Wild Ground

Jennifer and her mother, Chrissy, live a precarious existence but find some stability when Barry, an older man who runs a pub in Yorkshire, falls for Chrissy, and mother and daughter move in with him. Jamaican-born Mary, who works for Barry, cares for her grandson Danny, whose mother has died and whose father works “away.” Jennifer and Danny become fast friends and later fall in love. Danny faces all the difficulties that racism and bigotry present, but Jennifer is always there for him. Though they dreamed of exceptional lives, Danny eventually comes to work in a factory, while Jennifer sells drugs. She becomes addicted, and as their lives spiral downward, the couple eventually separate. Years later, Jennifer is finally on an even keel, only to have her life upended when a visitor from her past reappears. Natalie Gavin offers a nuanced narration of Usher’s debut, a powerful portrait of a world where parents and children fight for something better but rarely escape. Gavin’s skillful accentwork and character voices enhance the story, communicating the weight of living in impoverished and unstable circumstances.