timtamsin's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
pancakke21's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic book, I cried at the end! Thoroughly enjoyed the construction of the characters and the flaws within in all of them. I also loved how gracefully the book reveals their internal thoughts and contrasts this against the perception of their actions. This cleverly highlights the subtleties of racism. An important read admist the Windrush scandal.
turnherintoliterature's review against another edition
4.0
[ This review was originally posted on my blog: http://turnherintoliterature.tumblr.com/ ]
This book fell into my lap by way of an apology for pushing back my contract start date three times. Along with a few others, which will soon be reviewed (and I’ll add the links for the reviews here as soon as I write them), this gem was part of about 10 books that arrived on my doorstep and as soon as I read the blurb, I knew I had to read it first.
Small Island is a story told by four different voices in two married couples - the Jamaican Gilbert and Hortense and the British Bernard and Queenie - in post-war London. While the “present” of the novel is 1948, Andrea Levy also takes us back to the younger years of each of the four main characters, creating complex and vibrant back stories that also shed light on difficult issues such as racism, infidelity, death and colonial politics. With great sensitivity, the author has chosen to write about an unsavoury period of history, and present stories that have not been told before, such as the racism faced by colonial soldiers from the white American soldiers that are stationed in England.
While Gilbert, Hortense and Queenie present as sympathetic (at least to some extent), the character of Bernard seems to be merely a backdrop to make Queenie shine a little brighter as the brave anti-racist British wife with a husband suffering PTSD.
I found the relationship between Gilbert and Hortense to be much more believable, with in-depth descriptions of the poverty and squalor that they must deal with, being darker skinned in a white Britain post-war. They arrive on Queenie’s doorstep by chance – Gilbert first, then Hortense who brings comforts from home and bewails the dirt and filth of their little one room – because she is the only one who will take them in, and she desperately needs the money as Bernard is missing, presumed dead.
The friendship between Queenie and Gilbert flourishes to begin with, but is then stifled by Hortense’s arrival and her snobby attitude towards the ‘miserable’ home that her husband has provided. When Bernard suddenly arrives into this household mix, things start to unravel very quickly.
I’m not usually interested in wartime books, so it was interesting to see the aftermath instead of the action for the most part. This was a very satisfying read, not too heavy on romance and mostly preoccupied with everyday lives (which is what I prefer in a historical novel). It’s a good read if you like historical fiction that deals in the minutiae of everyday lives and the terrible consequences of wartime decisions.
This book fell into my lap by way of an apology for pushing back my contract start date three times. Along with a few others, which will soon be reviewed (and I’ll add the links for the reviews here as soon as I write them), this gem was part of about 10 books that arrived on my doorstep and as soon as I read the blurb, I knew I had to read it first.
Small Island is a story told by four different voices in two married couples - the Jamaican Gilbert and Hortense and the British Bernard and Queenie - in post-war London. While the “present” of the novel is 1948, Andrea Levy also takes us back to the younger years of each of the four main characters, creating complex and vibrant back stories that also shed light on difficult issues such as racism, infidelity, death and colonial politics. With great sensitivity, the author has chosen to write about an unsavoury period of history, and present stories that have not been told before, such as the racism faced by colonial soldiers from the white American soldiers that are stationed in England.
While Gilbert, Hortense and Queenie present as sympathetic (at least to some extent), the character of Bernard seems to be merely a backdrop to make Queenie shine a little brighter as the brave anti-racist British wife with a husband suffering PTSD.
I found the relationship between Gilbert and Hortense to be much more believable, with in-depth descriptions of the poverty and squalor that they must deal with, being darker skinned in a white Britain post-war. They arrive on Queenie’s doorstep by chance – Gilbert first, then Hortense who brings comforts from home and bewails the dirt and filth of their little one room – because she is the only one who will take them in, and she desperately needs the money as Bernard is missing, presumed dead.
The friendship between Queenie and Gilbert flourishes to begin with, but is then stifled by Hortense’s arrival and her snobby attitude towards the ‘miserable’ home that her husband has provided. When Bernard suddenly arrives into this household mix, things start to unravel very quickly.
I’m not usually interested in wartime books, so it was interesting to see the aftermath instead of the action for the most part. This was a very satisfying read, not too heavy on romance and mostly preoccupied with everyday lives (which is what I prefer in a historical novel). It’s a good read if you like historical fiction that deals in the minutiae of everyday lives and the terrible consequences of wartime decisions.
busyblackbookworm's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
patricia68's review against another edition
5.0
This was a re-read having watched the performance at the National Theatre. Small Island foci is on the 'small island' being Jamaica and Britain. Also the injustice of those who believed Britain to be the 'mother' country is evident and at times brutally cruel as their disappointment is conveyed.
The parallel narrative of the four characters highlight the optimism, racism, bigotry and the lack of opportunity met or meted out to the characters. You care about the characters - the humour of Gilbert and his optimism of being in 'the mother country' the reader feels his disappointment but cheer him on as he is so determined to make his mark. The bigotry and racism of Bernard is truly felt. Despite him fighting in the war, seeing and enduring hardship the war seemed to have made him worse and unfeeling. The real heroes are Hortense, who is haughty and difficult to please, the reader sees her maturity and growth as a character. Queenie shows her strength and tenacity as a character - well married to Bernard she needed it - and her practical nature. The final scene with her is heart wrenching and one of the saddest scenes to read.
Levy's research and references to real live events convey the realism of the novel. The moving from prior to the War and back to the present the author weaves these time sequences seamlessly.
Each narrative voice is distinct.
Heart wrenching, funny and brutally honest is the only way I can describe this novel.
I wish Levy had a sequel or focused on Michael Roberts in a separate novel.
Loved this book!
The parallel narrative of the four characters highlight the optimism, racism, bigotry and the lack of opportunity met or meted out to the characters. You care about the characters - the humour of Gilbert and his optimism of being in 'the mother country' the reader feels his disappointment but cheer him on as he is so determined to make his mark. The bigotry and racism of Bernard is truly felt. Despite him fighting in the war, seeing and enduring hardship the war seemed to have made him worse and unfeeling. The real heroes are Hortense, who is haughty and difficult to please, the reader sees her maturity and growth as a character. Queenie shows her strength and tenacity as a character - well married to Bernard she needed it - and her practical nature. The final scene with her is heart wrenching and one of the saddest scenes to read.
Levy's research and references to real live events convey the realism of the novel. The moving from prior to the War and back to the present the author weaves these time sequences seamlessly.
Each narrative voice is distinct.
Heart wrenching, funny and brutally honest is the only way I can describe this novel.
I wish Levy had a sequel or focused on Michael Roberts in a separate novel.
Loved this book!
kayles's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book........it started well, but then it was just a bit 'blah'.... I can't quite articulate why I didn't enjoy it. It just didn't engage me, which I really thought it would as the subject matter interests me greatly. I enjoyed 'The Long Song', that was a great read, but this one - meh..... I just kept reading it because I was hoping it would get better and I wanted to finish it.
Hmmm....... next!!
Hmmm....... next!!
hem's review
4.0
Sweet, difficult, compelling, enlightening, human. In a different league than most every other WWII book I've encountered.
claire_michelle18's review against another edition
4.0
I found this very slow to start with but a really interesting story, following the experience of a Jamaican couple Hortense and Gilbert both separately and together through the latter years of the Second World War and then their move to England in the late 1940s. The constant, everyday racism they face once they move to Britain is relentless - the scene where Hortense applies for a teaching job only to be told her hard earned qualifications aren't valid in Britain is particularly heartbreaking.
Gilbert and Hortense's story is intertwined with that of a white British couple, Queenie and Bernard, giving an interesting perspective on (slightly) differing attitudes to black people and people of colour among white people. I could have done without the bits told from Bernard's perspective though...
Gilbert and Hortense's story is intertwined with that of a white British couple, Queenie and Bernard, giving an interesting perspective on (slightly) differing attitudes to black people and people of colour among white people. I could have done without the bits told from Bernard's perspective though...
cerysh1's review
5.0
oh it just bangs. i remember the NTL version of this was like a huge just gut puncher for me and so it was nice to enjoy the book knowing what was going to happen and so like focusing more on the smaller details. so many lines in this i was like :o and so many just details were so so so clever and insightful. bernard bligh is a really horrible man but a very high quality character like i was stunned by him. i also will be existing as the property of Hortense for the foreseeable
lucy_12's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this! Interesting, educational, emotive, full of well-drawn, flawed characters. Perfect narration by the author too, I highly recommend the audiobook.