Margaret Cezair-Thompson

This novel really bought Jamaica alive for me. The views, the food, the plants and the people are here and I feel as if I have dipped my toes into this country without visiting. This is a joyful read that has its ups and downs. It is interesting for the world events and local politics of Jamaica. This is an ambitious novel and there are lots of characters here, some more convincing than others but the main character is May, the daughter of Ida and of Errol Flynn, who she only meets once. The brutal reality of parents going away to America to work and make money is covered here and the violence of the post independence years. The years when May is left without a parent are sad but on the whole, as I said, it is a joyful read full of sunshine and beauty and love.… (meer)

This was very similar to her latest book The Pirates Daughter - an overview of Jamaican Culture, multi-generational, with many of the same character types - the witholding mother, illegitimate or "outside" child, the kindly country grandmother - and a wide range of folks - mixed race, rastas, Scots, Syrians, Jews,intellectuals, ex-pats, farmers, obeah women, etc. It's like a purse chock full of so much stuff you're not sure why it's all there but you'd be hard pressed to figure out what to take out.… (meer)

This was an odd read. The premise is that Errol Flynn, after building a house for himself in Jamaica, gets involved with a very young wman who ends up having his child - a daughter named May. May grows to adulthood on the island at the same time that Jamaica itself is going through political turmoil - some kind of parallel there, I guess. The book is so stuffed with characters and events - some more interesting than others - that ultimately, the Flynn connection was the least meaningful thing about it.

… (meer)