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newson66's review
3.0
Enjoyable enough collection of post-colonial Carribean short stories - travelling full circle from Guyana to London and back again. First book I think I've read written by a one time extra from The Bill
anoveldestination's review
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Short story collections are hard to rate and review because I enjoyed the first and last stories in this collection but disliked most of the other stories. The first story had a good atmosphere and logical plot that utilized magical realism. I'd give that story 3 stars. I also loved the writing style in the last story, its themes, and its narrator. The last story was a 4-star story for me. However, most of the stories in this were 1-star or 2-star stories for me.
Melville is very good at writing about places and creating an atmosphere in her story. The one issue I had with her writing style though was the dialogue. The use of dialect would either be over-the-top or nonexistent. And the speech itself didn't sound like something a real person would say, rather the dialogue is what the author wants their character to say so the audience can get their theme. I also often found the pacing of the short stories to be off and the character motivations to be unbelievable.
Additionally, I don't think all the stories work as a collection and contribute to the theme of adaptation and movement between colonized and colonizing countries and cultures. In particular, as we move through the stories set in London, the later ones seem to depart from this theme, focusing on issues of class and gender as almost separate from the issues of race and ethnicity.
Melville is very good at writing about places and creating an atmosphere in her story. The one issue I had with her writing style though was the dialogue. The use of dialect would either be over-the-top or nonexistent. And the speech itself didn't sound like something a real person would say, rather the dialogue is what the author wants their character to say so the audience can get their theme. I also often found the pacing of the short stories to be off and the character motivations to be unbelievable.
Additionally, I don't think all the stories work as a collection and contribute to the theme of adaptation and movement between colonized and colonizing countries and cultures. In particular, as we move through the stories set in London, the later ones seem to depart from this theme, focusing on issues of class and gender as almost separate from the issues of race and ethnicity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexism, and Racism
Minor: Cancer
tina94's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
pavel_nedelcu's review
4.0
Magic realism and factual reality are mixed in this collection of stories which sees people from the Carribean protagonists in their countries (mostly Jamaica and Guyana) or in the UK. This third space in which they leave, between their culture and the ex-colonizer's seems to stay at the center of Melville's narration.
lleullawgyffes's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
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