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A review by thejollyllama
Augustown by Kei Miller
4.0
I felt like the book was slow at the beginning and I got a little lost with the jumping backwards and forwards in time, but I couldn't put it down by the end. I love the way Miller describes the characters of Augustown, from this omniscient view that shows both how they think about themselves, and contrasts that with how others in the community see them. For example, this description of Mr. Saint-Josephs:
"Mr. Saint-Josephs, after his bath, will observe himself in the mirror. He is always pleased to see a man fair of complexion, with a strong jaw and soft curly hair that betrays a kind of mixed-race heritage that is typical on islands like Jamaica. But if Mr. Saint-Josephs observes such things with pleasure, and indeed pride, he also observes them with a great deal of imagination and fantasy. To everyone else, he is a man dark of complexion; his round face evidences no jawline whatsoever and his extremely thick hair reveals that, if he is mixed with anything, it is with Ashanti and Yoruba (51)."
Miller does this sort of contrast all throughout the book, comparing self-image with community-image. And actually, the community of Augustown is almost like a unique character all on its own, with its own personality traits and quirks. Definitely want to read more by this author.
"Mr. Saint-Josephs, after his bath, will observe himself in the mirror. He is always pleased to see a man fair of complexion, with a strong jaw and soft curly hair that betrays a kind of mixed-race heritage that is typical on islands like Jamaica. But if Mr. Saint-Josephs observes such things with pleasure, and indeed pride, he also observes them with a great deal of imagination and fantasy. To everyone else, he is a man dark of complexion; his round face evidences no jawline whatsoever and his extremely thick hair reveals that, if he is mixed with anything, it is with Ashanti and Yoruba (51)."
Miller does this sort of contrast all throughout the book, comparing self-image with community-image. And actually, the community of Augustown is almost like a unique character all on its own, with its own personality traits and quirks. Definitely want to read more by this author.