I finished reading Small Island last night, late. Then when I woke up this morning, I fiddled around on the computer a little then watched the PBS Masterpiece Classic show Small Island. I love being able to do that!
The book was exceptional, telling the tale of four young people during and after World War II. Hortense and Gilbert Joseph are from Jamaica and come to England after the war to begin new, better lives. Gilbert met Queenie during the war and since her husband, Bernard does not return home after serving in the RAF during the war, she lets rooms. Gilbert and Hortense rent a room and since I don't want to giveaway more of the story, I'll stop with the storyline.
Small Island won the British Orange Prize in 2004, and rightfully so. This novel is well written and tells a story, though fiction, of a snippet of four main characters' lives during the war, bringing that period to life. Oh, the Masterpiece Classic show was very good too. It followed the book closely but they added a small ending that wasn't in the book reflecting what present day was like thanks to the main characters.
Book Read: Small Island
Author: Andrea Levy
ISBN: 0-312-42467-1
