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A review by bookedupandbusy
The Island of Forgetting by Jasmine Sealy
4.0
This is a strong debut! If you love character driven novels then please read this book! There is not one happy character in this book and I went on an emotional journey with each character’s fight and determination to get off the island. The family are held together by the family business, which is a hotel in Barbados, but I felt it was this hotel that was causing the family to crumble with the many pressures that came with sustaining the business and turning a blind eye to everyone’s goals and dreams.
Including themes of sexuality, colourism, alcoholism and mental health, the story is a clear and perfect example of generational trauma and how it can take one family member to break the cycle.
My favourite chapters were from Calpyso. We follow her from a young girl to a woman growing up in the hotel and I felt her chapters were raw and authentic. I didn’t agree with her choices most of the time, she was looking for love in all the wrong places but I empathised with her need for belonging and acceptance.
I enjoyed the insight into local life on the island and it was interesting to read about the local’s interactions with the tourists. I just wanted a little bit more Bajan dialect! I will definitely be looking out for more titles by this author.
Including themes of sexuality, colourism, alcoholism and mental health, the story is a clear and perfect example of generational trauma and how it can take one family member to break the cycle.
My favourite chapters were from Calpyso. We follow her from a young girl to a woman growing up in the hotel and I felt her chapters were raw and authentic. I didn’t agree with her choices most of the time, she was looking for love in all the wrong places but I empathised with her need for belonging and acceptance.
I enjoyed the insight into local life on the island and it was interesting to read about the local’s interactions with the tourists. I just wanted a little bit more Bajan dialect! I will definitely be looking out for more titles by this author.