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sharkybookshelf 's review for:
Diego Garcia
by Natasha Soobramanien, Luke Williams
After a chance meeting with Diego, a poet named after his mother’s island in the Chagos Archipelago, two rather aimless writer friends become obsessed with the forced exile of the people of Diego Garcia…
This is a bit of a tricky book to review and do justice to - it faffs around for about 60 pages for no clear reason before turning into an interesting presentation of the plight of the people of Diego Garcia, who were effectively evicted from their island to make way for a US military base in 1973. The British Government managed to act particularly villainously - the ICJ has ruled the situation illegal and its clinical handling is horrifying, yet…in the context of colonialism, little of it is especially surprising (an outrage in itself). Except the detail of the dogs, which still makes me feel sick to think about.
By writing collaboratively and blending fact, autofiction and critiques, the authors are experimenting with form and style. It didn’t all work for me - the main characters had some odd linguistic quirks, there were distracting tangents (bitcoin…?), the narration was a disorienting combination of third person singular/first person plural - but it was original and the overall topic was absorbing, so I’m really glad to have read it.
Via the main characters, the authors grapple with the critical question of how to tell a story that isn’t theirs to tell, cleverly solving the dilemma by repeatedly referencing and discussing documentaries, books and art created by those whose story it is. It’s an interesting way of exploring the topic, and it’s kept accessible with enough background and summary for a reader like me who hasn’t read or seen the mentioned works to follow along, while also providing discussion for readers who have. Added bonus: it’s a readymade list of further reading suggestions (thanks!).
A unique, experimental way of telling the heartbreaking, anger-inducing and unresolved story of the people of Diego Garcia and their appalling treatment by the British Government.