Scan barcode
A review by chakgilbert
The Attic Child: A Novel by Lola Jaye, Lola Jaye
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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? No
4.75
Book notes: www.chakeira.com/the-attic-child/
"The Attic Child" is a novel following Dikembe and Lowra, children separated by time who spent formative years locked in an attic. These timelines converge, and the author delivers a compelling story full of pain, love, and hope. At first glance, it could be seen as a black trauma book, but it's anything but. It shows the resilience, the strength, the courage, and the restraint of black people. I loved the shared experiences that many black people will resonate with. I thought this book was great and would recommend it.
Most of the characters were well-fleshed out. I left the book fully understanding Lowra, Dikembe, and Celestine's character arc, their feelings, and their decisions. Monty is a character who is not fleshed out. I did not feel like I knew his motivations. It seemed more than just research, but I did not understand why he reacted the way he did. Sir Richard was a character I came to despise. His outcome was very similar to white people in history, who are revered, and their wrongdoings are brushed over as a product of their time.
The interesting aspect of this book is the seamless mix of internal and external conflict. One character is trying to find a connection and not let her past trauma dictate her future. Another character is trying to reconcile his seeming abandonment to a new world where he is deemed barbaric, but he sees the barbarism in the "gentleman" he encounters. A third character is determined not to let trauma and setbacks derail his belief that life is worth living. For all these characters, failing to overcome these conflicts can result in losing the core of themselves. Norms and time stand between the characters and their overcoming the conflict.
The story takes place in two different timelines. The first starts in the early 1900s, while the other starts in the 1970s. The story does an excellent job of describing the setting and using the reader's assumed knowledge of history to fill in the gaps. It also does a really good job of capturing the characters' feelings and making the reader feel them. Although the start was slow, it picked up significantly. It suffers from some pacing issues, but I think some was necessary to understand the story. The story is easy to follow and understand.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it would be another book full of trauma, and while it had some tough parts, it also offered hope. The author did a great job showing a different side of what happened to black people. While the character's life was still hard and traumatizing, it was in a different sense that doesn't get talked about more often. This book was a buddy read between me and my best friend. We sent a lot of voice notes and messages regarding this book. I would recommend it, as I gave it a 4.75⭐️ and it is a favorite of the year.
Most of the characters were well-fleshed out. I left the book fully understanding Lowra, Dikembe, and Celestine's character arc, their feelings, and their decisions. Monty is a character who is not fleshed out. I did not feel like I knew his motivations. It seemed more than just research, but I did not understand why he reacted the way he did. Sir Richard was a character I came to despise. His outcome was very similar to white people in history, who are revered, and their wrongdoings are brushed over as a product of their time.
The interesting aspect of this book is the seamless mix of internal and external conflict. One character is trying to find a connection and not let her past trauma dictate her future. Another character is trying to reconcile his seeming abandonment to a new world where he is deemed barbaric, but he sees the barbarism in the "gentleman" he encounters. A third character is determined not to let trauma and setbacks derail his belief that life is worth living. For all these characters, failing to overcome these conflicts can result in losing the core of themselves. Norms and time stand between the characters and their overcoming the conflict.
The story takes place in two different timelines. The first starts in the early 1900s, while the other starts in the 1970s. The story does an excellent job of describing the setting and using the reader's assumed knowledge of history to fill in the gaps. It also does a really good job of capturing the characters' feelings and making the reader feel them. Although the start was slow, it picked up significantly. It suffers from some pacing issues, but I think some was necessary to understand the story. The story is easy to follow and understand.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it would be another book full of trauma, and while it had some tough parts, it also offered hope. The author did a great job showing a different side of what happened to black people. While the character's life was still hard and traumatizing, it was in a different sense that doesn't get talked about more often. This book was a buddy read between me and my best friend. We sent a lot of voice notes and messages regarding this book. I would recommend it, as I gave it a 4.75⭐️ and it is a favorite of the year.