A review by serendipitysbooks
Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid

emotional 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? Yes

4.0

 Annie John is a coming of age novel set in Antigua. It follows Annie from when she is a small child until the time she leaves for England to train as a nurse. This is a relatively short and simple story told in a straightforward manner, yet it explores some meaty issues. One of the most interesting aspects of the novel for me was the evolving mother-daughter relationship. What was once close became fraught as Annie became older. I was also struck by the links between racism, colonialism and depression. The tension between scientific knowledge and traditional knowledge was also evident and obviously connected to previous issues, as was the tension between Annie’s academic achievements and her resentment at the colonial school system. I was also struck by how rigid gender roles were and what limited options were available to young women. I’d like to hope if Annie were coming of age today she’d have more choices and that her adolescence would be easier, although I’m not naive enough to think no problems would remain. 
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