Reviews

The Attic Child by Lola Jaye

rouge_red's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

A deeply emotional story where rights and wrongs have twisted meanings. It's a story of forced displacement, of hell being paved with good intentions, of erasure, amongst many other ideas. This was an engrossing and complex story that I fairly devoured. It was also a sad story that really put into focus the idea that you can't bring back the past, that there are things that no matter how hard you try, you can't get back. It has gratefulness wrapped up in bitterness and hate, in having no power to be your own person. This was a very moving story that shows us we can't afford to lightly what history tells us of the people at the top.

sian_m's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this book and it kept me interested in every moment. I loved the storyline and how it all connects throughout the book. I didn’t want to put it down.

cgcross's review against another edition

emotional sad

4.0

megn317's review against another edition

4.0

This was a slow build. But it took time to understand the 2 narrators and where they were coming from…it was worth being patient. It turned into a great story with some sadness, though….and I enjoyed the journey.

erintowner's review against another edition

4.0

The writing was a little disjointed for me but I definitely felt things! What a realistic story of hope. Definitely handing this one on to friends.

shehtaz's review against another edition

1.0

Did not finish. The plot didn't hold my interest.

unlyke_li's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Child abuse

vakuck's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

capa152's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? No

4.5

ladydzra's review against another edition

I could not finish this book. I am purposefully not including a "star" review, because (a) I did not finish it, and (b) stars don't reflect nuance. I think this book addresses an important, overlooked area of British imperialism (give Ndugu M’Hali a Google), but it's just not the book for me.

The dual-timeline story is told from the points of view of Dikembe, a Congolese boy who is sold as a "companion" to a British explorer in the early 1900s, and Lowra, a modern British woman who is navigating her past familial traumas when her family home is put up for sale. The two stories begin to converge as Lowra researches Dikembe's fate after she discovers connections to him through said family home.

Dikembe's story is touching and heartbreaking. Lowra's could have been subtitled "woman learns about racism". Maybe I'm just not currently in the right headspace to appreciate Lowra's story, but I gave up when her research companion, an expert in African history, needed to explain to her the daily microaggressions he faces as a Black man. I understand the value of characters who explore and try to understand their privilege, but Lowra is, at the point I am giving up on this book, a little more willfully ignorant than I can handle.

This is not a lighthearted read: colonialism, racism, violence against children, family death, mental trauma, PTSD, and more abound.