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rmnedder's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A beautiful, poignant coming-of-age story that holds at its heart, among layers of humor and disillusionment, the relationship between a mother and daughter. Kincaid's masterful grasp on the language creates a clear, vivid voice for young Annie: full of life and longing, urgency and immaturity. She is so real, so lucid and clear. Her complex and dualistic relationship with her mother—sometimes fraught, sometimes loving, sometimes both at once—is the lifeline that pulses through this entire novel, culminating in a fantastic parallel.
It is rare that a book is able to so acutely reach into my heart and hold the hand of my younger self. What a gift Jamaica Kincaid has given us.
It is rare that a book is able to so acutely reach into my heart and hold the hand of my younger self. What a gift Jamaica Kincaid has given us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, and Death
Minor: Infidelity and Death of parent
heather667's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, and Misogyny
thewoodlandbookshelf's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Colonisation
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, and Colonisation
astridmalmhester's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Colonisation
kirstym25's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Colonisation