Jade is a Twisted Green 

For readers of Queenie and Honey Girl, a coming-of-age story about queer Black identity, love, passion, chosen family, and rediscovering life’s pleasures after loss.

Jade Brown, a twenty-four-year-old first-generation Jamaican woman living in Toronto, must find a way to pick up the pieces and discover who she is following the mysterious death of her twin sister.

Grappling with her grief, Jade seeks solace in lovers and friends during an array of hilarious and heartbreaking adventures. As she investigates some of life’s most frustrating paradoxes, she holds tight to old friends and her ex-girlfriend, lifelines between past and present. On the journey to turning twenty-five, she finally sees that she belongs to herself, and goes about the business of reclaiming that self. 

Through a series of whirlwind love affairs, parties, and trips abroad, Jade stumbles toward relinquishing the weight of her trauma as she fully comes into her own as a young Black woman and writer. 

Thoughts on Jade is a Twisted Green 

“We were no longer in a relationship with each other – I was in a relationship with my grief. A relationship so complicated and large there was no room for her. No room for long talks on the phone. No room for movie dates or holding hands. No room for nose kisses and scalp massages. I was having an affair with my grief.” 

Tanya Turton, Jade is a Twisted Green

I related to this book so much because of losing my best friend five years ago. Grief is a difficult thing to handle sometimes, and it can change who you are as a person. I experienced that, and so I really felt for and understood what Jade was experiencing. I loved how relatable this book felt to me. 

My biggest complaints were the grammatical errors, and lack of clearly defined chapters. It made it difficult to really know when the author was going from the past to the present, and it slowed me down from reading it at a normal pace. Given this was Tanya Turton’s debut novel, I’m not entirely sure if she hired an editor or not, but the novel desperately needed an editor’s touch to really bring it to life through chapters and better grammar. 

I also thought there were too many characters to really keep track of, and they needed to be better developed. The direction in this novel was hard to define, it seemed to go back and forth quite a bit, without any real direction or timeline. The story would have benefitted from a much more concise direction. 

If Tanya Turton had focused a lot more on Jade and her character development, this story would be great. It would have been a lot easier to get into and enjoy from the very beginning. 

This is still a book I would recommend though, as it is absolutely worth the read. The issues I talked about simply slowed me down as I wanted to make sure I was reading it all correctly and following along. 

Final Thoughts on Jade is a Twisted Green 

Jade is a Twisted Green is a good book. Some of the issues I talked about above prevented it from being a great book, and that saddens me. I still think it is worth taking the time to read, but it needs a bit of help. 

Given that this is Tanya Turton’s debut novel, I see a lot of promise in her writing. I’m very excited to see her grow and continue learning as an author, and read her future writing. Writing great novels takes practice and lots of editing, but there really is great potential with this author. I definitely look forward to seeing her publish more books and I will continue reading them, because I want to watch her grow into the author she is meant to be. 

Discussion 

Have you read Jade is a Twisted Green from author Tanya Turton? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

About the Author 

Tanya Turton is a storyteller, educator, and mental health advocate. She fell in love with storytelling when she began to feel displaced in her own world and found creative writing. Jade is a Twisted Green is her debut novel. Hailing from Jamaica, Tanya was raised and lived in Toronto. 

“This book is dedicated to Black women and femmes who have felt twisted in their becoming but continue on the path. To my sister Deanna – your time here impacted me forever. Thank you for planting the seeds of self-love before I knew what they were.” 

Purchasing Jade is a Twisted Green 

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Jade is a Twisted Green, click here.

Click here for the Kindle version.

Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

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