Real Men Knit. Kwana Jackson. 2020. Berkley. 336 pages. [Source: public library.]
Real Men Knit caught my eye months before its release for a few reasons:
- The title – a statement like “real men knit” is somewhat provocative, given that knitting is seen as a feminine craft, despite is origins
- The content – one of my primary hobbies is crocheting, so anything that centers fiber arts is worth checking out
- The cover, depicting a dude in Timbs. Nuff said.
The book is a glimpse into the life of the four adoptive sons of “Mama” Joy, the matriarch of the Strong family and owner/operator of Harlem-based Strong Knits. She dies suddenly and the brothers have to decide whether to keep the small shop open. The least responsible of the brothers — perpetually underemployed playboy Jesse — is the most motivated to keep it running, and is lucky to have the help of Kerry. For her part, Kerry is a family friend who grew up with the brothers and has sought refuge in Strong Knits since she was young. Kerry’s also juggling her part-time job at the shop while hoping her career in art education jumps off at a local community center.
Jesse was a flawed character; I really struggled to find anything redeeming about him. He’s seen as the brother who can’t get himself together, hopping from job to job and lover to lover. His stance with Kerry leaves a lot to be desired. He has poor communication tendencies and a jealous streak that’s more of a red flag than it is endearing. He shows some growth in the book, but it’s clear he has a lot of maturing to do. Frankly, what isn’t mentioned but is woefully obvious is that he needs some therapy to address his abandonment issues and low self-confidence. Instead of being able to sympathize with him, I just wanted him to do better.
Kerry is meant to be a more charming character. She’s the girl next door who’s spent her youth in the background of Strong Knits. She’s akin to a kid sister, and there’s some over-protectiveness that comes through with them. Nonetheless, she has her own sob story that equates her to being a bit of an outsider who has pressure to get it right where her own mother went wrong. She’s in over her head with Jesse, but it’s interesting to see her try to play him with his own game. She generally comes across as passive, but develops some assertiveness that I wasn’t expecting.
As I started reading Real Men Knit, I drew an immediate comparison to the John Singleton film Four Brothers. The Strong men are a set of brothers who were adopted as boys by Mama Joy. Only two are blood brothers, and all are from unknown and/or mixed-ethnicity backgrounds. With various experiences in the foster care system, all are working through their own personal issues, which manifest in numerous ways. The similarities basically end there, but it was literally the first thought I had as I was starting this book.
While the basic plot is interesting enough, this was never a “can’t put it down” read for me. For most of the book, it felt less like a romance and more about the drama surrounding the family’s grief. Where the romance was concerned, it was a slow starter, with the romance starting about half-way through. The resolution felt like a rushed after-thought, so it wasn’t satisfying. Frankly, more of the book focused on the precariousness of Jesse’s relationships with his brothers – not a bad focus, it just took the focus away from whatever romance could occur.
I also found the dialog clunky and sometimes unrealistic. I had trouble suspending my disbelief that the characters were native New Yorkers. Some of the terms seemed old-fashioned and stilted given the characters and setting. It wasn’t enough to make me dislike the books or characters, but it stuck out to me.
I have mixed feelings about this book. It didn’t quite catch me, even though I was really anticipating its release. Nonetheless, I’m really interested to see where the author goes with the other brothers. They’re far more likeable and I think they have more interesting back stories. Kudos to Jackson for a book that centers fiber crafts — for yarn lovers, that alone will make this a fun read.
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