I really struggled with what to rate this book because I think the author is not Black. She lived in Trinadad, but did she live in a Black community like the one portrayed? I highly value Own Voices authors because I can rely on the authenticity of the environment, and family and community interaction. The story was very good, but I have to think about how authentic the portrayal is if she didn't experience it herself. I usually turn away from diverse books where the author is being vague about their cultural upbringing and ethnicity because it's usually on purpose. The ending was also very confusing.

I got about 1/3 through this book and then abandoned it. Though it is well written, it is not my kind of book. It is set in Trinidad and the main characters speak in their local English dialect. The book has wonderful descriptions of the island, but I found the story itself slow-moving. The story is based on the father of twins. One twin is a genius whereas the other is slow (cord round neck at birth). The story starts with the disappearance of the "retarded" (17 year old) twin and then moves back in time, starting with the birth. I'm sure this book will appeal to other readers, it is just not my cup of tea.

I finished this book last week and am still processing all my feelings! I loved it- really, really loved it- but it ripped my heart out. I was devastated by the events that took place, and the choices that were made.
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I’m struggling to come to terms with Clyde’s position and his thought process in making the decision he made. I can’t imagine what it must feel like to pin so much hope on a better life for your child that you are willing to sacrifice literally anything to achieve that.
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And also, what Peter must feel like to have the burden of all those hopes and dreams placed heavy on his shoulders, and his alone.
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Claire Adam did such a fantastic job of painting a detailed portrait of this family, and making me feel empathy for a father who did an unimaginable thing with the best of intentions. She somehow made it possible to still see what a good, decent man and loving, selfless father he was, even though it was hard to agree with his choice.
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This was another beautiful, emotional read from SJPforHogarth. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 big, bright stars.

A beautiful and unsettling tale alive with culture!

Claire Adam’s debut is a story that will transport you to 1980s Trinidad with its descriptive writing. I found the tropical setting of Trinidad to be unique and fascinating. The juxtaposition of the beauty and corruption was simultaneously disconcerting and alluring. A Book that I believe will stay with me for a long time, a book that asks many questions and begs to be discussed. I was so grateful that I had both my mom and my good friend Jennifer to talk about this book with after I finished. There are some heartbreaking decisions made in this book, but I believe the difference in culture and time had something to do with some tough choices. I strongly encourage you to fine one of your best reading buddies and read this mesmerizing book!

1980s Trinidad a family of modest means just trying to survive. Clyde the father works long hours at a petroleum company doing his absolute best to support his family. Joy the mother stays home and takes care of her family, twin boys Peter and Paul. Peter is the golden child not just smart but a genius. Paul was born with the cord around his neck depriving him of oxygen and ultimately leading to a learning disability. Joy did what she could to make sure the boys were treated equally, something that Clyde struggled with. Cultural differences and an ill-equipped school system lead to Paul being treated poorly, something that was hard to read. The family is ultimately face with a heart wrenching decision with no good answers. The other people surrounding the family as well as Trinidad itself really lend a lot of conflict to this story. The extended family does not always have the best of intentions and they are connected to some pretty shady people. The corruption and crime of Trinidad also is a huge factor in this story.

I was completely swept away by this compelling story. The characters were so well drawn and colorful. The storyline was very thought-provoking and evoked many emotions. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I spend with this family on this island, even though at times it was extremely uncomfortable and distressful. A powerful story I won’t soon forget, I absolutely recommend!

🎧🎧🎧 this was one stunning audiobook that absolutely further immersed me in the story! Obi Abili brought so much island flavor to the narration with his melodic island accent. Seriously I could listen to him talk all day long!

🎵🎵🎵 Song Running Through My Head

One love, one heart
Let's get together and feel all right
As it was in the beginning
So shall it be in the end
Let's get together and feel all right
Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (one love)
There is one question I'd really like to ask (one heart)
Is there a place for the hopeless sinner
Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?
Believe me
One love, one heart
Let's get together and feel all right
As it was in the beginning
So shall it be in the end
One love, one heart
Let's get together and feel all right
Let's get…

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vdB-8eLEW8g

*** A huge thank you too SJP for Hogarth for my copy of this book ***

Golden Child is set in rural Trinidad. It's a story about a family struggling to make ends meet in a tumultuous country. Clyde and Joy have twin boys who could not be more different. Peter is a brilliant genius, while Paul struggles academically and doesn't fit in with other kids. When Paul goes missing, the family is forced to make difficult, unthinkable decisions that will change their lives forever.

Reading this book was like taking a long journey on a meandering path. You know the path is going to take you to your final destination, but it circles around and around until you finally get there. And there were many moments in the book when I just wanted to get there already and find out what happened. The prose was wordy and descriptive. The sentences were lengthy. The timeline jumps around all over the place. And it took me a very long time to finish the book. It's definitely a slow burn kind of book, and for me, it didn't really capture my attention until the end. And then it was over! While I did find the main conflict in the story intriguing and ultimately devastating, the overly descriptive tone and meandering storyline just didn't quite work for me. I would give this 2.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! That was heartbreaking! This is a difficult book to describe without giving away some crucial plot elements so I will keep it brief. Golden Child centers on a Hindu family living in Trinidad. Clyde and Joy and their 13-year-old twin boys Peter and Paul are doing their best to get by as a family. Peter is the golden child - bright, kind and a brilliant future ahead of him. Paul is thought to be mildly retarded by his family and to have limited if any future prospects. The story is about parents’ love for their children and the ramifications of favoring one child over another. Would you sacrifice one child’s future over another? I tell ya, this is a question I hope to NEVER answer!

Although I enjoyed this story, I also had mixed feelings about it. The plot was SLOW to start off with. It took over half of the book before it picked up and at that point was gripping. I know that authors will often use descriptions in the native tongue of its characters, however, there were many instances that I didn’t understand what was being said because the word was unknown to me and there was no explanation given. This became slightly annoying over time. I also didn’t care for the characters’ dialect. It didn’t read very well and distracted from the story.

This was an emotional book, which emotional readers like myself will appreciate. There are some despicable characters and there are some beautiful characters. They will all make you feel something! This is a good book, not great, but worth the read if you enjoy literary fiction and you have patience. Thank you to Crown Publishing for an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

The premise isn’t a new one. Two siblings, in this case, twin boys, Paul and Peter where one twin, Peter, is the family’s golden child, the brilliant one with a bright future. The family’s hopes and dreams for the future is pinned on him. But Paul is different and difficult, and branded “retarded” (although he is not) from oxygen deprivation during a difficult birth. It’s 1980’s Trinidad and lawlessness prevails. The family is of modest means and every day is a struggle to survive. Dangers lurk everywhere.

One of the strengths of the story is the strong sense of time and place. I admit I knew little of Trinidad until I read this book. The hopelessness and struggles of the family are beautifully conveyed. Every culture and family has certain belief systems, and while they may be difficult for us to understand I felt empathy for this family.

This a difficult book to talk about without spoilers but there is a pivotal moment in the book that is difficult to fathom and which broke my heart. The painful choices of a family living in poverty and under constant threat is easy to judge if we have not walked in their shoes. It’s not a book that is enjoyed in the traditional sense but it is one that grew on me and one I pondered after finishing.

• Many thanks to the publisher for a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read published by SJP for Hogarth and it was just as good as the first. I thought the writing was beautiful and descriptive. I felt like it gave me a great sense of place. The preferential treatment of one twin of the other was quite heartbreaking and at times frustrating. This was a fabulous debut novel from Claire Adam.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the free digital copy.

How is it possible that this is Claire Adam's first novel?

Golden Child is a meticulously constructed, spare story with such a particular setting but such universal human themes. Trinidad comes to life in the detailed descriptions of the outdoors, the homes, the dogs, the sounds, and most particularly in the dialect which Adam uses liberally throughout. I could feel the thick humidity in the sweat running down my back, and hear the insects in the night and the particular barks of each dog.

The story of Peter and Paul is unique in its particulars, and may it never happen to anyone reading this! But the themes are universal: sibling devotion alongside comparisons and competition, parental dilemmas in seeing each child and giving him what he needs. extended family conflicts, trusting others vs. protecting one's own in a dangerous place.

This beautiful, sad novel will appeal to those who love to "travel" in their reading, to lovers of other cultures and dialects, to those who love the economy of short stories.

With big thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I like lists. I especially like book lists. And this book? This book was the one book on all the lists. Naturally, that meant I’d either love it or hate it, because Murphy’s law says so. Surprisingly, I loved the book despite hating at least one of the characters and being grossly disappointed by two others at the end. And I hate to spoil things for you, but this book doesn’t have a happy ending. Though it starts out slow, it is an emotional roller coaster, full of family disappointment and betrayals of the worst kind.

Set in Trinidad, the story begins from the father’s perspective. From the beginning, I disliked him, to the point that I heavily considered setting the book aside. My opinion of him worsened over time. Fortunately, other perspectives are offered throughout, enriching the story, revealing the natures of the characters involved in the tragedy that takes place later in the book. As the story progressed, my connection to the boys deepened, but especially Paul, whose apparent disability, though never labeled as autism, reminded me so much of my son. To avoid spoilers, I cannot elaborate too much, but all I can say is, as a parent, and in particular, a parent of multiples (the boys in this book are twins) where one in the mix has unique challenges, this book had me sitting on the razor-sharp edge of rage and despair most of the time. The family of these boys, immediate and extended…I just can’t. And the ending. Oh my gods. Ripped my heart out and shredded it to nothing. As a parent, I just can’t imagine making the choices this family makes. Not a one of them.

Long story short: a strange, melancholy heartbreaker that is beautifully written, devastating ending.

A painful, hard book that was simultaneously really beautiful to read. You knew what was coming early on but that didn't make it any less poignant when it happened. Really loved this.

Golden Child, the debut novel by Claire Adams and second book produced by SJP for Hogarth, is an emotionally-charged and compelling novel that I'm still processing, nearly 24 hours after finishing the last sentence. I won't delve too much into the storyline, as plenty of other reviewers have done so; rather, I offer my personal impressions.

In this compact (just under 300 pages), yet robust and meaty novel, Adams deftly explores Paul (the less academically inclined twin) and his father Clyde (with perhaps a little less development of the gifted twin, Peter, and their mother, Joy, but it does not detract from the story in any way, in my opinion). The push and pull we see in both Paul and Clyde, father and son, individually and between each other, is the silent undertow that carries the novel through each of the secondary characters and provides the strength of emotions that rise as we go on this journey with them.

As I read the last chapter from Paul's perspective, I was deeply hurt for him, knowing what his fate would be and feeling his helplessness, but at the same time his acceptance. I tried to assuage my own pain for Paul by rationalizing that he never knew his father faced such a difficult decision, he never knew there was a possibility of a different outcome. All to no avail. My heart breaks for Paul.

On a separate note: I wish we had been given more of Paul's thoughts and feelings about the label affixed to him by his family, that he was "retarded" or that there was "something wrong with him." We get a little peek at the crack in the veneer of this self-belief, no doubt ingrained by years of hearing this "truth" about him from his family, and in that short peek, it seems as though Paul, with more time in his life, could have come to believe what the priest did about him, that he was undeniably not “retarded." I wished, for Paul, that his family had known all of things he excelled at, for example, being able to read a situation/person and know precisely how to respond in order to self-preserve, and his detailed understanding of the bush and all the flora and fauna that reside therein.

Adams brings to light several important issues and will, I imagine, in book clubs and hopefully beyond, prompt some honest discourse about the impact abject poverty has on parenting and the extreme difficulties of raising children in countries/societies where corruption, violence and inherent danger are the baseline from which all families must operate and adapt. I have read other reviews that suggest that they (as parents/readers) would "never" have made the choice that Clyde (and to a lesser extent Joy) did; others who have commented that the "choice" they faced was never really a choice at all--it was an issue that could have been resolved the way a first-world parent would have handled it, by simply paying what was asked and figuring out the rest later. But in my humble opinion, these folks miss the point entirely. Adams offers us an important glimpse at the impossible circumstances many parents around the world face, parents that lack the inherent security that a wealthy, capitalistic, opportunity-rich and democratic society affords-- knowledge that their children are, for the most part, safe and protected and will be afforded opportunities if they "just work hard." These are privileged assumptions that we, as first-world citizens, have and Adams challenges us to understand what other parents in second/third world countries *must* do in order to ensure the survival of not only their children, but themselves. Adams’ call to arms is that we get uncomfortable with this ugly truth and realize that, in these countries/societies, it is not as simple as "just" paying or "just" getting the right contact to negotiate on your behalf. It is much more complex, difficult and nuanced. There are no winners, there are no good choices. Nonetheless, choices must be made and they won’t be pretty, or simple, or ever provide the resolution one would hope for.

This novel is certainly one I'll continue to reflect on well after I've moved onto other books. There's something so heartbreaking about Paul, I just wanted so much more for him than this life gave him. Similarly, I felt deeply sympathetic to the difficult path Clyde had to take to save his son. I found myself wondering what might have consoled Joy in the weeks, months, years afterwards; how she managed the resentment she must have felt for her husband for the choice he made, the choice she did not agree with, the choice that had to be made without knowledge of what Peter would later be able to achieve. I wondered how Peter managed to put everything behind him as he walked the path that had been laid for him many years ago, well before things went south with Paul. I wondered how many nights Peter laid awake in his new country and whether he ever wished his father made a different choice. I also wondered how Clyde and Joy managed to maintain their family after the irreparable betrayal of Joy's brother.

The fact that I want to know more about the aftermath of each of these characters makes clear that this novel hit its mark exactly. Bravo Ms. Adams!

One of the greatest things about reading is being transported to a completely different place, especially a place you are unlikely to ever get the chance to see in person. Though I would love to believe I will get to go everywhere that I want, I have to be realistic. So, I feel particularly lucky that I was given the chance to read Golden Child.

Some books are about the plot, some books are about the characters, whereas, for me, Golden Child was about Trinidad. Not only the geographic location, but its people. The culture was so vivid throughout this book that I felt like I was given a small glimpse of life there. In one novel, Claire Adam was able to explore the intersection of race, religion, sex, politics, and the economy in a country many of us can only imagine. The author does a wonderful job weaving a compelling, gritty story into a beautifully vibrant landscape.

I wish that the characters, beyond Paul, were explored further. I wanted to have the same emotional connection with Peter, Joy, and even Clyde, that I had with Paul. I wanted to feel and understand the impact of the book’s events from each perspective, but Golden Child leaves a lot of the emotion up to the reader’s imagination.


The beauty of this story is its observation about how small things have huge impacts, especially words. In everyday life, there are moments when we all say things that we don’t consider important. We make observations, state opinions, judge our surroundings, without ever noticing or appreciating the power inherent in our words. Sometimes, what is said is meaningless and forgotten, and our statements join a long list of forgotten moments. Sometimes, however, our words resonate. As if words, once spoken, have the ability to seep into someone’s memory and become a part of their identity, whether true or not. It’s a huge responsibility we all have that very few of us even recognize.

I hope you get the opportunity to read Golden Child. I can promise that the story will stick with you long after you close the pages.


* Special thanks to Claire Adam, SJP for Hogarth, and TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of Golden Child in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this. I teach international literature. The initial characterization and conflict held my attention. I felt like the end was unrealized. The resolution was not satisfying and none of the characters were satisfactorily developed. I do not mind dark, and I expected it. But it just didn’t accomplish anything that I could help young readers derive meaning from.

Golden Child is a great novel about a family in Trinidad, a place I had never read about. It's not very plot focused, but the story is beautiful. It is a story of twin brothers Peter and Paul - the "golden child" and the "slow" child, respectively. Paul goes missing and the story unfolds from there. It is a brilliant debut novel.

Claire Adam, author of “Golden Child”, has written a suspenseful and emotional story which takes place in Trinidad.. The novel focuses on a very poor family who struggles to get by living in the rural bush area of the island. They have twin sons, Peter who is very smart and Paul who is considered retarded from problems which occurred at birth. Clyde finally accepts help from Joy's uncle who is well-off because he understands that Peter needs private education and the opportunity to go to University. A set of events is triggered by Joy's jealous brother and Clyde finds himself having to make choices that no father should have to face. .

The novel starts with the crisis of Paul's disappearance and then goes back in time to their birth and then forward again to what happens after Paul's disappearance. This approach hooked me as the reader right away and made the novel very suspenseful. The story deals with tough issues including family betrayal, unimaginable crime and corruption, lack of understanding of learning disabilities, and the overall unfairness of life. While these issues made the book challenging to read, I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to others.. I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review..

Golden Child is a fictional story of a family living in Trinidad. Admittedly, I dug into the pages of this book and quickly had to take a break to check a map and figure out where exactly is Trinidad?! The island itself is a character in the telling so it was important to have an idea of its locale. This isn't a very plot driven book so it's a little slow going but, yet, there is a sense of impending doom that looms large. It is the story of twin brothers, Peter and Paul. Peter is the brilliant "golden child" while Paul is the one that is considered "slow" because he was deprived of oxygen at birth. The story opens with their father, Clyde, searching for Paul after he has gone missing and then flows back and forth in time via multiple character point of views. Ultimately, the story bares a slight resemblance to Sophie's Choice, as a parent is pressed to make a very difficult decision regarding his two children.
This is a debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Claire Adam in the future.
It is also the second book from Sarah Jessica Parker's imprint: SJP for Hogarth

#GoldenChild #NetGalley

Review appears on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2707445132

Book also got a mention on Episode 69 of podcast: https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2019/episode-69-

Book will get a full discussion on Episode 70 of podcast which will air on 2/19/19.

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker's first book from her SJP Hogarth imprint at Penguin Random House is the brilliant debut novel by Fatima Farheen Mirza, A Place For Us. The second book from her imprint is also a debut novel, Golden Child, by Claire Adam, and it is another fantastic novel.



Set in Trinidad, we meet Clyde Deyalsingh, a hardworking man, and his wife Joy. They have twin thirteen year-old boys, Peter and Paul, and live in a modest home that they own in a rural area. The boys travel a long way daily to their Catholic school.



Peter is a brilliant young man, and his parents are very proud of him and hope to be able to send him to a good college. When the boys were born, the cord was wrapped around Paul's neck and it has resulted in him being considered mentally challenged by many.



Joy's brother Vishnu believes that Peter could do great things and encourages Clyde to support Peter, even giving him money to do so. Father Kavanagh from the boys' school does not believe that Paul is mentally challenged and is tutoring him.



One day Paul leaves home to go for a walk and doesn't come back. Did Paul wander off and get lost, did he run away, or has something nefarious happened to him, perhaps related to the recent incident when two men came into their home and robbed and tied up Joy, Peter and Paul?



Much of the book takes place as Clyde tries to discover what has happened to his son. Clyde has always been a strong husband and father, and has worked hard to make a good life for his family. As he pieces together what has happened to Paul, he is forced to confront an unimaginable choice, one that puts him at odds with his family.



Golden Child immerses the reader in the countryside of Trinidad. We meet the neighbors and family of the Deyalsinghs. The homes all have dogs and barred windows to protect them, and in the wealthier neighborhoods, (including where Joy's brother Philip, a judge, lives) security guards on site.

The reader senses the undercurrent of danger that surrounds them, where at any moment they may be accosted by someone looking for money.



There are some wonderful food passages here as well. Joy makes a simple dinner for Clyde of "melongene choka, with plenty of onion and garlic, the way he likes it, some cucumber salad, and some warm paratha roti wrapped up in dishcloth."



Clyde eats at the work canteen, "where they have all kinds of food: dhalpuri roti and buss-up-shut, chicken wings and drumsticks, pelau, corn-soup, callaloo." You'll definitely want to look all these dishes up online.



SJP has done it again with Claire Adams' Golden Child- found a debut novel with a brilliant distinctive voice, one that takes the reader into a culture they may not be familiar with, yet deals with universal theme of what it means to be part of a family, and the joy and heartbreak that can bring. I highly recommend it.

Tragedy forces a family to truly evaluate their position in relation to each other, the world and their dreams for their twin sons. An emotional gut punch and page turning novel. Will recommend.

Ah, how to describe this book. Unsettling, disturbing, a tale on poverty, jealousy and family. NOT a happy ending. Contains child sexual assault. This book very well might make you angry, outraged, frustrated and disturbed. In a situation where things can be helped, and people want to help, they aren't. You want to scream at the characters to make better choices while you struggle to understand the ones they are making. I can understand the motivation on a very basic level, but I just can't get behind it.

If one can possibly separate themselves from the sexual assault on a minor, and bad decision making, it is interesting to learn about life on Trinidad, which I am completely ignorant about. The family is of Indian descent, but that does not seem to be an issue for them, as many others are. Ignorant as I am of Trinidad, I assume this could be normal.

This one will sit with you for a long time.