Scan barcode
jessicarc88's review against another edition
1.0
Never wanted to pick up a book again because this was such a long, slow read. Also, weird. Don't enjoy books with incest.
jenne512's review against another edition
2.0
Let's start with the positives. The writing in this book is beautiful and dramatic. Sometimes, I would reread lines because Yanique has a way with words that enthralls the reader. Yanique's writing kept me engaged. Additionally, I listened to this as an Audible book, and the readers did a great job bringing Yanique's words to life. Yanique does set up some fascinating characters, such as Eona with her devotion to being a proper lady and Anite with her wild, impulsive personality. They all begin with such promise and intrigue to make a reader need to keep reading. Learning about Caribenean culture was also a highlight; I haven't read a book based on this culture so this was a fun new experience. I loved reading about the Virgin Islands and how the shift in colonial rule influenced the lives of the islanders for generations.
But the biggest problem was that the arc of many of these interesting characters doesn't feel satisfying in the end. They go through trauma, only to repress it. They part take in big events in their island community, only for their role to be glossed over by the narrative. I think this is most highlighted by Jacob's storyline, where he goes into army training in New Orleans, witnessing racism in American for the first time. His rebellion is apparently for nothing in the end, yet it felt like a major event of its kind during that time period. Plus it appeared to barely impact the character later in the book. These overall arcs for these characters felt disappointing, and I just wanted more...I don’t know..development? Plot details? I’m not exactly sure to be honest. In the end, the book felt like a left down since the writing occasionally did keep me at the end of my seat.
But the biggest problem was that the arc of many of these interesting characters doesn't feel satisfying in the end. They go through trauma, only to repress it. They part take in big events in their island community, only for their role to be glossed over by the narrative. I think this is most highlighted by Jacob's storyline, where he goes into army training in New Orleans, witnessing racism in American for the first time. His rebellion is apparently for nothing in the end, yet it felt like a major event of its kind during that time period. Plus it appeared to barely impact the character later in the book. These overall arcs for these characters felt disappointing, and I just wanted more...I don’t know..development? Plot details? I’m not exactly sure to be honest. In the end, the book felt like a left down since the writing occasionally did keep me at the end of my seat.
camilleisreading24's review
4.0
This was an interesting read, but different from what I expected. The plot follows one family over approx. 50-60 years while simultaneously tracing the major historical events of the US Virgin Islands. The three children of Owen Arthur Bradshaw, a mixed race ship captain and tradesman, are Eeona, Anette, and his secret illegitimate son, Jacob. All three children are beautiful and cursed. Owen Arthur's love for his firstborn, Eeona, is of a romantic rather than a paternal nature, and it is this 'ill love' which ultimately drowns him in a major shipwreck. The repercussions of his actions reverberate throughout the rest of the novel as Eeona is unable to find romantic love in adulthood. His decision never to recognize his son ultimately leads to an incestuous romance between Jacob and Anette.
If able to overlook the fairly shocking treatment of incest in this narrative, one can enjoy the lyrical prose and interesting story. I thought of this tale more as a myth--after all, Greek mythology gave us tales like Oedipus and often saw siblings marrying each other, and no one seems to find that too shocking. I enjoyed learning a little history of the Virgin Islands, beginning with their acquisition by the US from the Danish in 1917. I thought the story dragged a bit at times but was ultimately a good read.
If able to overlook the fairly shocking treatment of incest in this narrative, one can enjoy the lyrical prose and interesting story. I thought of this tale more as a myth--after all, Greek mythology gave us tales like Oedipus and often saw siblings marrying each other, and no one seems to find that too shocking. I enjoyed learning a little history of the Virgin Islands, beginning with their acquisition by the US from the Danish in 1917. I thought the story dragged a bit at times but was ultimately a good read.
marcies_8's review against another edition
Couldn't finish this one. The writing seemed choppy, and the storyline just didn't catch me even in the first 150 pages.
manaledi's review against another edition
3.0
This book was all about beauty, whether women or the Caribbean islands, in a way that started to bother me. I liked the touches of myth and activism and history, but I felt like so much more could have been done with the USVI setting and the family themes.
lisanussd's review against another edition
Made it through 60 pages and couldn’t get into the story or the characters.
ashleycagle7's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
its_me_theresa's review against another edition
1.0
I actually had to talk myself continually into finishing this book. It repulsed me initially, but there are portions of the book which are sublimely beautiful. These, unfortunately, are intertwined with reprehensible imagery (pedophilia, incest of various kinds) and saddled with a non-plot. I ignored my better judgement for a while, but ten days later and a very slow 197 pages into the book, I finally cast it away and filed it where it belongs.
nuhafariha's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. It just seemed like everyone was drinking rum and hooking up all the time. At the same time, the author did a wonderful job of telling some of the myths and legends of the Virgin Islands and weaving them with the actual history of the land. Kinda reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Toni Morrison with the surreality of it.
yourwitch_hekate's review against another edition
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.75