Brown Girl in the Ring - Nalo Hopkinson

Imagine a run down Toronto 'ruled' by the equivalent of a mob boss living in the C.N. Tower. Imagine a young mother trying to distance herself from the buff (drug) using father of her child. Now imagine a grandmother who's deep into voodoo. And you'll have some idea of what to expect in this 2008 Canada Reads pick.

Don't let the dialect of the main characters stop you from enjoying the book. You quickly get used to the not quite english they use. And pay close attention, because the passages you think only serve to show character development or scenic description will come back later as having significantly more meaning the further you read. This book is fun, surprising and thought provoking.