Cynthia and her family are relocating to the country from London after the tragic killing of her older brother. An exploration of race, class, love and the complexities of growing up as a black British teen, from bestselling author Candice Brathwaite.

Cuts Both Ways by Candice Brathwaite - Books on Google Play

At her new school, Cynthia immediately finds herself caught between two brothers—head boy Thomas, who is white, and his adopted Black brother, Isaac. With the youthful tone and flare in how this is written, you can really feel Cynthia's personality and attitude coming through. The murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 and the many other knife crime incidents since then, some of which don’t even get reported put into perspective how serious knife crime is and that awareness needs to be raised throughout communities to help bring this to an end. Cuts Both Ways tells the story of Cynthia- a 16-year-old from South London who just moved to Buckinghamshire with her parents following the tragic loss of her brother.Candice's commentary on class, race, prejudice, racism, growing up black in britain and the stigma of knife crime and gangs are done so well and have you checking your privilege at the door. Cuts Both Ways is an engaging coming of age story following the life of Cynthia as she finds herself relocated to suburbia and thrust into the elite world of private school. It also does a great job of talking about knife crime and the effects this has not only personally but culturally too but it is down subtley and really well. The knowing you really like / love someone and then finding out they aren't the person you thought they were, you've been manipulated they have omitted information, they have told you lies BIG ONES and the deceit urgh, awful awful feelings. This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use.

Cuts Both Ways by Candice Brathwaite - Daunt Books Cuts Both Ways by Candice Brathwaite - Daunt Books

Her debut book I Am Not Your Baby Mother - about being a black British mum - was published in 2020 by Quercus, and made the Sunday Times Bestseller list. London is everything to Cynthia, so when her parents move her to a place where there is only one bus an hour and the faint smell of horse manure continuously permeates the air, it’s a culture shock, to say the least.

Cuts Both Ways was a really powerful read and its ending – whilst not ambiguous – certainly allows for more of the story to be told and I really home that Candice Braithwaite turns it into a series. Candice started utilizing the internet in 2015 to tell her own motherhood story, keen to show that young black families weren't just surviving but thriving, and her straight-talking, original content really struck a chord with fans and brands alike.