The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Hokinson, Nalo. Brown Girl in the Ring. Grand Central Publishing. 1998. First Edition (Paperback). While the novel’s central character is a young Black woman named Ti-Jeanne, its narrative shifts focus several times, telling its story from a number of different perspectives that are generally centered in, and/or anchored by, an Afro-Caribbean cultural identity.

Events in the book’s Prologue set its main plot in motion. Crime lord Rudy arranges with amoral politician Baines to find a live, human donor to supply a heart for transplant into a politician. For Rudy, that arrangement is primarily beneficial in terms of money and future power; in order to achieve both, he assigns a young member of his posse, Tony, to the responsibility of finding and harvesting a suitable heart.

With the book’s second chapter, focus shifts onto its central character, new mother Ti-Jeanne, who has three struggles in her life. The first is difficulty meeting the needs of her unnamed infant son (referred to throughout the narrative as Baby), while the second is living up to her responsibilities to her traditional herbalist grandmother (referred to as Mami). The third is shaping her relationship with her boyfriend, the above-mentioned Tony, to whom she is powerfully attracted in spite of knowing he is a drug addict and a member of Rudy’s posse. Ti-Jeanne finds herself tempted by Tony’s invitation for her to join him as he flees the urban dystopia in which they live and over which Rudy has control. At the same time, she acknowledges to herself the truth of Mami’s perspective that ultimately, Tony is no good. Ti-Jeanne is also very aware, even though Tony is not, that he is Baby’s father.

As Rudy puts increasing pressure on Tony to find and deliver the heart, Mami puts increasing pressure on Ti-Jeanne to let Tony go, and Tony puts increasing pressure on Ti-Jeanne to leave with him. Eventually, a compromise agreement is reached – Mami will use her special, spiritual, herbalist abilities to help Tony escape, and that Ti-Jeanne can accompany him as far as the border between the city core (referred to throughout the text as the Burn) and the suburbs where he believes he will be safe from Rudy’s influence. The escape attempt is foiled, however, by other members of Rudy’s posse, who are in turn guided by mysterious messages from Rudy’s “duppy,” an undead spirit that does Rudy’s bidding. Ti-Jeanne manages to escape, but Tony is captured, and tortured by Rudy into returning to his task.

Meanwhile, Ti-Jeanne returns to the home she shares with Mami, only to find out that a frightening street woman (Crazy Betty) is, in fact, her mother, Mi-Jeanne, who left home after a fight with Mami. As Ti-Jeanne is working to absorb this new knowledge, Tony comes back and tries to reconcile with her. An injury to Mami leads him to discover that she is a perfect match for the potential recipient of the heart transplant, so he kills her, arranges for her heart to be harvested, and disappears. This leaves Ti-Jeanne angry, betrayed, and determined to exact vengeance on both Tony and Rudy.

Ti-Jeanne uses what she knows of Mami’s spiritual power, and draws upon what she knows of her own, to help her get into Rudy’s headquarters. In a climactic confrontation with both Rudy and his duppy, Ti-Jeanne calls on the powers of ancient gods for help. Those gods appear, bring about the deaths of both Rudy and the members of his posse, and help Ti-Jeanne release the spirit of the duppy which happens to be the spirit of Mi-Jeanne.

In the aftermath of her victory over Rudy, Ti-Jeanne leads the memorial service for Mami. At the service, she welcomes Tony and, while not able to forgive him completely, finds herself able to feel some compassion for him. As he goes into the service to pay his respects, Ti-Jeanne talks to Baby, wondering what name she is going to give him.