sophtanda's review
emotional
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, War, Sexism, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Colonisation, Grief, Death, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Sexual content
bumble_abi's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
I started out a little frustrated with the structure - I wanted us to stay in 1948! - but once I'd figured out the novel's puzzle-piece he-said-she-said structure I started to enjoy the Before passages much more.
The multiple perspectives really help to nail home the novel's key themes about the utterly ludicrous nature of racist British attitudes, particularly against the historical backdrop. I really loved that all our narrators are flawed in some way or another - all equally human, with weaknesses that overlap in really resonant ways (the way Hortense and Bernard both jump to conclusions, how Queenie and Hortense both consider themselves a little above those they grew up with, how Gilbert and Bernard both naively cling to hopes of heroism and harebrained schemes for riches, how Queenie and Hortense and Gilbert all get married for primary reasons that aren't love). There's a wonderful subtlety to Levy's characterisation, and her characters are so believable.
I don't think the novel necessarily needed the It felt a little forced and a slightly outlandish coincidence. I thought the broader plot and the book's ending would have been equally impactful if . It brought me out of the story a little, which is a shame - but nonetheless, a contemporary classic, and (Oprah voice) YOU should read it and YOU should read it.
The multiple perspectives really help to nail home the novel's key themes about the utterly ludicrous nature of racist British attitudes, particularly against the historical backdrop. I really loved that all our narrators are flawed in some way or another - all equally human, with weaknesses that overlap in really resonant ways (the way Hortense and Bernard both jump to conclusions, how Queenie and Hortense both consider themselves a little above those they grew up with, how Gilbert and Bernard both naively cling to hopes of heroism and harebrained schemes for riches, how Queenie and Hortense and Gilbert all get married for primary reasons that aren't love). There's a wonderful subtlety to Levy's characterisation, and her characters are so believable.
I don't think the novel necessarily needed the
Spoiler
Michael's-the-father plot twist.Spoiler
the father was just someone Queenie met during the war who had nothing to do with Hortense
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and War
Moderate: Violence, Police brutality, Sexual content, Colonisation, Infidelity, and Gore
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Child death, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
nyne's review
emotional
funny
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, War, and Xenophobia
catrickbateman's review against another edition
4.0
this was such a refreshing & solid book. the british education system rarely, if at all, mentions black soldiers, jamaican migration to england or black women’s roles in the war and it was good to hear about it through this story so intricately and informatively (without becoming non-fiction or fact centred). a really simple but enthralling read with great storytelling and an emotional full-circle ending that i really loved. i liked this a lot!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and War
crazytourists_books's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I really liked this book. I was a bit unsure at first but slowly it got a grasp on me that was getting tighter by the page and towards the end I read it with one breath, I didn't want it to finish.
I liked the characters, they could all be my next door neighbours, people I meet everyday at my kids school. They were very well developed, with good and bad moments, with flaws and virtues. They could be real humans. And that, in combination with a good story, is what makes a great book.
The story itself is quite interesting, the pre and post WWII English society, with the not so subtle racism towards the citizens of their colonies, who were obviously good enough to exploit and use and have them fight in the war but not good enough to walk in the pavements of "the mother country", work and live and prosper.
It does show the ugly face of England, that mentality and argument used by the brexit supporters against immigrants. And that ugly face is portrayed brilliantly.
A great book, a worthy winner of the awards that it received.
I liked the characters, they could all be my next door neighbours, people I meet everyday at my kids school. They were very well developed, with good and bad moments, with flaws and virtues. They could be real humans. And that, in combination with a good story, is what makes a great book.
The story itself is quite interesting, the pre and post WWII English society, with the not so subtle racism towards the citizens of their colonies, who were obviously good enough to exploit and use and have them fight in the war but not good enough to walk in the pavements of "the mother country", work and live and prosper.
It does show the ugly face of England, that mentality and argument used by the brexit supporters against immigrants. And that ugly face is portrayed brilliantly.
A great book, a worthy winner of the awards that it received.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, War, Mental illness, and Xenophobia
pia_h's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Death of parent, Genocide, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Violence
Minor: Blood and Grief
hot_water's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
informative
sad
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Violence, Sexual content, and Death
Minor: Excrement and Cancer
nialiversuch's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and War
Minor: Abortion
pran's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Small Island follows a Jamaican couple and a British couple in the final years and just following the end of the second World War. The colourful writing and brilliant characterisation made it a pleasure to read. I found it to be a wonderful depiction of Jamaica and I learned a lot about the struggles faced by the Windrush generation. I think this is essential reading for anyone in the UK today, as learning about this history can teach us a lot about the present too. At the end of the book is a Winston Churchill quote: "Never has so much been owed by so many to so few." This quote takes on a whole new meaning in the context of the hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers who fought for Britain in the war effort.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: War
annaem's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“There are some words that once spoken will split the world in two. There would be the life before you breathed them and then the altered life after they'd been said. They take a long time to find, words like that. They make you hesitate. Choose with care.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Small Island is told from the points of view of four people (two couples), living in London. Two are British, the other two have emigrated from Jamaica. In this post-WWII novel we hear about the racism encountered, the trauma of war and how their lives intertwine. I found this a really interesting and informative read, but also surprisingly humorous and lighthearted in spite of the serious subject matter. The audio was expertly narrated by the author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Sexual violence