07/22/2022
DEBUT Set before the #MeToo movement, this debut novel explores how young women of color navigate issues of sexual abuse and dating violence within their community. As teenagers in the mid-1990s, Brisma and her childhood friend Kelly are inseparable. They live in Woodside, Queens, a neighborhood with a rich and diverse array of cultures that's also dominated by Mets fandom. During high school, several incidents set the stage for ongoing challenges to their friendship as well as their own understanding of unhealthy, even unsafe, relationships with men. In particular, their experiences with talented baseball player Brian and serious accusations about his dating history drive a significant wedge between the two friends. The story is told in a nonlinear fashion, which does not necessarily add value to the storytelling; recognizing timeline changes can be difficult. The novel's pacing is also too slow, especially in the first half. Nevertheless, Torres excels at describing Brisma's complicated and emotional path toward a believable, albeit painful acceptance of the truth about both Brian and Kelly. VERDICT Despite its issues, this novel will resonate for those who've read books like Jacqueline Woodson's Another Brooklyn and is recommended for Torres's attention to the complex intersectional issues surrounding allegations of sexual violence within communities of color and the promise of solidarity among women.—Faye A. Chadwell
"This debut is a gorgeous coming-of-age story, set through the years of Kelly and Brisma's lives and encapsulating the changing nature of time." — Buzzfeed
“Torres debuts with an incisive and keenly observed story of girls and women navigating life in Woodside, N.Y… Even more impressive is the vibrant portrait of Queens, where gender, skin color, and ethnicity are prime factors in shaping the characters’ social positions. Torres hits every note perfectly.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Kandic Torres’ way with her characters is superb...The Girls in Queens is a moving debut from a writer to watch." — BookPage
“Beautiful and compelling and timely.” — Sahar Delijani, author of Children of the Jacaranda Tree
“THE GIRLS IN QUEENS is a tender, moving, and masterful novel. Set in Woodside, Queens during a rare winning streak for the Mets, THE GIRLS IN QUEENS has no easy answers, but as I followed Brisma’s journey and her strained relationship with a community that wants to turn a blind eye to the wrongdoings of one of their own, I found myself recognizing the faulty logic we’re forced to use to defend the people we know and love, in a system that usually fails to satisfy the needs of anyone — victim and perpetrator alike.” — Stephanie Jimenez, author of They Could Have Named Her Anything
"Christine Kandic Torres calls her debut novel, The Girls in Queens, 'the Nuyorican My Brilliant Friend,' and it delivers on that comparison." — Shondaland
"An intoxicating debut that explores race, coming-of-age, sexual assault, and more as readers follow two Latinx women growing up in Queens, New York." — Apartment Therapy
"This novel will resonate for those who’ve read books like Jacqueline Woodson’s Another Brooklyn and is recommended for Torres’s attention to the complex intersectional issues surrounding allegations of sexual violence within communities of color and the promise of solidarity among women." — Library Journal