View source for Brown Girl in the Ring (novel)


{{Infobox book|<!-- See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels]] or [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Books]] -->
| name = Brown Girl in the Ring
| title_orig = 
| translator = 
| image = Brown Girl in the Ring book cover.jpg
| caption = Book cover for ''Brown Girl in the Ring''
| author = [[Nalo Hopkinson]]
| illustrator = 
| cover_artist = Linda Messier
| country = [[Canada]]
| language = [[English language|English]]
| series = 
| subject = 
| genre = [[Science fiction]], [[Horror fiction|horror]], [[urban fantasy]], [[magical realism]], [[Afro-futurism]]
| publisher = [[Warner Aspect]]
| release_date = [[1998 in literature|1998]]
| english_release_date = 
| media_type = Print ([[paperback]])
| pages = 256 pp
| isbn = 0-446-67433-8
| dewey = 813/.54 21
| congress = PR9199.3.H5927 B76 1998
| oclc = 37884766
| preceded_by = 
| followed_by = 
}}

'''''Brown Girl in the Ring''''' is a 1998 [[novel]] written by Jamaican-Canadian writer [[Nalo Hopkinson]]. The novel contains Afro-Caribbean culture with themes of [[folklore]] and [[magical realism]]. The novel received critical acclaim, winning the 1999 [[Locus Award for Best First Novel]]. It was shortlisted for numerous other awards, including the [[Otherwise Award]], [[Philip K. Dick Award]], and [[Crawford Award]].

In 2008, the actress and singer [[Jemeni (singer)|Jemeni]] defended this novel in [[Canada Reads]], an annual literary competition broadcast on the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/canada-reads-books-to-touch-on-hockey-glaciers-1.640041 |title=Canada Reads books to touch on hockey, glaciers |work=CBC News |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=2007-11-28 |access-date=2013-05-29}}</ref>

==Plot==

The takes place in a [[Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|post-apocalyptic]] version of [[Toronto]] with [[magical realism]] elements. [[Toronto]] has experienced an economic and social collapse. City officials have fled to the [[suburbs]].

The city is now ruled by [[crime boss]] Rudy Sheldon and his posse. Rudy is commissioned to find a heart for the Premier of Ontario, who needs a [[heart transplant]].

Meanwhile, Toronto citizen Ti-Jeanne lives with her grandmother Gros-Jeanne, a well-respected apothecary and spiritualist. Mi-Jeanne, mother to Ti-Jeanne and daughter of Gros-Jeanne, went missing years prior. Ti-Jeanne has given birth to a baby boy; the child's father Tony suffers from addiction and is a member of the posse.

Rudy calls upon Tony to find a donor heart. Tony, wishing to flee the posse and begin a new life, arrives on Gros-Jeanne's doorstep asking for protection. She initially rebuffs him, but Ti-Jeanne convinces her to help Tony flee the city. Gros-Jeanne calls upon [[orishas]] for protection. The orishas agree to assist, but Rudy's posse prevents Tony and Ti-Jeanne from escaping.

Rudy is revealed to be Ti-Jeanne's grandfather, Gros-Jeanne's husband. Rudy uses a spirit known as a [[duppy]] to keep himself young and kill his enemies. The duppy was originally Mi-Jeanne, his own daughter. Rudy uses the threat of the duppy to control Tony. Tony kills Gros-Jeanne and her heart is used for Premier Uttley's transplant. In the [[CN Tower]], Rudy uses the duppy spirit to fight against Ti-Jeanne. With the help of the orishas, she frees the duppy and kills Rudy.

Meanwhile, Premier Uttley's new heart [[Graft-versus-host disease|attacks her body]]. After she recovers, the premier has a literal change of heart and decides to revitalize the city of Toronto through a new series of economic policies. Ti-Jeanne forgives Tony for murdering Gros-Jeanne. The novel ends with Ti-Jeanne sitting on her steps, thinking about what she'll name her baby.

==Reception and awards==
''[[F&SF]]'' reviewer [[Charles de Lint]] declared ''Brown Girl'' "one of the best debut novels to appear in years", although he acknowledged initial difficulty with the novel's "phonetic spellings and sometimes convoluted sentences".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041227072509/http://www.sfsite.com/fsf/1998/cdl9808.htm "Books to Look For"], ''F&SF'', August 1998</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Awards and honors
|-
! Year !! Award !! Category !! Result !! Ref
|-
! 1998
| [[Otherwise Award]]{{efn|Then known as the James Tiptree Jr. Award}}
| —
| {{sho|Honor List}}
| <ref name=otherwise1998>{{cite web |url=https://otherwiseaward.org/award/1998-otherwise-award#honor-list |title=1998 Otherwise Award |publisher=The Otherwise Award |accessdate=22 Dec 2025}}</ref>
|-
! rowspan=3 | 1999
| [[Crawford Award]]
| —
| {{sho|Finalist}}
| <ref name=crawford1999>{{cite web |url=https://www.sfadb.com/William_L_Crawford_-_IAFA_Fantasy_Award_1999 |title=William L. Crawford - IAFA Fantasy Award 1999 |publisher=sfadb |accessdate=22 Dec 2025}}</ref>
|-
| [[Locus Award]]
| [[Locus Award for Best First Novel|First Novel]]
| {{won}}
| <ref name=locus1999>{{cite web |url=https://www.locusmag.com/1999/News/News07a.html |title=1999 Locus Award Winners |publisher=[[Locus (magazine)|Locus]] |date=Jul 1999 |accessdate=22 Dec 2025}}</ref>
|-
| [[Philip K. Dick Award]]
| —
| {{sho|Finalist}}
| <ref name=pkd1999>{{cite web |url=https://www.sfadb.com/Philip_K_Dick_Award_1999 |title=Philip K. Dick Award 1999 |publisher=sfadb |accessdate=22 Dec 2025}}</ref>
|-
! 2000
| [[Aurora Award]]
| [[Aurora Award for Best Novel|Long-form Work in English]]
| {{sho|Finalist}}
| <ref name=aurora2000>{{cite web |url=http://www.sfadb.com/Aurora_Awards_2000 |title=Aurora Awards 2000 |publisher=sfadb |accessdate=22 Dec 2025}}</ref>
|}

== Film adaptation ==
After fifteen years of trying to adapt the novel to film, Canadian director [[Sharon Lewis]] decided to create a [[prequel]] instead.<ref name=q>[http://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/tuesday-feb-20-2018-zadie-smith-sharon-lewis-and-more-1.4542159/brown-girl-begins-brings-a-post-apocalyptic-toronto-to-life-1.4542200 "Brown Girl Begins brings a post-apocalyptic Toronto to life"]. ''[[Q (radio show)|Q]]'', February 20, 2018.</ref>  The film, titled ''[[Brown Girl Begins]]'', was filmed in 2015/2016, and premiered in 2017<ref>[http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2017/sep/21/director-sharon-lewis-urbanworld-debut-brown-girl-/ "Director Sharon Lewis on Urbanworld debut of ‘Brown Girl Begins’"]. ''Amsterdam News'', September 21, 2017.</ref> before going into general theatrical release in 2018.<ref name=q />

==Notes==

{{notelist}}

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{ISFDB title|id=12262|title=Brown Girl in the Ring}}

===Reviews===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/19990417072003/http://www.sfsite.com/07b/brow37.htm SF Site Featured Review] by Neil Walsh (1998)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020212033116/http://sfsite.com/01b/bg120.htm SF Site Featured Review] by Donna McMahon (2002)

{{Locus Award Best First Novel}}
{{Feminist science fiction}}


[[Category:1998 debut novels]]
[[Category:1998 Canadian novels]]
[[Category:1998 science fiction novels]]
[[Category:1998 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:1990s horror novels]]
[[Category:Canadian fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Canadian horror novels]]
[[Category:Canadian magical realism novels]]
[[Category:Canadian post-apocalyptic novels]]
[[Category:Science fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Science fiction horror novels]]
[[Category:Dark fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Feminist science fiction novels]]
[[Category:Feminist fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Feminist horror novels]]
[[Category:Urban fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Afrofuturist novels]]
[[Category:Dystopian novels]]
[[Category:Novels set in Toronto]]
[[Category:Novels about poverty]]
[[Category:Canadian novels adapted into films]]
[[Category:Science fiction novels adapted into films]]
[[Category:Fantasy novels adapted into films]]
[[Category:Horror novels adapted into films]]
[[Category:Locus Award–winning works]]
[[Category:Novels by Nalo Hopkinson]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Brown Girl in the Ring (novel)|access_date=2026-02-27}}