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katiegilley's review against another edition
5.0
“In those tunnels, you understand that you do not learn to love a man, because for the right man there is no need for the learning, the love is the most natural thing in the world. You understand that if you must learn to love a man, he is probably not the man you should be loving.”
I am so glad this was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize because I might not have found it otherwise. Set in the 80s, Lala is a young woman in Barbados who lives on the beach with her husband, Adan. Lala is estranged from the grandmother who raised her, despite needing someone who can protect her from her husband who is horribly abusive. One night Lala and Adan struggle over their newborn baby, a tragedy ensues, and Lala tries to end things with Adan for good. This story is told from a series of perspectives, over multiple timelines, in an agonizing and beautiful way. We see how abuse persists for generations despite our best intentions to protect our children from harm.
This is excellent on audio. The narrator’s voice and accent brought depth and beauty to the story. She was somewhat difficult to hear while I was driving in the car but I didn’t have any issues when I listened at home.
I am so glad this was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize because I might not have found it otherwise. Set in the 80s, Lala is a young woman in Barbados who lives on the beach with her husband, Adan. Lala is estranged from the grandmother who raised her, despite needing someone who can protect her from her husband who is horribly abusive. One night Lala and Adan struggle over their newborn baby, a tragedy ensues, and Lala tries to end things with Adan for good. This story is told from a series of perspectives, over multiple timelines, in an agonizing and beautiful way. We see how abuse persists for generations despite our best intentions to protect our children from harm.
This is excellent on audio. The narrator’s voice and accent brought depth and beauty to the story. She was somewhat difficult to hear while I was driving in the car but I didn’t have any issues when I listened at home.
liz74's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
noteworthy_fiction's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
chamsae's review against another edition
dark
tense
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? Yes
3.25
bowa_books's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.0
thebobsphere's review against another edition
3.0
In theory I should have liked How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps her house; it’s got different timelines, it’s pushes boundaries, is thematically rich and the author has a distinctive writing style.
But it all fell flat.
The One-Armed Sister of the title is the result of a cautionary tale that the main protagonist, Lala’s, grandmother tells her. The morale being that if one breaks rules then a price will be paid,
We readers find out that Lala is in an unhappy marriage, loses her baby (it’s in the blurb), is surrounded by shifty friends and is the product of an unloved household. The book is portrayal of abusive relationships, chauvinism and the corrupt Jamaican government.
Although I did admire what the author did in this book, I just felt bored and I had a lot of difficulty trying to ‘get’ it. Definitely a case of me, not the book.
But it all fell flat.
The One-Armed Sister of the title is the result of a cautionary tale that the main protagonist, Lala’s, grandmother tells her. The morale being that if one breaks rules then a price will be paid,
We readers find out that Lala is in an unhappy marriage, loses her baby (it’s in the blurb), is surrounded by shifty friends and is the product of an unloved household. The book is portrayal of abusive relationships, chauvinism and the corrupt Jamaican government.
Although I did admire what the author did in this book, I just felt bored and I had a lot of difficulty trying to ‘get’ it. Definitely a case of me, not the book.
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
Set in a small beach community in Barbados in the mid-1980's How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House tells of the relationships & clashes between the locals and the rich tourists & ex-pats. One night after an attempted robbery at an ex-pat's mansion goes bad, a number of events occur that leave several lives shattered.
I enjoyed this one! The audiobook was great. This was the author's debut novel and I will be following her to see what else she writes.
I enjoyed this one! The audiobook was great. This was the author's debut novel and I will be following her to see what else she writes.
hckilgour's review against another edition
I dnf’ed at 47%
I honestly just didn’t care about any of the characters. And I was honestly really peeved that the grandma decided victim blaming (the women in their family are just too pretty) was the right way to go when rationalizing rape (even if it was realistic).
I also just didn’t see how the two women’s stories were connected (outside of the murder).
And honestly, almost nothing happened.
I honestly just didn’t care about any of the characters. And I was honestly really peeved that the grandma decided victim blaming (the women in their family are just too pretty) was the right way to go when rationalizing rape (even if it was realistic).
I also just didn’t see how the two women’s stories were connected (outside of the murder).
And honestly, almost nothing happened.