Bivouac

The death of a Jamaican man’s father raises questions about the father’s political endeavors, and about the plight of 1980s Jamaica.

“Few other novels encapsulate Jamaica’s political upheavals so well. Protagonist Ferron Morgan agonizes over his father’s death, maybe from a doctor’s mistake, maybe from a radical rival’s hands. Meanwhile, he’s running from everything, including his own emotions about his fiancée—with sad results. Bivouac is not an easy or light book, but the immediacy Dawes creates is worth it.” —Literary Hub, included in 5 Books You May Have Missed in April

“An examination of grief and politics in a deftly written novel set in 1980s Jamaica . . . Astonishing prose.” —Kirkus Reviews

When Ferron Morgan’s father dies in suspicious circumstances, his trauma…