A review by serendipitysbooks
Beka Lamb by Zee Edgell

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 My next pick was a Beka Lamb, a story from Belize which centres on the coming of age of both girl and country and takes place over just a few months. I thought the author did a great job using the senses to recreate the essence Belize on paper; depictions of the food, animals, dialect and local myths all helped transport me there. The portrayal of the hurricane was especially powerful, and left me feeling relieved I was only there vicariously! One of the things that struck me as I was reading was the double standard regarding teen pregnancy out of wedlock. Beka’s friend Toycie became pregnant, was judged harshly and forced out of school; denied the opportunity to return even after the baby was born whereas the boy faced no repercussions and enjoyed an enhanced status among his peers. It’s an old and common story, certainly indicative of its time but infuriating all the same. When Toycie ended up in hospital the lack of resources and even basic cleanliness was startling, and highlighted the differences between the haves and the have-nots, itself a manifestation of colonialism. The role and influence of the Catholic Church was another aspect that caught my attention. This was a solid read, one which gave me an historic taste of a country I know next to nothing about. However, I did find the character and story arc of Toycie more compelling than that of the titular Beka.