A review by tamara_mousa
Crossing the Mangrove by Maryse Condé

dark informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Crossing the Mangrove is a story by Maryse Condé that depicts the life of Black and Creoles (White Latin Americans) in Rivière au Sel. This village is in Basse-Terre, which is one of the 6 islands of Guadeloupe - a French territory in the Caribbean. The book beautifully narrates the villagers’ reflections about their interaction with a mysterious man, Francis Sancher, during his wake ceremony. Moreover, it underlined that we can’t understand why someone acts bitterly because we don’t know the root of his problem or trauma! This tale also highlights racism in Guadalupe and enslavement of Haitians by Whites and pale colored-citizens that didn’t end yet! Haitians still suffer from this racism in their own land and in other countries, particularly in the US because they are not the right color!
A complete summary can be found in my blog: www.tamarayousefmousa.com