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sharkybookshelf's review
4.0
15-year-old Noemi must leave school to work for the wealthy De Grandbourg family - the difference between their wealthy suburb and her slum is stark, and she finds herself dreaming of an alternative future for herself…
At 151 pages, this is a tiny book that packs a punch - Hein touches on Mauritian history but especially shows us the racist legacy of that history, colonialism and slavery. Slavery might have been abolished, but the extreme inequality remains, and a sense of ownership and lack of consequences lingers amongst the privileged whites. Plus ça change… this is not a story of hope.
I enjoyed the book and loved the recipes tucked within the pages - they made me salivate, and food does really give the feel of a place - but the brief, snapshot-style chapters didn’t quite come together cohesively enough for me to truly love the story. That and the intensity of the teenage angst - it was well-written and believable (and frustrating to read), but, to be perfectly honest, I simply do not have the energy for teenage angst at the moment (which is definitely a case of it’s me, not the book).
An atmospheric coming-of-age story anchored within the racist legacy of Mauritius’ colonial history, told in snapshots.
coco1922's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
slow-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? No
4.5
thatothernigeriangirl's review
informative
sad
medium-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
3.0
rita_reads_books's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
devikapha's review
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
workinprogress's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Powerful
alenezela99's review
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
ciikum's review
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0