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mxunsmiley's review against another edition
4.0
Have a lot of mixed feelings about this one, despite the 4 star rating. This is mainly due to how extremely strong the first half of it is--I love all the characters, they really shine, each feels so unique and fully alive.
Then we get to the very clumsy and, yes, cis portrayal of trans people. I am very confused about the author's view on trans women. I'm hesitant to lump her in with the typical "women and trans women" types, because she does seem to extend support to trans women, but sections of the book, particularly when Morgan observes that Bibi, a trans woman, is "mansplaining" make me very wary. There's also this notion that nonbinary people like Morgan are less accepted and understood than trans women, which is blatantly untrue.
The largely unchallenged radical feminist ideas are also very concerning. They are framed as ridiculous in some ways, but we don't get a true "Hey, this is bonkers and not true to reality at all" anywhere in the book, only an off-hand "Maybe we should listen to the youth" from Amma to Dominique, a clear radical feminist.
Then we have Morgan explaining themself to be pansexual, going on to say "male-female-trans spectrum" as if transgender people are a third category on their own and only pansexual people can be attracted to them. It's a small detail but extremely damaging nonetheless, especially in what I see is a popular book.
Also, to go from Megan to Morgan is another typical understanding of nonbinary people's social transitioning, as if we all take names that are similar to our dead names. Some of us do as much out of convenience as fear, but please. Be more creative.
Another small detail, but she also suggests that race is "genetically disposed" while in the same breath, acknowledges that sexuality is not biologically based. Yes, it's insignificant, but again, in a widely praised book, it's hard to ignore. There's also the entire epilogue dedicated to Ancestry.com results which unintentionally endorses DNA testing in my view.
I did really enjoy it overall, the second half less so. I thought it was cool how Evaristo tied all the characters together in some way. I think the economic analysis was a bit lacking, too, I felt like she was going to explore it with Carole entering the prestigious banking world as a Black woman and her observations on her position as she was riding the elevator but it never went anywhere. The whole "marginalized people taking positions of power and exploiting others in turn" was what I wanted to read more about but I didn't get it.
Then we get to the very clumsy and, yes, cis portrayal of trans people. I am very confused about the author's view on trans women. I'm hesitant to lump her in with the typical "women and trans women" types, because she does seem to extend support to trans women, but sections of the book, particularly when Morgan observes that Bibi, a trans woman, is "mansplaining" make me very wary. There's also this notion that nonbinary people like Morgan are less accepted and understood than trans women, which is blatantly untrue.
The largely unchallenged radical feminist ideas are also very concerning. They are framed as ridiculous in some ways, but we don't get a true "Hey, this is bonkers and not true to reality at all" anywhere in the book, only an off-hand "Maybe we should listen to the youth" from Amma to Dominique, a clear radical feminist.
Then we have Morgan explaining themself to be pansexual, going on to say "male-female-trans spectrum" as if transgender people are a third category on their own and only pansexual people can be attracted to them. It's a small detail but extremely damaging nonetheless, especially in what I see is a popular book.
Also, to go from Megan to Morgan is another typical understanding of nonbinary people's social transitioning, as if we all take names that are similar to our dead names. Some of us do as much out of convenience as fear, but please. Be more creative.
Another small detail, but she also suggests that race is "genetically disposed" while in the same breath, acknowledges that sexuality is not biologically based. Yes, it's insignificant, but again, in a widely praised book, it's hard to ignore. There's also the entire epilogue dedicated to Ancestry.com results which unintentionally endorses DNA testing in my view.
I did really enjoy it overall, the second half less so. I thought it was cool how Evaristo tied all the characters together in some way. I think the economic analysis was a bit lacking, too, I felt like she was going to explore it with Carole entering the prestigious banking world as a Black woman and her observations on her position as she was riding the elevator but it never went anywhere. The whole "marginalized people taking positions of power and exploiting others in turn" was what I wanted to read more about but I didn't get it.
sandysmith's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
3.75
I'm gradually adding books I've read in 2021 to give a true reflection of the books I've read since keeping records. This was the first book I read in 2021, and is what kick-started my reading journey having put reading on the back burner whilst bringing up the children, previously being an avid reader. A story of 11 women and 1 non binary character interwoven together. Their lives linking together Amma, Jazz, Dominique, Carole, Bummi, Latisha, Shirley, Winsome, Penelope Megan/Morgan, Hattie and Grace. Difficult to read as there were no full stops or punctuation, hard to overlook but you do get used to the wriing style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Transphobia
belanaborealis's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
did not expect to live this book as much as i did with no real main character but the interconnected storylines were very interesting and emotional
hannahtheduck's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
5.0
This was my second read of the book! It’s the best book I’ve ever read. I love spotting how all the characters interlink across the chapters. I made a note in my phone this time around of little synopsises of each chapter and tracking who knows who. Here’s the note:
Amma: Middle aged, Black lesbian formerly anti-establishment but now being embraced by establishment, written lots of plays - it’s opening night for her play (The Last Amazon of Dahomey) at the National Theatre. Is a lesbian but has a daughter. (father is her friend Roland - also a play Wright but much more establishment and therefor a household name) Poly. Lived in lots of squats in London - loved the one in Kings Cross. Her chapter also mentions lives of friend from her Drama school days. One of her friends committed suicode by jumping off balcony in Pepys estate, Amma blames herself. Best friends with Dominique. Daughter is Yazz.
Amma: Middle aged, Black lesbian formerly anti-establishment but now being embraced by establishment, written lots of plays - it’s opening night for her play (The Last Amazon of Dahomey) at the National Theatre. Is a lesbian but has a daughter. (father is her friend Roland - also a play Wright but much more establishment and therefor a household name) Poly. Lived in lots of squats in London - loved the one in Kings Cross. Her chapter also mentions lives of friend from her Drama school days. One of her friends committed suicode by jumping off balcony in Pepys estate, Amma blames herself. Best friends with Dominique. Daughter is Yazz.
*****
Last chapter is after the play has finished. Ppl congratulating her and a savage critic has already uploaded a five star review.
Mrs King and Dominique both at the play
First part of the chapter seen through Roland’s eyes who has been with Kenny for 24 years. They have sex with other ppl. He is a bit of a snob but feels no shame as he managed to become a professor despite being the state-educated son of African working class immigrants. Does not like talking about race but did get fierce and eloquent in a tv interview. He loves Yazz a lot - brings out his soft side.
Second part of chapter through Carole’s eyes: despite being super successful Carole feels out of place in this environment. She is wearing her smart banker clothes, standing with other bankers and watching on at the arty types as they socialise. Freddy, her husband, is working the room. She has never seen this amount of Black ppl either on stage or in an audience - wasn’t sure if it made her feel validated because the play was about lesbian warriors rather than measurable Black success - eg first Black PM or something. She does not feel that connected to her homeland (Nigeria) and would only go there if it was with work. Its not a priority for her.
Then it switches to Shirley. Shirley spots Carole across the room, walls over to her. It’s a bit awkward and passive aggressive but Carole suddenly realises that Mrs Kinng was the only person who helped her. So she says thank you. And Shirley cries, whilst playing it down and pretending like she doesn’t need a thank you. Shirley did not like the play because it was about lesbians.
Shirley is Yazz’s godmum. Roland used to make Shirley feel inferior until one day he showed his vilwrnable emptions (his mum had died). Shirley and Amma are friends through historic loyalty rather than shared interests and perspectives. Gets the sense that Yazz only speaks to Shirley out of duty.
Amma is in the loo with Dominique who is cutting lines of coke. Dominique was a surprise guest at the play. Amma and Toland don’t know each other/see each other that often anymore. Dominique is also Yazz’s godmum.
Yazz: She is sat in audience of her mums play at opening night but chapter goes back over previous years. Thinks her mums feminism is old fashioned, thinks everyone will be non binary in the future. Thinks her mum is a hypocrite coz she enjoyed some of the gentrified spots in Brixton and goes to the Ritzy. Currently at uni (just finished first year). Has a friendship group who we learn a bit about. Notices her white friends get more attention from boys. Does not have much contact with her Dad. Close friend is Wari.
Dominique: Best friends with Amma (but they spent some years apart). Dominique had a girlfriend called Nzinga who she placed on a pedestal - full of micro aggressions but treated her body like a temple. Nzinga is a vegan and on the first time she meets tells Dominique that coffee is terrible even tho that’s what she is drinking. Amma comes to visit Dominique who tells her to get out - the whole time Amma is there Nzinga ignores her/goes to bed v early. Dominique eventually helped by a woman called Gaia. She left behind all her money. Moved to America and stayed with some of Gaia’s friends for cheap in West Hollywood. Now been there 30 years and considers it her home.
Carole: intelligent child. Goes to Oxford uni - initially did not fit in but needed up making lots of friends. Grew up in London with mum in a high rise flat. Dad died when she was a child. V good at Maths. Had a teacher at school (mrs king) who
Encouraged her a lot but Carole resented it a little bit. Became an investment banker.
Bummi: Bummi is Carole’s mother. Married to Augustine. Of Nigerian origin. They moved to the UK in search of a better life but were only offered jobs way below their education. Worked as a cleaner. Husband was v religious, attended church often. Bummi slept with the priest in return for loans. She did not enjoy the sex. Was poor as a child. Grew up in houses that had one room. Spent time living in Lagos and witnessed her mother begging for work. In later life had an affair with a woman but she has internalised homophobia - “how can it be cheating when it’s a woman” trope. Came across her lover years later (they stopped seeing each other coz Bummi stopped going to church) and the lover looked horrified to see her again. Found love again with a man called Kofi. Kofi is kind and caring and has money. Feels like she’s finally living a life she deserves. Daughter married a white boy called Freddy (high society) - Bummi did not like this at first coz she didn’t want her grandchildren to be mixed but he grows on her over time.
La Tisha KaNisha Jones:
Works in supermarket as a supervisor. Worked there since leaving school. Left with no qualifications - thought studying was boring. Has three kids. At school was taught by Mrs King (same teacher as Carole). Grew up with her mum, dad and sister. Mum was a social worker and dad worked at pest control for the council and as a bouncer on weekends. The Dad left the family one day (when the girls were in secondary school) without warning, just left a note. He moved abroad to go and make a life with a woman from his wife’s work. Turned out they had a 4yo child together. The mum spiralled out of control, started drinking and over eating. Then the mum told LaTisha and her sister that Jayla had a different dad. She tried to meet him but he wasn’t interested. He had been a violent man and their mum escaped him whilst pregnant. LaTisha went off the rails but mainly at school coz her mum beat her up badly after she threw a huge party at her house aged 13. She got angry easily and a smart mouth. She had been friends with Carole but Carole turned into a swot. All three babies born before she was 21 and all baby daddies were wastemen. Third time was non-consensual sex. When her mum found out she was pregnant she threw her out violently. LaTisha spent 1 week in a homeless shelter for young mums. Then her mum accepted her back again. Now nearly 30 and single, done two Alevels at night school and studying a retail degree at Open Uni.
Shirley: Shirley is Mrs King. Chapter starts when she is a bright young teacher, new on the job in Peckham. Very few Black teachers. She teaches History and the kids love her coz she makes lessons interesting and she teaches them about discrimination. She is the family success story despite her two brothers being given more opportunities and fewer chores. She tries to challenge old hats. She is about to marry Lennox - who she shares housework with. Lennox is a solicitor and grew up in Leeds. Often stopped and searched by the police. Shirley is best friends with Amma - although found it hard when Amma came out at 16. She finds gay people unnatural but does like nearly all of Ammas friends. Amma and Lennox get on v well. Shirley’s enthusiasm
For teaching wained as the years progressed - hated league tables, national curriculum and lesson planning. Then came the social problems - gangs, drugs etc. she ended up befriending one of the old hats she hated. Gained the name Fuck Face. Began to think that some pupils are beyond help and was tempted to go and teach in a private school but was too principled. One day when Carole was 14 she tapped on her car window and asked for mentoring - mrs king got her all the funding and text books she needed. Sat with her every week for 4 years. Carole never came back to say thank you which made Shirley feel used.
Winsome: Shirley’s mum. Lives in Barbados. Shirley is visiting for the 6week holidays and her sons and their families are joining too. Amma has been twice before. Winsome fancies her daughters husband - wants to sleep with him. She is part of a reading group which is how she has met most of her friends in Barbados - all women who lived all over the world and came back home. She worked as a ticket officer on Routemaster buses. She does end up sleeping with her daughters husband! For a year!! Once a week. He initiated it by turning up at her house.
Now Lennox acts like it never happened but she still desires him. When she met her own husband (C) they moved to South West England as hubby wanted to get a job as a fisherman but locals were not used to Black people and were racist. So was hard to find work. They moved back to London and lived in a rented room whilst saving for a house in Peckham.
Penelope: brought up very wealthy and comfortable but She finds out she is a foundling on her 16th birthday. Was left in the steps of a church. Her father (Edwin) told her. Her parents had never told her they love her and when they broke the news did not provide comfort. Just acted like it was nothing and continued with her day. Made Penelope feel like she didn’t know herself and had resentment towards her parents. Her mother directly benefited from colonialism - moved to South Africa and was given land (80% reserved for White ppl). Grandad was strict to his workers and beat them. Until one day they beat him back. Penelopes mum viewed the natives as “savages”. Penelope wanted to escape the home ASAP and married young - Giles a sporty guy from school. She was outwardly very confident. Went to teaching college. Had two kids but got bored of being a stay at home mum. Read Friedan books in secret. Asked husband if she could work - he said it was against the natural order of things. It ended their marraiage. Then she married Philip he appeared to be a “liberated man” in terms of values - looked after the kids, pulled his weight etc. but slowly became more controlling and viewed women as something to be fixed. Whilst married to him got a job at Peckham school (same place as Mrs King but Penelope is older). Husband Had an affair with a woman who was younger than Penelope’s daughter. Penelope is bitter from abandonment v negative at school - anti woke but also hated men at work objectifying her and the pupils. She brought petitions into work. Learned to be vocal. So a bit of a contradiction. Eventually befriended Mrs King after a bad start when Shirley was young in her career. Had a dog. Reconnected with her college friends after her failed marriages - Giles had not let her keep in touch. Seemed to thrive after her marriages ended. Has two successful kids but at end of chapter finds out her daughter is moving th Australia and taking her cute grandkids with them. She thinks her daughters flat is scuzzy and not clean.
She keeps a diary her whole life.
Penelope reappears in the epilogue. She has a boyf now who she met at Thai Chi. She hears about the play but no chance will she wanting to be watching a play about Black people. Her boyf is traditional - has never read a book by a woman. Her Children still live abroad. she does a DNA test freaked out by her results cos she’s from all over - turns out Hattie is her mum!!!! Ends with her wondering why she ever thought that skin colour mattered. Morgan did the correspondence with Sarah, Penelope’s daughter.
Morgan: born Megan. Mixed race Geordie. As a child was forced to be more feminine and play with Barbies by her mum. Sought solace in her Grandma, GG. Shaved their hair off. Left school for a job at McDonalds and ended up going off the rails and using drugs with a bunch of misfits. Moved out to a hostel at 18 to understand themselves. Met BiBi online who introduced them to intersectional feminism. They eventually met in person and started a relationship. BiBi is a trans Hindu woman (rejected by her family). Morgan came out as non-binary and moved to Hebden Bridge to live with BiBi. Had flame tattoos/arm sleeves. Six years later goes to Ammas play to review it (coz they have 1million followers). Meets Yazz who they already met at a uni lecture where Morgan was the speaker. Rebuilt relations with family. GG changed her will so that the farm was left to Morgan. GG called non-binary non-binding but was supportive, accepting and loving. Said they could turn the farm into a space for other queers and wanted to give them the farm coz thought other family members would just sell it on.
Hattie: Hattie is GG. She is 93. She hates being patronised for her age. But happy to fall asleep at the table when everyone gets too drunk and loud. Inherited the farm from her parents. Has two children and several grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even great great grandchildren. The whole family is over for Christmas. Her kids assume they will inherit the farm but she wants Morgan to inherit it coz Morgan actually likes being there and visits her every two weeks. Kind of accepts Morgan for who they are, but doesn’t get pronouns. Likes BiBi. Had a secret child when she was 14 - her dad wouldn’t let her keep her - she was called Barbara and she never told anyone, not even Slim (husband) or her children. Sl was a v nice and caring man. They all lived together with her parents until they died. Her parents had a cabinet that was locked. Turns out that the guy who founded the farm had been involved in the Slave trade. Has lived on the farm her whole life, it’s part of her blood. She ran the farm herself after her husband died - did all the cow milking etc.
Grace: Grace was Hatties mum. Born to Daisy and an Abyssinian sailor who left before he even knew Daisy was pregnant. Born poor. Parents threw Daisy out coz she had a mixed race child. Daisy got a job in a factory, Grace soon worked alongside her. Daisy ends up dying of TB and Grace is sent to an orphanage. At the orphanage Grave gets an education, learns how to be a maid, walks with book on her heads. Reads lots of books! Like Charles dickens. Played in nature and made lots of friends. Grew vegetables but got in trouble a bit. Got a job as a maid in a castle at 13. Her friends from the home got jobs in a department store which was seen as more prestigious - the manager wouldn’t even give her an interview coz she was mixed. Then met Joseph, who owned the farm that Hattie now lives on. Grace had lots of miscarriages before Hattie, and a baby called Lily who died at about a year old. She got post natal depression and did not engage in her daughter until she was 30montjs old. She got up one day and washed, put on a dress with Daisys on and combed her hair. Their marriage became more stable again. Experienced some racism but msot people grew to like Grace when they realised she spoke like them. Stood up for herself when ppl were rude. Joseph did fetishise Black women a bit (had been in the navy) but also gave Grace confidence coz he liked her hair. She loved living on the farm. Agreed not to have any more kids but Joseph was happy when they had a boy grandchild who would surely inherit the farm one day…
katiekull's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved every second of this book! I loved the intertwining characters, the flow of the story, and the unique writing style. Halfway through I knew it would be a 5 star read and the second half didn’t disappoint.
michael070's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
potplant's review against another edition
Stunning. Every character was complex and beautiful and flawed. Loved the way their stories weaved together.
emry's review against another edition
got about halfway through and really liked it, just got too busy and found it hard to go back to it :(