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A review by theladydoor
Fruit of the Lemon by Andrea Levy
4.0
I love books like this, written by first-generation children of immigrants, because they tie in so closely with my own experiences. I identified so strongly with Faith Jackson, the main character. She is a young black woman in England trying to find her own identity when confronted on different sides by her Jamaican family, her bohemian friends, and her respectably white boyfriend. She goes to work at the BBC in the costuming department, and there faces daily racial micro-aggressions. With all that is happening in England at the time (the 1970's) including racially motivated crimes, Faith finds herself unable to continue on in her country of birth. Encouraged by her family, she decides to go to Jamaica to meet her extended family, and stay with her Aunt Coral.
Levy could have gone in a cliche route, having Faith immediately identify with her cultural roots, finding her true self. But instead, she maintains Faith's awkwardness and discomfort in Jamaica, indicating that Faith's problems may not have been her surroundings, but something within herself. She has to work at finding self-understanding, and I found that quality very admirable.
I look forward to reading Levy's other work, including The Long Song and Small Island, both of which have received much critical acclaim.
Levy could have gone in a cliche route, having Faith immediately identify with her cultural roots, finding her true self. But instead, she maintains Faith's awkwardness and discomfort in Jamaica, indicating that Faith's problems may not have been her surroundings, but something within herself. She has to work at finding self-understanding, and I found that quality very admirable.
I look forward to reading Levy's other work, including The Long Song and Small Island, both of which have received much critical acclaim.