Ready to talk about Little Bee?
First, one of my favourite websites about books, Shmoop, has lots and lots to say HERE
A few reviews:
New York Times: "While the pretext of “Little Bee” initially seems contrived — two
strangers, a British woman and a Nigerian girl, meet on a lonely African
beach and become inextricably bound through the horror imprinted on
their encounter — its impact is hardly shallow. Rather than focusing on
postcolonial guilt or African angst, Cleave uses his emotionally charged
narrative to challenge his readers’ conceptions of civility, of ethical
choice." Click HERE for the full review.
The Guardian: "The Other Hand is an ambitious and fearless
gallop from the jungles of Africa via a shocking encounter on a
Nigerian beach to the media offices of London and domesticity in leafy
suburbia. Part-thriller, part-multicultural Aga saga, the book enmeshes
its characters in the issues of immigration, globalisation, political
violence and personal accountability. Lists of themes are often
review-speak for "worthy but dull", but not in this case. Cleave
immerses the reader in the worlds of his characters with an unshakable
confidence that we will find them as gripping and vital as he does.
Mostly, that confidence is justified." Click HERE for the full review.
The Independent: "The taut spring of Cleave's intricate plot is a sequence of unpalatable
moral decisions that cleverly bind life-choices to the guilty freight of
conscience. But this novel's great strength is the squeamishly raw
candour of its protagonists"
Click HERE for the full review.
These reviews are all positive. If I happen across a more negative one, I'll post it just for contrast.
Also coming . . . readers' guide and questions . . . .
