Small Island - Softcover

Levy, Andrea

4.01

34,921 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1472211065 ISBN 13: 9781472211064

Publisher: Tinder Press, 2014

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The 10th anniversary edition of Andrea Levy's iconic, million-copy bestselling novel, with a foreword by Gary Younge.

It is 1948, and England is recovering from a war. But at 21 Nevern Street, London, the conflict has only just begun.

Gilbert Joseph was one of thousands of Jamaican men who joined the RAF to fight against Hitler. Returning to England as a civilian, he finds himself treated very differently.

He and his wife Hortense have come in hopes of a new and better life. But London, shabby and decrepit, is far from the golden city of their dreams.

In desperation, Gilbert calls on a wartime friend for help. And Queenie Bligh, against her better judgment, takes them in.

Her neighbours do not approve of her lodgers. But Queenie doesn't know when her husband will return, or if he will come back at all. What else can she do?

In this delicately wrought and profoundly moving novel, Andrea Levy handles the weighty themes of empire, prejudice, war and love, with a superb lightness of touch and generosity of spirit.

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Review:

Every scene is rich in implication, entrancing and disturbing at the same time; the literary equivalent of a switch-back ride - The Sunday Times SMALL ISLAND is a great read, delivering the sort of pleasure which has been the stock-in-trade of a long line of English novelists. It's honest, skilful, thoughtful and important - Guardian It's a magnificent achievement - and - the best compliment one novelist can give another, made me jealous What makes Levy's writing so appealing is her even-handedness. All her characters can be weak, hopeless, brave, good, bad - whatever their colour. The writing is rigorous and the bittersweet ending, with its unexpected twist, touching... People can retain great dignity, however small their island - Independent on Sunday

Book Description:

The 10th anniversary edition of this multi-award-winning, million copy bestseller.

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