Description

A Most Anticipated Book for 2026 according to the New York Times, New Statesman, NPR, Guardian, Independent, Financial Times, Daily Express, Mirror, Scotsman, Vulture, TIME and USA Today

‘Smart and funny and deftly profound. This is Tayari Jones’s very best work.’ Ann Patchett, author of Tom Lake

A yearning for their missing mothers pulls Vernice and Annie apart. It will take a devastating tragedy to bring them back together, in the spellbinding new novel from award-winning author, Tayari Jones

Vernice and Annie are ‘cradle friends’, born days apart in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, both destined never to know their mothers. The girls are inseparable, bound by a friendship far deeper than sisterhood. But this is the American south in the 1950s. Black girls like Vernice and Annie have to fight for every opportunity they can, and neither one can build the future they hope for in Honeysuckle.

Gradually, inevitably, the girls drift apart. Vernice pursues her education; Annie is lured by the promise of a heady first love affair and a growing obsession with finding her mother. But her search pulls her even further into a world of danger that soon leaves her oldest friend battling to save her.

Tayari Jones returns with an exuberant, richly told story about mothers, daughters, and a lifelong friendship that is as dangerous as it is unbreakable.

Publisher Review

‘Kin is the kind of all-encompassing reading experience I’m always hoping to find: smart and funny and deftly profound. This is Tayari Jones’s very best work.’ Ann Patchett, author of Tom Lake ‘A riveting and deeply moving portrait of indelible female friendship, found family and finding your way… This gorgeous novel already feels like a future classic.’ Roisin O’Donnell, author of Nesting ‘A triumphant return of one of the most important literary voices today. Vibrant, funny, moving and powerful, Kin is an unforgettable read.’ Nguyen Phan Que Mai, best-selling author of The Mountains Sing ‘Jones delivers a triumphant novel of two motherless girls from rural Honeysuckle, Louisiana, who follow very different paths into adulthood… Throughout, Jones tells her protagonists’ stories with grace, humor, and pathos. Kin is a tour de force.’ Publishers Weekly (starred review) ‘Beautifully written and powerfully compelling… Intimate, conversational, and musical all at once.’ Kirkus (starred review) ‘It’s among Tayari’s many gifts that she can touch us soul to soul with her words.’ Oprah Winfrey ‘Jones’s prose is chock-full of lyricism, grace and wisdom.’ Observer ‘Jones deftly conveys the nuances of Southern Black culture in this novel full of depth, pain, and beauty… A tender love song to Southern Black families, communities, and female friendships.’ Booklist (starred review) ‘Without fail, Jones delivers a brilliant turn of phrase, at turns witty and insightful… Ambitious and accessible, emotionally challenging without pushing readers away. This is a moving story best shared between friends.’ Shelf Awareness