August 26, 2016
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution profiles Belle Boggs.
August 23, 2016
The Undefeated profiles Nicole Dennis-Benn: “Dennis-Benn’s brilliant debut is reminiscent of the work of Toni Morrison. . . . [Here Comes the Sun is] one of the most exciting, well-regarded books in a summer of towering releases.”
August 22, 2016
The Art of Waiting is included in Buzzfeed‘s list “21 Incredible New Books You Need to Read This Fall.”
August 17, 2016
Refinery29 includes Here Comes the Sun in its list “The Best Books of 2016 So Far.”
August 16, 2016
Flavorwire kicks off its new “The Sweetest Debut” author profile series with Nicole Dennis-Benn.
August 15, 2016
Michael Taeckens signs on to represent Sunil Yapa, author of the highly praised and widely reviewed debut novel Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist, for strategic paperback publicity. The paperback edition of Yapa’s “fantastic . . . enthralling” (Ron Charles, Washington Post) novel, the very first title in Lee Boudreaux’s eponymous imprint at Little, Brown, publishes October 18.
August 12, 2016
The New York Times designates Here Comes the Sun an “Editor’s Choice” selection and calls Nicole Dennis-Benn “a debut author to watch.”
August 10, 2016
Elle publishes Nicole Dennis-Benn’s essay, “Resistance, Desire, and History: The Story of My Dreadlocks.”
Host Kerri Miller interviews Nicole Dennis-Benn on Minnesota Public Radio.
August 7, 2016
Here Comes the Sun is reviewed in the New York Times Book Review: “Dennis-Benn’s protagonist is refreshingly brave, clever and ambitious. . . . Here Comes the Sun sheds much-needed light on the island’s disenfranchised. . . . Readers of this important debut will no doubt see Jamaica in a new and different light.”
Nina Revoyr interviews Nicole Dennis-Benn for The Los Angeles Review of Books.
August 3, 2016
Shelf Awareness and Barnes & Noble Review interview Nicole Dennis-Benn: “It is impossible to read Dennis-Benn’s debut novel and not be changed. . . . Here Comes the Sun is beautiful and unsparing. . . . It is a meditation on the possibility of hope and intimacy in the face of great adversity. It is also a rare opportunity to see marginalized voices at the center of a story, and Dennis-Benn takes care to give each character their full and nuanced humanity.”—Barnes & Noble Review
August 2016
Here Comes the Sun is featured in the August issues of O, the Oprah Magazine and Vanity Fair.
July 30, 2016
Nicole Dennis-Benn‘s personal essay “A Woman-Child in Jamaica” appears in the Sunday New York Times.
July 29, 2016
Nicole Dennis-Benn is interviewed on BBC’s The Cultural Frontline.
July 28, 2016
The San Francisco Chronicle reviews Here Comes the Sun.
July 26, 2016
Nicole Dennis-Benn is interviewed on The Lit Up Show.
July 22, 2016
Here Comes the Sun appears at the intersection of “Highbrow” and “Brilliant” in New York magazine’s Approval Matrix.
Nicole Dennis-Benn is interviewed on American Public Media’s Dinner Party Download.
Here Comes the Sun is reviewed in the Boston Globe: “Nicole Dennis-Benn’s scorching debut is both desperately sad and impossible to forget. . . . [Her] writing is as lush as the island itself. . . . [She] knows how to make the women so complex that we believe every hairpin turn of her plot.”
July 20, 2016
Nicole Dennis-Benn graces the cover of Kirkus Reviews. In her feature interview with Nicole, Megan Labrise describes Here Comes the Sun as “one of this summer’s most stunning and substantial literary debuts.”
July 19, 2016
The Guardian and Refinery29 review Here Comes the Sun:
“Dazzling. . . . While desire, value and exploitation are themes that run throughout the book, Here Comes The Sun ultimately becomes a meditation on the perversion of love, and the unscrupulous means to attain it.”—The Guardian
“There is a richness to the way the author writes about Jamaican culture and identity, along with the New World colonialism that has cropped up along the nation’s shores. . . . Here Comes the Sun is also a story about resilience and identity, the will to persevere in the face of extreme adversity. . . . This book treads into brave territory. The struggle is not a beautiful one. But it is deeply powerful.”—Refinery29
July 18, 2016
Molly McArdle at Brooklyn Magazine includes Here Comes the Sun in her feature “100 Books to Read for the Rest of 2016”: “This much buzzed-about (and deservedly so) debut explores a drought-plagued Jamaica town and the opulent resort next door, sex work and sexuality, work and family and sacrifice. Clear-eyed and compassionate.”
July 17, 2016
The New York Times Travel section interviews Nicole Dennis-Benn about “the real Jamaica.”
July 15, 2016
The Dallas Morning News, Entertainment Weekly, Minneapolis Star Tribune, and Newsday review Here Comes the Sun:
“Gripping. . . . Reading Here Comes the Sun is like listening to a bravura musical composition of varying themes and time signatures. . . . Dennis-Benn announces her literary presence with a novel that conjures something transcendent from the darker corners of human nature.”—Dallas Morning News
“Harshly beautiful . . . . In saturated paragraphs and rich patois, Here Comes the Sun lays out the stark realities of an island whose entire economy relies on natural beauty, cheap labor, and limited resources—and explores what it means to live in a place where, as one character says, “nobody love a black girl. Not even harself. Grade: A-.”—Entertainment Weekly
“If anyone is poised to claim [Michelle] Cliff’s place in the canon of Caribbean literature, it’s Nicole Dennis-Benn. . . . Here Comes the Sun is a crucial book that commands attention. May this brave storytelling shine a brighter path for those who follow.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune
“A riveting story. . . . Read it to catch a new talent in the ascendancy.”—Newsday
July 13, 2016
Real Simple includes Here Comes the Sun in its feature “Best New Books to Read This Month”: “Nicole Dennis-Benn deftly examines the sacrifices that come with breaking the cycles of history while tackling hard-hitting themes of race, class, and sexuality in post-colonial Jamaica in this stunning debut.”
The Millions includes Belle Boggs’s The Art of Waiting in its list “Most Anticipated, Too: The Great Second-Half 2016 Nonfiction Book Preview.”
July 12, 2016
Here Comes the Sun is long-listed for the “2016 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.”
Electric Literature publishes Nicole Dennis-Benn‘s essay, “Innocence Is a Privilege”
Nicole Dennis-Benn is featured in Kristen Radtke’s article for Electric Literature, “5 Emerging Women Authors Intimately Explore Place”: “Rivaling Walker’s Celie and Tolstoy’s Anna, Nicole Dennis-Benn has created in her debut novel an exquisitely-realized cast of heroines. . . . Here Comes the Sun is rooted deeply in the sacrifices these women make — or can’t make — for each other.”
Here Comes the Sun is included in Bethanne Patrick’s article for Lit Hub, “Five Beach Reads For July, Wherever You Are.”
July 12, 2016
The Wall Street Journal‘s Speakeasy podcast interviews Nicole Dennis-Benn.
July 11, 2016
Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter features an excerpt from Here Comes the Sun.
July 6, 2016
Michael Schaub reviews Here Comes the Sun for NPR: “There’s no character in Dennis-Benn’s novel that’s anything less than complex, multifaceted, and breathtakingly real. That’s part of what makes Here Comes the Sun one of the most stunningly beautiful novels in recent years. . . . Dennis-Benn’s writing is so assured, so gorgeous, that it’s hard to believe Here Comes the Sun is a debut novel. There are no wasted words; every sentence is constructed with care and a clear eye. She writes with a calm, steady voice even in scenes where things go horribly wrong for her characters. . . . A joy to read. . . . Here Comes the Sun is tough, beautiful and necessary, and it feels like a miracle.”
Lit Hub publishes Nicole Dennis-Benn‘s conversation with Chinelo Okparanta, author of Under the Udala Trees.
The Millions includes Here Comes the Sun in its list “Most Anticipated: The Great Second-Half 2016 Book Preview.”
July 6, 2016
XOJane includes Here Comes the Sun in their roundup of “anti-beach” reads for the summer: “Here Comes the Sun delves not just into race and class, but also into queerness as it explores multiple generations of Jamaican women, their struggles, and cataclysmic events. Dennis-Benn’s language is highly evocative, with luscious descriptions of sensations and settings.”
July 5, 2016
WHYY Radio Times interviews Nicole Dennis-Benn.
July 4, 2016
NPR All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro interviews Nicole Dennis-Benn.
July 2016
Here Comes the Sun is featured in the July issues of Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire magazines. Marie Claire book critic Steph Opitz enthuses, “Remember this title: It’ll likely be the buzzword in all upcoming literary awards competitions.”
June 30, 2016
The Miami Herald reviews Here Comes the Sun: “[A] striking first novel. . . . A haunting portrait. . . . Dennis-Benn fleshes out these characters confidently, shaping them as complicated and often contradictory. They are fascinating, maddening, brave, unforgettable. . . . With eloquent prose and unsentimental clarity, Dennis-Benn offers an excellent reason to look beyond the surface beauty of paradise.”
Elle includes Here Comes the Sun in its list “11 of the Best Books to Read in July.”
June 29, 2016
Jennifer Senior reviews Here Comes the Sun for the daily New York Times: “Much of the dialogue in Here Comes the Sun is written in this patois. It’s one of the book’s incidental pleasures, its own melodious tune. . . . Margot is one of the reasons to read this book. She is a startling, deeply memorable character. All of Ms. Dennis-Benn’s women are. The author has a gift for creating chiaroscuro portraits, capturing both light and dark. . . . Here Comes the Sun is deceptively well-constructed, with slow and painful reveals right through the end.”
June 28, 2016
Isaac Fitzgerald recommends Here Comes the Sun during a Summer Reading segment on the Today show.
June 27, 2016
Publishers Weekly includes Here Comes the Sun in “PW Picks: Books of the Week”: “This is a striking portrayal of a vibrant community where everyone is related and every action reverberates.”
June 26, 2016
Jane Ciabattari includes Here Comes the Sun in her BBC article, “Ten New Beach Reads to Devour”: “Dennis-Benn writes movingly about the ways in which social distinctions and stigmas limit individual freedom, and the tradeoffs that keep fragile hopes alive.”
June 21, 2016
The Chicago Tribune interviews Nicole Dennis-Benn.
June 16, 2016
Slate publishes Belle Boggs‘s essay, “Scary and Absurd.”
June 14, 2016
Lit Hub publishes Belle Boggs‘s essay, “Writer, Mother, Both, Neither.”
June 10, 2016
Publishers Weekly includes Nicole Dennis-Benn as one of ten authors in their feature story, “Writers to Watch Summer-Fall 2016.”
June 2016
OUT Magazine interviews Nicole Dennis-Benn and Marlon James: “Nicole Dennis-Benn and Marlon James are critically acclaimed queer Jamaican writers whose lauded fiction summons the images, smells, vernacular, and tastes of the island country. Jamaica is their home, but they are not ashamed of highlighting its complexities as well as its beauty.”
May 27, 2016
Here Comes the Sun is featured in the daily New York Times‘ summer books feature, “12 New Books We’re Reading This Summer.” Daily book critic Jennifer Senior, who selected Nicole Dennis-Benn‘s debut, writes “All evidence suggests that this debut deserves its ballyhoo.” Tied to the aforementioned, John Williams interviews Nicole for the New York Times: “Forbidden Love, and a View of Jamaica Beyond the Beaches.”
The Miami Herald includes Here Comes the Sun in its Summer Reading preview.
May 4, 2016
Kirkus Reviews includes The Art of Waiting in its feature, “The 10 Galleys You Should Grab at BEA.”
May 25, 2016
Hello Giggles includes Here Comes the Sun in its list, “25 New Books You Need to Read This Summer”: “An essential read for anyone who has ever found themselves mulling over questions of the relationship between tourism and poverty.”
May 20, 2016
Bustle includes Here Comes the Sun in its list, “31 New Adult Fiction Books That Are Bringing the Heat This Summer”: “Nicole Dennis-Benn has delivered a really special read with this one.”
Buzzfeed includes Here Comes the Sun in its list, “18 Incredible New Books You Need to Read This Summer”: “A compelling exploration of exploitation, sacrifice, tourism, poverty, and the drive for freedom, Here Comes the Sun will transport your mind—and heart.”
May 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews gives Here Comes the Sun a starred review: “Here are visceral, profound writing and invigorating characters. Here, too, is the deep and specific sensation of experience…Haunting and superbly crafted, this is a magical book from a writer of immense talent and intelligence.”
April 18, 2016
Marie Claire includes Here Comes the Sun in its list, “19 Summer Books for Every Kind of Warm Weather Reader”
April 15, 2016
Elle includes Here Comes the Sun in its article, “19 Summer Books That Everyone Will be Talking About”: “Written in Jamaican patois, this buzzy novel dives under the shimmering surface of paradise to expose its dark secrets.”
April 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews gives The Art of Waiting a starred review: “Deeply empathetic . . . Boggs writes with considerable heart and engagement about the decisions that are so tough for so many. . . . In her reporting, researching, and sharing, Boggs has performed a public service for those in a similar position—and for anyone interested in the implications of parenthood or in a story well-told and deeply felt.”
March 21, 2016
Brooklyn Magazine includes Here Comes the Sun in its article, “24 Books to Read This Spring”: “Set in Jamaica, Dennis-Benn’s debut novel reveals the many complications which lurk in the shadows of what many outsiders view as little more than a sunny paradise. Her prose is lyrical and vibrant, but Dennis-Benn has a deeper purpose, and she takes the reader on a trip that is impossible to forget.”
March 3, 2016
Elle publishes Nicole Dennis-Benn‘s essay, “Growing Up with Miss Jamaica.”
February 3, 2016
Hope Wabuke includes Here Comes the Sun in her article for The Root, “Books By Black Authors to Look Forward to in 2016”: “A tale of unforgettable Jamaican women fighting for selfhood and independence.”
The Week includes Here Comes the Sun in its list “28 Books to Read in 2016.”
December 8, 2015
Electric Literature publishes Nicole Dennis-Benn‘s essay, “Shifting Selves.”
