chloeab's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
kirkw1972's review
4.0
It's only March and I'm on my first summer read. I'm self distancing by staying in my house, the weather has been glorious so I sat in my garden pretending it was high summer and read this tale of four women in Haiti.
I loved all the characters. I wasn't so keen on Lizbeth at the beginning but she I think she came into her own towards the end. I know nothing about Haiti except voodoo and the earthquake so I found that I learnt a lot from this within the novel. It's a place I may never get to but it was described in such detail I felt like I could see every bit. It's not a glamorous island; there's a lot of poverty and I think the descriptions made the island almost like another character.
It's a fairly quick read. The events take place over a few days and you can the pace as the women rush around the island trying to find Senzey's missing baby. I would have personally liked more around Charlie's mum April's story and the downfall of Jim but overall a lovely read to take your mind off of the current troubles
N.B written during the UK Corona virus lockdown
I loved all the characters. I wasn't so keen on Lizbeth at the beginning but she I think she came into her own towards the end. I know nothing about Haiti except voodoo and the earthquake so I found that I learnt a lot from this within the novel. It's a place I may never get to but it was described in such detail I felt like I could see every bit. It's not a glamorous island; there's a lot of poverty and I think the descriptions made the island almost like another character.
It's a fairly quick read. The events take place over a few days and you can the pace as the women rush around the island trying to find Senzey's missing baby. I would have personally liked more around Charlie's mum April's story and the downfall of Jim but overall a lovely read to take your mind off of the current troubles
N.B written during the UK Corona virus lockdown
emziesreads's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
shelleyrae's review against another edition
4.0
The Island On the Edge of the World is an engaging and thought provoking contemporary fiction novel from Deborah Rodriguez.
At her beloved grandmother’s insistence that her estranged mother is in trouble, Charlie reluctantly agrees to a trip to Haiti to find her, though she doubts April has any need of them since it’s been more than a decade since they last heard from her. On their journey to Port-au-Prince, Charlie and Bea meet Lizbeth, a Texan widow in search of her late son’s girlfriend, Senzey and their child. Together the women make their way through the colourful, confronting, and chaotic streets of Haiti, finding friendship, family, and forgiveness.
Unfolding primarily from the perspectives of Charlie, Bea, and Lizbeth, Rodriguez’s characters are interesting women with strong motives for undertaking the challenging journey to Haiti. Bea feels strongly that Charlie needs to reconnect with her mother if she is going ever to move past the consequences of her difficult childhood, and while deep down Charlie recognises she has a need for some sort of closure, she believes she is simply humouring her grandmother’s ‘visions’ when she agrees to the task. Meanwhile Lizbeth is still grieving after tragically losing both her husband and son in quick succession. When she learned that her son fathered a child with a local girl while working in Haiti with a NGO, she impulsively decided to search for them, but far from her comfort zone Lizbeth is quickly overwhelmed by the task in a country that lacks familiar infrastructure.
Rodriguez’s depiction of Haiti and its vibrant yet disordered culture is vivid and thoughtful. The country has yet to recover from the devastating physical damage caused by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010, nor of the well meaning assistance that followed, much of which has done more harm than good, perverted by ignorance, corruption, and the clash of Christian dogma with the nation’s Vodoun beliefs. The author touches on a number of sensitive subjects that plague the country including human trafficking, child slavery (Restavek), labour exploitation, and prejudice. Yet the people of Haiti fight to survive, and thrive, against all odds, and the Haitian characters of Senzey and Mackenson, the women’s translator/driver, illustrate this admirable spirit of strength and bravery.
Despite the serious elements within the novel, there is also humour and plenty of heart in The Island On the Edge of the World. This is a charming and thoughtful read with a social conscience.
At her beloved grandmother’s insistence that her estranged mother is in trouble, Charlie reluctantly agrees to a trip to Haiti to find her, though she doubts April has any need of them since it’s been more than a decade since they last heard from her. On their journey to Port-au-Prince, Charlie and Bea meet Lizbeth, a Texan widow in search of her late son’s girlfriend, Senzey and their child. Together the women make their way through the colourful, confronting, and chaotic streets of Haiti, finding friendship, family, and forgiveness.
Unfolding primarily from the perspectives of Charlie, Bea, and Lizbeth, Rodriguez’s characters are interesting women with strong motives for undertaking the challenging journey to Haiti. Bea feels strongly that Charlie needs to reconnect with her mother if she is going ever to move past the consequences of her difficult childhood, and while deep down Charlie recognises she has a need for some sort of closure, she believes she is simply humouring her grandmother’s ‘visions’ when she agrees to the task. Meanwhile Lizbeth is still grieving after tragically losing both her husband and son in quick succession. When she learned that her son fathered a child with a local girl while working in Haiti with a NGO, she impulsively decided to search for them, but far from her comfort zone Lizbeth is quickly overwhelmed by the task in a country that lacks familiar infrastructure.
Rodriguez’s depiction of Haiti and its vibrant yet disordered culture is vivid and thoughtful. The country has yet to recover from the devastating physical damage caused by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010, nor of the well meaning assistance that followed, much of which has done more harm than good, perverted by ignorance, corruption, and the clash of Christian dogma with the nation’s Vodoun beliefs. The author touches on a number of sensitive subjects that plague the country including human trafficking, child slavery (Restavek), labour exploitation, and prejudice. Yet the people of Haiti fight to survive, and thrive, against all odds, and the Haitian characters of Senzey and Mackenson, the women’s translator/driver, illustrate this admirable spirit of strength and bravery.
Despite the serious elements within the novel, there is also humour and plenty of heart in The Island On the Edge of the World. This is a charming and thoughtful read with a social conscience.
mekavbev97's review
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
keepingupwiththepenguins's review against another edition
4.0
I'm really impressed with the way that Deborah Rodriguez managed to take some really heavy themes and issues and turn them into a fun summer read. Island On The Edge Of The World is just as bright and colourful as its cover! In it, four very different women come together to do the impossible: find a lost child, and a missing mother, in Haiti.
My radar is set to ping at anything that smells like a white-saviour story, but Rodriguez does the work to show a multitude of perspectives and emphasise the importance of self-determination and respect for countries and people in need. This would be a great book club pick - especially because this edition includes discussion questions, Haitian recipes, and a guide to ethically helping Haitian people in the back.
The fine folks at Bantam Books were kind enough to send me a copy of this one for review, and an extended version is available to subscribers at Keeping Up With the Penguins.
My radar is set to ping at anything that smells like a white-saviour story, but Rodriguez does the work to show a multitude of perspectives and emphasise the importance of self-determination and respect for countries and people in need. This would be a great book club pick - especially because this edition includes discussion questions, Haitian recipes, and a guide to ethically helping Haitian people in the back.
The fine folks at Bantam Books were kind enough to send me a copy of this one for review, and an extended version is available to subscribers at Keeping Up With the Penguins.
nicolac's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lisc3's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5