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michellebacon's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A brilliant, thought-provoking collection of 17 short stories and poems from new writers of different island nations in the Commonwealth. The editors have done a fantastic job of collating pieces covering a variety of themes including cultural traditions, revolution, women's rights, nuclear testing and of course, cricket. Despite these wide ranging topics and without the point being laboured, as the book progresses you start to gather a sense of a common perspective of these water bound ex-colonies. The writings vary in style but are all high quality, in my opinion without the misses that you often find in short story collections.
2treads's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The writers collected here have written stories that vibrate with identity of place, people, and history. The poignancy found within each verse, paragraph, or page was felt as this reader whose own identity was molded in the Caribbean saw familiar ideas and ways of being and belonging.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Slavery, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism
bookofcinz's review
4.0
So Many Islands Is a collection of short stories, poems, essays from the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Pacific. When I heard about this collection of stories, I instantly gravitated to the idea of different island people coming together to speak their truth in various written forms.
I think Marlon James's introduction perfectly summarizes this collection and the writing "It takes a big mind, or at least a big worldview to write from such a small space..." I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and I really felt at home reading this book.
The major standouts for me were:
Tread Lightly by Emma Kate Lewis (Malta)
The Plundering by Heather Barker (Barbados)
Granny Dead (by Melanie Schwapp (Jamaica)
A Child of Four Women by Marita Davies (Kiribati)
Unaccounted For by Tracy Assing (Trinidad and Tobago)
Coming off the long run by Cecil Browne (Saint Vincent and the Grendadines)
If you are from an island, currently living on an island or planning on visiting an island, you should definitely pick up a copy of this collection. Outstanding stories from amazing Islanders!
I think Marlon James's introduction perfectly summarizes this collection and the writing "It takes a big mind, or at least a big worldview to write from such a small space..." I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and I really felt at home reading this book.
The major standouts for me were:
Tread Lightly by Emma Kate Lewis (Malta)
The Plundering by Heather Barker (Barbados)
Granny Dead (by Melanie Schwapp (Jamaica)
A Child of Four Women by Marita Davies (Kiribati)
Unaccounted For by Tracy Assing (Trinidad and Tobago)
Coming off the long run by Cecil Browne (Saint Vincent and the Grendadines)
If you are from an island, currently living on an island or planning on visiting an island, you should definitely pick up a copy of this collection. Outstanding stories from amazing Islanders!