Stories that explore the legacy of colonialism, and issues of race, immigration, sexual discrimination, and class in the lives of Jamaican women across London, Panama, France, Jamaica, Florida and more.
... electric ... These stories linger in the malaise of foreignness as the characters try to form bonds across the boundaries of race, class and culture, only to conclude, in several cases, that such relationships are impossible ... But the best stories in the book reach beyond the discontent to grant the protagonists a meaningful, if unexpected, sense of belonging — even if it doesn’t last ... The collection teaches us what kinds of respites can be found in diaspora — fleeting, begrudging, but real nonetheless.
This powerhouse collection of stories brings to vivid life the experiences of a diverse cast of (mostly) women of (mostly) Jamaican descent around the world ... These stories movingly explore identity, belonging, and home all through the complexities of the Jamaican diaspora, immigration, assimilation, colonialism, racism, sexism, and class—all through a vivid cast of characters who will remain on your mind long after each story ends. I’m not a big short story reader, but this is truly a must-read collection and highly recommended for fans of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies!
Covering the 1950s to the present, Irving wields the written word as a sharp-tooled instrument, incising the lasting effects of colonialism and family dysfunction.
