A review by pran
Small Island by Andrea Levy

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Small Island follows a Jamaican couple and a British couple in the final years and just following the end of the second World War. The colourful writing and brilliant characterisation made it a pleasure to read. I found it to be a wonderful depiction of Jamaica and I learned a lot about the struggles faced by the Windrush generation. I think this is essential reading for anyone in the UK today, as learning about this history can teach us a lot about the present too. At the end of the book is a Winston Churchill quote: "Never has so much been owed by so many to so few." This quote takes on a whole new meaning in the context of the hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers who fought for Britain in the war effort.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings