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Aug 09, 2020Urbano rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
When I picked up this book with it's beautiful cover, the word 'love' in the title and its lush Caribbean island setting, I have to admit I thought I was settling in for a light, pleasant read. Was I ever mistaken. But don't get me wrong. This is a great book--just not the 'up-lit' read I'd been expecting. Within pages, I was hooked into the horrid situation Betty and her son find themselves in, found myself breathing a sigh of relief when the lovely Mr. Chetan comes to live with them, worried about the various twists and blows life deals to all three. This is the first novel I've read by a Trinidadian author and I loved how Persaud created such a rich world for her characters. The food, the language and the setting are all so beautifully drawn that, even though I've never been to Trinidad, I felt like I was there. I especially loved how quickly the story travels through time, skilfully covering quite a long time span in a relatively short number of pages. Though I loved Betty and Mr, Chetan and wasn't as gripped by Solo's story, I still am really glad I read this novel and recommend it to anyone with an interest in international fiction.