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laurenleigh's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a great example of a book I probably wouldn’t have picked up without my reading challenges! I’ve definitely been enjoying reading some Caribbean women authors this year. Condé’s depiction of Guadeloupe is rather fascinating in its diversity. People from all over have found themselves on this island: Black, white, Brown…French, Spanish, Indian, Cuban, maybe more that I missed. But I’m not going to call it a “melting pot,” since that’s both cliché and incorrect. The whole theme of this novel is to show the ways in which a community can be physically together but socially apart. Told in different POV’s for each chapter, it’s an interesting exploration of group dynamics. Everyone has gathered together at a wake, and we get to know their stories of the dead man, along with their own histories, as the night progresses. We see how generational trauma leaves its mark unendingly, unless you work to heal it. We see how secrets can fester, and how one person’s “truth” is fiction to another. We see that everyone wants for something, everyone has their own pain and hunger and desire, even those we dislike or want to remain separate from. There was a good deal of hate on this island, which made me sad. Often that hate stemmed from colorism, but often just out of feeling alone and unloved I think.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Racial slurs, Racism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Xenophobia and Mental illness
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