scarlett_rosalie's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
katherinemcbooksalot's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it overall, but the "don't be racist" message felt a little forced sometimes and I got frustrated that the story kept dipping into the past instead of moving forward.
abeplaut's review against another edition
5.0
Small Island was one of several British novels that really changed the way I think about Britain. I didn't grow up with a lot of the same understanding of wartime in the UK. Instead, I knew what the war meant for my family's story in the USA. Small Island exposes and critiques racial & generational differences between folks in a more distinctly British context.
dani_1405's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
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
3.5
I think the way that the 4 perspectives are used in this novel is incredibly clever on Levy’s part, especially considering that they consisted of a White man and woman and a Black man and woman. I also found the way that all of their stories intertwine fascinating and also the way that the connections are built is really well done. Definitely a difficult read as obviously due to the time period racism is highly prevalent in this novel and plays a role in the story, but nonetheless I think the book provides these 4 different perspectives and 2 different experiences of racism which generates a discussion within the novel. I also think that this book also provides an interesting range of experiences of WW2 and the impact it had on the lives of so many people.
elsiebrady's review against another edition
3.0
It was interesting to learn about the British, American, Jamaican cultures around the 2nd world war. It took me a while to get pulled into it but I enjoyed the twist at the end.
paristexas's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
northernlights's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
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
4.0
Very important book and clearly knows it’s stuff but I think it could have been edited in a more readable way with the povs.
anator10's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-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
4.75
libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
This book had some rough patches but ultimately I thought this was really powerful. I did not predict where it was going but it was really well executed.
apetruce's review against another edition
3.0
Good. Mostly about race perceptions, more than WwII aftermath.