A review by namelikescrabble
Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende

5.0

Where to start with this book? Probably where I usually do, with the characters. In this book, they are an apt place to begin. Personality is not lost in this sweeping tale of slavery, rebellion and family, as Allende confronts the Haitian slave revolt with style and grace. Of all the women in this book, and there are a few, the Europeans come off by far the worse, Tété, the protagonist and sometimes narrator, is an honest and refreshing voice, a strong character who gained my trust from the opening lines. Stood beside her various mistresses and "superiors", she embodied hard fought freedom and confidence, likewise with Violette Boisier.

By turns, I found this book engrossing and shocking. It is not a book for the faint hearted, I will admit, but the tale justifies the telling. The sultry heat of the Caribbean oozes from the pages of this book. Every character is created individual, and the writing has a certain kick to it often lacking in big-casted historical fiction such as this book. Relationships are explored and investigated, slaves and their owners, lovers, men and their mistresses, soldiers and their causes, brothers and sisters, mothers, wives, friends and enemies, each play their part in this saga. And yet, despite the intricacies, none of these relationships, (often unconventional and challenging to me as a modern reader) ever felt like set pieces.

All in all, a marvellous story, and a truly worthwhile read!