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anusha_reads 's review for:
This Other Eden
by Paul Harding
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
BOOK 3: THIS OTHER EDEN by PAUL HARDING, #bookerprize2023
When we talk about history, we talk about prominent figures that radically changed the fabric of society, but we hardly know about our ancestors who brought about changes in our culture or the family tradition. We don’t even know the names of our forefathers ten generations behind us.
Coming to this novel I can only say that it is an epic-of-a-novel with diverse characters and is based on real events. The author Paul Harding won the Pulitzer Prize (for fiction) in 2010, for his novel Tinkers.
"Children bit sour Greenings on dares and laughed at one another when their eyes watered and mouths puckered."
They hardly had enough food, they wore threadbare clothes, and they shivered with cold. They are seen singing and chatting and enjoying the starlit nights, the trees, and the sea. This island is a vibrant inclusive community of multicolored people.
The story begins in 1793, on a fictional reimagined island called Apple Island. Benjamin Honey, an American, Bantu, Igbo, a runaway slave, and his Irish wife Patience settle on this island and plant Apple trees, hence the name of the island. The story continues about a hundred years later with Esther Honey, their great-granddaughter, who is seen with her granddaughter. Esther is portrayed as a strong woman. Though she is haunted by the memories of her painful past, everyone looks up to her as a trusted advisor.
A prejudiced white missionary teacher comes to the island to teach the children and starts identifying talented children there. Even he is seen perturbed by the eviction.
If seven or eight generations live on the same property, which spans more than a hundred years, doesn’t the property belong to them?
It’s a lyrically written prose with vivid descriptions and evocative imagery. It beautifully explores the themes of displacement, loss, and the complex relationship between humans and the environment.
This compelling tale is a reminder of unjust power and bigotry. The masterfully crafted story highlights the painful reality faced by the islanders, who were cast aside in the name of prejudice and discrimination.
This brilliant book could be the one!
When we talk about history, we talk about prominent figures that radically changed the fabric of society, but we hardly know about our ancestors who brought about changes in our culture or the family tradition. We don’t even know the names of our forefathers ten generations behind us.
Coming to this novel I can only say that it is an epic-of-a-novel with diverse characters and is based on real events. The author Paul Harding won the Pulitzer Prize (for fiction) in 2010, for his novel Tinkers.
"Children bit sour Greenings on dares and laughed at one another when their eyes watered and mouths puckered."
They hardly had enough food, they wore threadbare clothes, and they shivered with cold. They are seen singing and chatting and enjoying the starlit nights, the trees, and the sea. This island is a vibrant inclusive community of multicolored people.
The story begins in 1793, on a fictional reimagined island called Apple Island. Benjamin Honey, an American, Bantu, Igbo, a runaway slave, and his Irish wife Patience settle on this island and plant Apple trees, hence the name of the island. The story continues about a hundred years later with Esther Honey, their great-granddaughter, who is seen with her granddaughter. Esther is portrayed as a strong woman. Though she is haunted by the memories of her painful past, everyone looks up to her as a trusted advisor.
A prejudiced white missionary teacher comes to the island to teach the children and starts identifying talented children there. Even he is seen perturbed by the eviction.
If seven or eight generations live on the same property, which spans more than a hundred years, doesn’t the property belong to them?
It’s a lyrically written prose with vivid descriptions and evocative imagery. It beautifully explores the themes of displacement, loss, and the complex relationship between humans and the environment.
This compelling tale is a reminder of unjust power and bigotry. The masterfully crafted story highlights the painful reality faced by the islanders, who were cast aside in the name of prejudice and discrimination.
This brilliant book could be the one!