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caileykh's review against another edition
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
3.75
agrayreads's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed LOVE AFTER LOVE; the story beautifully explores the complexities of family, both chosen and biological. I wrested with each of the characters in a good way and while I felt that each of their development lagged at times, I was too invested to ever stop reading. I also appreciated that the book explored both a more mature (in her 40s) woman dating and looking for love and the vulnerability of the male characters in a very raw, resonant way.
lannainthelibrary's review against another edition
4.0
It might sound disingenuous to say that a book called Love After Love is about, well, love. The real beauty is the way Ingrid Persaud managed to weave a story that focused on so many different dimensions of it.
The ancient Greeks had 8 types of love, this book covered most of them. There is romantic love of course, Trinibagonians are a romantic people never mind our penchant for downplaying it. But there's also the love of family, of friends, of the forbidden variety. The kind of love that hurts you and the kind of love that helps you find your way back to yourself.
The imagery and the language is so vivid: that scene with Betty cooking the cascadoo, Mr. Chetan's early morning trip to Maracas beach and sunset at Caroni Swamp among the many gems.
The relationships in this novel are laugh out loud hilarious and frustrating all at once. The nuance that Persaud manages to evoke in all of the characters is masterful, to put it mildly.
This book is so much of what I love about contemporary Caribbean literature, the duality to them that shows the physical beauty and the warmth of the people, while not shying away from the reality of violence, neglect and societal ills.
But for all that I loved it, there was one part that did not sit right with me at all. *That* scene at the end threw me off so badly that I don't think I recovered in time to really take in the last bit of the book.
All in all, I thought the book was mostly thoughtful, brilliant and incredibly well written. A Caribbean read that feels both true to our present reality, and somehow timeless at once.
The ancient Greeks had 8 types of love, this book covered most of them. There is romantic love of course, Trinibagonians are a romantic people never mind our penchant for downplaying it. But there's also the love of family, of friends, of the forbidden variety. The kind of love that hurts you and the kind of love that helps you find your way back to yourself.
The imagery and the language is so vivid: that scene with Betty cooking the cascadoo, Mr. Chetan's early morning trip to Maracas beach and sunset at Caroni Swamp among the many gems.
The relationships in this novel are laugh out loud hilarious and frustrating all at once. The nuance that Persaud manages to evoke in all of the characters is masterful, to put it mildly.
This book is so much of what I love about contemporary Caribbean literature, the duality to them that shows the physical beauty and the warmth of the people, while not shying away from the reality of violence, neglect and societal ills.
But for all that I loved it, there was one part that did not sit right with me at all. *That* scene at the end threw me off so badly that I don't think I recovered in time to really take in the last bit of the book.
All in all, I thought the book was mostly thoughtful, brilliant and incredibly well written. A Caribbean read that feels both true to our present reality, and somehow timeless at once.
bianca89279's review against another edition
4.0
This was the first time I read a novel set in Trinidad and Tobago, written by a Trinidadian about Trinidadians. It had a distinct tone and it certainly painted a vivid picture of the Caribbean Island. The title, the cover and its setting might make you think this is an escapist read. Far from it.
We hear from three different characters: Betty Ramdin, now a widower, whose husband was an abusive drunk. Mr Chetan is a closeted gay man, a teacher, who ends up renting a room with Ms Betty. He's kind, likes to cook and becomes a father figure for Betty's son, Solo.
Solo is the third character whose point of view we get to hear.
Persaud looks at love in its many shapes - amorous, filial, familial, and anything in between.
It's a well-realised novel that steered clear from sentimentality and melodrama.
We hear from three different characters: Betty Ramdin, now a widower, whose husband was an abusive drunk. Mr Chetan is a closeted gay man, a teacher, who ends up renting a room with Ms Betty. He's kind, likes to cook and becomes a father figure for Betty's son, Solo.
Solo is the third character whose point of view we get to hear.
Persaud looks at love in its many shapes - amorous, filial, familial, and anything in between.
It's a well-realised novel that steered clear from sentimentality and melodrama.
half_book_and_co's review against another edition
4.0
Love After Love – set in Trinidad and Tobago - is the beautiful and heartbreaking tale of found family, growing as a person, and finding out how you want to live – with all the accompanying trials and errors, pains, conflicts, but also tenderness and care. Betty Ramdin has been a widow for a while and lives with her son Solo when she offers Mr Chetan, a colleague and a closeted gay man, to move in as a lodger. These three lives become entangled for years to come – even after Mr Chetan and Solo each move out
Ingrid Persaud looks at love in its many facets: romantic love, friendship, family bonds. And each of these is again shown in multiple ways, often developing and shifting. We see both Betty and Mr Chetan pursuing different romantic and sexual relationships and finding themselves in positions where they need to think about what they want, what they desire, and which compromises they are willing to agree to. But their friendships (especially with each other) and Mr Chetan’s and Solo’s almost fatherly relationship are just as important in this novel. Persaud’s story really shines when showing the complexities of all of these relationships.
Betty, Solo, and Mr Chetan are fully-fledged, flawed characters which have their past and current struggles to deal with but find – for a time, until Betty’s secret comes undone – solace in each other. Through shifting perspectives (chapters are told from each of these three characters) one gets inside into each of their motivations and feelings. Additionally, there is also a cast of side characters which is just as lively.
Love After Love is theme-heavy. It tackles topics such as domestic abuse, homophobia, dating as a woman above a certain age, self-harm, religion and beliefs, polyamory and migration. But it never feels like these topics are added for the sake of adding them but because they are part of the tapestry of these characters’ lives. I was captured from start to the end – even though one of my least favourite things in fiction happened. Still highly recommend.
Ingrid Persaud looks at love in its many facets: romantic love, friendship, family bonds. And each of these is again shown in multiple ways, often developing and shifting. We see both Betty and Mr Chetan pursuing different romantic and sexual relationships and finding themselves in positions where they need to think about what they want, what they desire, and which compromises they are willing to agree to. But their friendships (especially with each other) and Mr Chetan’s and Solo’s almost fatherly relationship are just as important in this novel. Persaud’s story really shines when showing the complexities of all of these relationships.
Betty, Solo, and Mr Chetan are fully-fledged, flawed characters which have their past and current struggles to deal with but find – for a time, until Betty’s secret comes undone – solace in each other. Through shifting perspectives (chapters are told from each of these three characters) one gets inside into each of their motivations and feelings. Additionally, there is also a cast of side characters which is just as lively.
Love After Love is theme-heavy. It tackles topics such as domestic abuse, homophobia, dating as a woman above a certain age, self-harm, religion and beliefs, polyamory and migration. But it never feels like these topics are added for the sake of adding them but because they are part of the tapestry of these characters’ lives. I was captured from start to the end – even though one of my least favourite things in fiction happened. Still highly recommend.
trishd's review against another edition
5.0
Love After Love is a novel that can tear your heart out and make you gut laugh so hard your face hurts all on the same page. It is about family, the sort you are born into and the ones you are fortunate enough to find and accumulate. Betty, Solo, her son and Mr Chetan, their housemate that falls in love with them and vice versa. It is a quick read if you're not careful, short chapters and lyrical prose. But I found myself wanting to savour it. I did not want my time with these characters to end. I loved each of their perspectives, a rare thing to behold. Normally there is always a character I toil through to get to the preferred character's chapter. Not so with these 3. I happened to read this exactly when I needed it and that is a fortunate thing. It will definitely stay with me and has become a favourite.
jen1988's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed the beginning of this book and liked the characters but that was it. I didn't think it was going to be a dark, sad book and I read it at a time I needed the opposite. It's a shame. The middle seemed to meander on, there wasn't really a point to the story it was just a story about three people. Sometimes it felt slow and pointless. Unless it was just written to show us what Trinidad was like during that time? I enjoyed reading a book set somewhere I've never been. And I liked the style (sometimes I felt I needed a glossary) but the story itself I didn't enjoy. It could be that I wasn't in the mood for this type of book or that it was too much of a yarn for me. Wasn't what I expected at all. I thought it would be a heart warming story but it was just doom and gloom the whole way through. And utterly pointless
manaledi's review against another edition
3.0
I almost gave up on this book like 70% of the way through because the anxiety of waiting for the second shoe to drop but not sure what was going to happen. A second shoe did drop (not a spoiler the foreshadowing is intense in this book) but there was also love at the end. There is a lot of drama and a lot of different themes in this book that sometimes felt like too many story lines, but I also get the hype.
jmacready's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0