Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw

A goodreads giveaway book.

A warm contemporary slice of Caribbean life.

Talk about the Caribbean islands and the mind brings up floral shirts, women wearing blossoms in their hair, moving around in flowing skirts and sleeveless tops. But how do the people living there feel about the changes engulfing the country, the rising violence, the political unrest that is shaping their country's present and future?

Elizabeth Hackshaw answers the question very well, through her characters of Mrs. B, her husband Charles and their daughter Ruthie.

Gist:

Mrs B and her husband Charles are waiting to pick up their daughter Ruthie at the airport who is travelling back from Boston after a breakdown due a failed affair with a married professor.

At one level it is about relationships that of a mother and a child, a husband and wife and a of a childless woman who loves her neice as her own. While these relationships collide and blend according to situations, at the heart of it lies the changes in the community and country as people seek security in gated communities against the backdrop of an unpredictable and insecure political climate.


What works:

The story is laid out well and Hackshaw does a great job of delving into the minds of characters and presenting their perspectives.

The portrayal of the young and the old is dealt with quite effectively where the liberal morals of the younger generation is juxtaposed with the status conscious attitudes of the older generation.

It is not a plot driven story, for nothing much happens and therefore the characters shine out well in the backdrop of some beautiful writing. Hackshaw shows off her writing skills as she flits between standard English and the Caribbean English at one point. Very well done indeed.

Hackshaw portrays the killings and the day to day random acts of violence in a detached manner. Though the facts are gory, Hackshaw's matter of fact manner takes the sting off it without losing the intensity.

What doesn't:

Since the focus is more on conveying a slice of Caribbean life, the thoughts and ideals of the modern people, it tends to sag a bit at times. But the writing and the characters make up for it.


I could never understand why the character was referred to as Mrs.B that stands for Butcher. Apparently, she hated the names and therefore the initial. It reminded me of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca where the heroine has no name or identity. But here it is not the case. Mrs. B is a strong character who affects situation but I still couldn't fathom the reason for not using her maiden name though it crops up in places.

In a nutshell:

A great book for those looking for a "different" refreshing read. Reading this book was for me, a revelation about the realities that plague the beaches and the warm weather of the West Indies.

Much recommended.




… (lisätietoja)