American Street by Ibi Zoboi

When Haitian-born Fabiola arrives at her cousins’ house on the corner of American Street and Joy Road in Detroit, she dreams of starting a new life. But after her beloved mother is detained at the airport, Fabiola’s dreams begin to fade. Her aunt and three cousins (Chantal, Donna and Pri) are strange and intimidating, with their weaved hair, strong opinions and tough attitudes. School is confusing with its complicated cliques and strict teachers. Haiti seems very far away: “Nothing here is alive with color like in Haiti. The sun hides behind a concrete sky. I search the landscape for yellows, oranges, pinks or turquoises like in my beloved Port-au-Prince. But God has painted this place only gray and brown.” The one bright spot is her blossoming relationship with Kasim, a smart, funny boy she meets at a club while out with her cousins. Fabiola also takes comfort in her native religion of Vodou, and sets up an altar in her new home where she lights a candle for her mother and prays to the lwas, or spiritual guides, to protect her family and help her understand this peculiar new world. But Fabiola will need more than the guidance of Papa Legba when she is approached by the police to find evidence against Dray, her cousin Donna’s ruthless boyfriend and resident drug dealer. In return for her help, the detectives have promised to look into her mother’s deportation case. Torn between her new family and her old, Fabiola is forced to make a choice that will have devastating consequences, no matter what she decides. This fascinating novel blends gritty realistic detail with lyrical descriptions, resulting in a unique reading experience that beautifully illustrates the pain and difficulty of living between cultures. Readers looking for another story of Haitian/American culture clash should try Fresh Girl by Jaira Placide.