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fullalove's review against another edition
3.0
Quite dark and unrelenting story set in Barbados. It’s told from multiple points of view, and so felt I wanted more on some of the other characters aside from the main one.
rayasmth's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
superstine's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
brelee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
marcycopp's review against another edition
1.0
I hated this book. It is about Lala who is married to a criminal in an island town. The story is filled with abuse… beatings, rape, prostitution, verbal abuse, murders, generational abuse…etc. I wanted to stop reading it so many times but I was too far in keep thinking it would get better. I didn’t like anything about it… the story, the way it was written, the ending… there was nothing positive. I normally don’t mind reading hardship stories, but this one lead to nothing good anywhere or anytime. So happy I am done with it.
dpower711's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this a lot at the start; the Barbados voice was very clear and the writing was quirky but then I got tired of it before the end
pham12387's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the writing and the backstories of the characters. It is sad and beautiful all at once. The ending was unexpected and wrapped up very well just and I hopes but didn’t believe would be the end. Endings always kill a book for me and this didn’t disappoint.
caitlinkelley35's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bridgetbrooks's review against another edition
4.0
Set in Barbados in the 1980s, this unrelentingly grim novel has every kind of male violence to women as well as to children. I was very conscious from the start of a patriarchal society, the inferior status of women and their own low expectations. The novel’s focus is on poor, local people who live close to an imagined Baxter’s Beach frequented by wealthy tourists.
We meet Lala and learn how her life experiences are a reflection of those of her dead mother and still living grandmother. The stories of Lala and her family are very moving and had more than enough grief and violence for me! I really felt for them all and it was clear how their life experiences had affected each of them.
We meet other characters and learn something of all their backstories too but for me, though I certainly wanted to know what happened to them all (and a great deal did) this novel seemed so action packed with awful events that I became almost anaesthetised by the end. Horrendous things happened to such a range of individuals too. It was unrelenting and I ceased to feel pain.
I’ve still given this 4*. It is well written and powerful, and I’m certainly glad I read it. Some of the characters will stay with me for a long time but something prevented it from being a 5 * for me.
We meet Lala and learn how her life experiences are a reflection of those of her dead mother and still living grandmother. The stories of Lala and her family are very moving and had more than enough grief and violence for me! I really felt for them all and it was clear how their life experiences had affected each of them.
We meet other characters and learn something of all their backstories too but for me, though I certainly wanted to know what happened to them all (and a great deal did) this novel seemed so action packed with awful events that I became almost anaesthetised by the end. Horrendous things happened to such a range of individuals too. It was unrelenting and I ceased to feel pain.
I’ve still given this 4*. It is well written and powerful, and I’m certainly glad I read it. Some of the characters will stay with me for a long time but something prevented it from being a 5 * for me.
kdat's review against another edition
1.0
Hated it. Couldn’t finish. Didn’t care about any of these characters.