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hilikus_00's review
2.0
I wish I could give this book 2 and a half stars because it doesn't quite deserve 3, but deserves more than 2. I really enjoyed Small Island and figured that it would be a pretty tough act to follow, and alas, this has proven true. I found it's narration style - a la Princess Bride - to be pretty annoying, actually. I also felt that the plot wasn't as strong as I would have liked for a story in such a setting. July was a great character though - fierce as hell and strong to boot. I liked her, but the Long Song fell a little flat. If this is your first Andrea Levy book, go with Small Island.
bec_97's review against another edition
Very convoluted, missing the point alot. Struggled to settle in with it. But can understand why it's considered a classic in the genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
sarahf14's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? No
4.0
kirstenlp981's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-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? No
4.25
I’m not usually a big fan of books set during slavery however as a Jamaican myself and a fan of Andrea Levy’s Small Island I was very interested to read this story.
What was most captivating about this book was the storytelling. The “author” the main character July’s older voice and perspective was seeded throughout the book in between the chapters. It provided the perspective of an older jaded free July and left me constantly wondering how she came to be this type of older woman.
It’s also rare to find the story of the ending of slavery. The way Andrea Levy tells the perspective of many different types of Jamaicans as slavery comes to an end, leaving a very accurate telling of how the reality of freedom from the slave masters was not as clear cut as history might have told. The changing dynamic between slave and freeman when the perspectives and beliefs of the white man has not changed is such an interestingly complex relationship and Andrea Levy does a great job to take us into the core of the brutality of that through July. Such an enjoyable read at every point.
The ending was bitter sweet and I love how it was unpacked. Really great story!
What was most captivating about this book was the storytelling. The “author” the main character July’s older voice and perspective was seeded throughout the book in between the chapters. It provided the perspective of an older jaded free July and left me constantly wondering how she came to be this type of older woman.
It’s also rare to find the story of the ending of slavery. The way Andrea Levy tells the perspective of many different types of Jamaicans as slavery comes to an end, leaving a very accurate telling of how the reality of freedom from the slave masters was not as clear cut as history might have told. The changing dynamic between slave and freeman when the perspectives and beliefs of the white man has not changed is such an interestingly complex relationship and Andrea Levy does a great job to take us into the core of the brutality of that through July. Such an enjoyable read at every point.
The ending was bitter sweet and I love how it was unpacked. Really great story!
mollyss's review
3.0
A bit of a slog - potentially above my pay grade as it’s a booker prize winner. I could appreciate it was well written but there were sections I skipped over bc I couldn’t bring myself to keep reading :)
zoefruitcake's review against another edition
5.0
I couldn't put this down, totally failed to spot the link with her earlier book, Small Island though. Quick look online suggestions no one has made the connection
lise_wejlby's review
4.0
Velskrevet bog om slaveriet ( og dets ophør ) på Jamaica. Jeg er imponeret over oversætterens arbejde med jamaica-engelsk. Det fungerer som jamaica-dansk
fictionallyyours's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
andrew_j_r's review against another edition
3.0
I purchased this book last year when a website (sadly, I don't remember which) did the contents of the 2010 Booker shortlist for a very reasonable price. I also found out about eBooks at about the same time, so I also bought the ePub version to take away with me on holiday. In fact I only started reading it on this occasion because I forgot to take a paper book with me on a recent train journey and so started this as it was residing on my iPad.
It is a very dark tale, as can be gleaned from the opening paragraph of the tale (after the introduction) in which a black slave is raped by her white master. Well, I say raped since it was clearly non-consensual, but then the attitude of the slave seems more mild annoyance at it happening again than someone scarred by unwanted physical contact.
The story is the tale of the child produced from the aforementioned liaison. The fact that the white people in the story view the blacks as little more than animals is made clear by the ease with which they remove their children, or blame them for a murder that was actually a suicide, and so on. It is a brutal life, but because the child (July) is removed from the majority of the horrors of being a slave, we are left with a story that is clearly about brutality but in the main told in an almost sanitised way. I am not saying that I wanted more grimness or violence, but it is hard to sympathise with July when she actually seems to have a relatively easy time of it. And the part of her life where she undoubtedly really suffered is hardly mentioned as the story jumps from July in her twenties to July the old woman.
It is a good story, but the situation never never really feels desperate. It is a good story well told, but I would have liked to understand the real suffering of the plantation slaves, and what happened to them when they became free. And the end moments work quite well (as long as there is no sequel to fill in the gaps) - the question asked at the end is more poignant because it is never answered.
It is a very dark tale, as can be gleaned from the opening paragraph of the tale (after the introduction) in which a black slave is raped by her white master. Well, I say raped since it was clearly non-consensual, but then the attitude of the slave seems more mild annoyance at it happening again than someone scarred by unwanted physical contact.
The story is the tale of the child produced from the aforementioned liaison. The fact that the white people in the story view the blacks as little more than animals is made clear by the ease with which they remove their children, or blame them for a murder that was actually a suicide, and so on. It is a brutal life, but because the child (July) is removed from the majority of the horrors of being a slave, we are left with a story that is clearly about brutality but in the main told in an almost sanitised way. I am not saying that I wanted more grimness or violence, but it is hard to sympathise with July when she actually seems to have a relatively easy time of it. And the part of her life where she undoubtedly really suffered is hardly mentioned as the story jumps from July in her twenties to July the old woman.
It is a good story, but the situation never never really feels desperate. It is a good story well told, but I would have liked to understand the real suffering of the plantation slaves, and what happened to them when they became free. And the end moments work quite well (as long as there is no sequel to fill in the gaps) - the question asked at the end is more poignant because it is never answered.