A review by bajebookclub
Pleasantview by Celeste Mohammed

adventurous emotional funny sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Celeste’s Mohammed’s Pleasantview is a debut novel-in-stories that won the 2022 OCM Boas Prize for Fiction.

When was I hooked from? The first chapter/story.  Each short story is equivalent to the Caribbean situation:
🌴Being on island and witnessing a “Bassa bassa” from a safe distance.  In the Caribbean, we want to know what’s going on but we don’t want to get too close to the action 🤣🤣🌴

Each story is filled with total Caribbean vibes:
🥥 everyone one knows each other’s business
🥥 deep love, horning (infidelity), lies
🥥 scrunting (poverty), trying to survive daily
🥥 folklore
🥥 migrating to America for a better life
🥥 sexuality
🥥 abuse (mental and physical)
🥥 pride

I loved and enjoyed how each story was connected with each other. 

🌺My favourite character was Ms. Ivy!

🏷 I’m ready for Pleasantview part 2!

Thank you Celeste.