Synopses & Reviews
A mesmerizing tale of a father and daughters sailing adventure from Trinidad to the Galapagos Islands, longlisted for the 2013 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature Monique Roffey, vibrant new voice in Caribbean fiction and author of the Orange Prize finalist
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle, returns with
Archipelago, a new novel that is a journey of redemption, healing, and hope in the wake of devastating loss. When a flood destroys Gavin Wealds home in Trinidad and rips his family apart, life as he knows it will never be the same. A year later he returns to his house and tries to start over, but when the rainy season arrives, his daughters nightmares about the torrents make life there unbearable. So father and daughterand their dogembark upon a voyage to make peace with the waters. Their journey takes them far from their Caribbean island home, as they sail through archipelagos, encounter the grandeur of the sea, and meet with the challenges and surprises of the natural world.
Review
"Engaging....A firebomb of a book, revealing a slowly disintegrating marriage, a country betrayed and a searing racism that erupts in terrible violence....This is a stunning book, and its depiction of an aspect of Caribbean life is well worth contemplating." The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Review
"Roffey's explorations of longtime marriages, race, and the lingering effects of colonialism are insightful and often painful to read....The true main character in this novel is Trinidad itself: its people, its customs, and its contradictions." Nancy Pearl, National Public Radio
Review
"Few novels capture the postcolonial culture with such searing honesty as this Caribbean story told through the alternating viewpoints of a white British couple over the last 50 years....The pitch-perfect voices capture the colonials' racism and sense of entitlement." Booklist
Review
"A rich and highly engaging novel." The Guardian
Review
"Roffey's evocation of Trinidad is extraordinarily vivid, the central relationship beautifully observed...deservedly short-listed for the Orange Prize." Kate Saunders, The Times (London)
Review
"Heart-rending and thought-provoking, you will never again see the Caribbean as just another holiday destination." Elle
Review
"Equal love and attention go into the marriage and the country at the heart of this Orange Prize short-listed novel....It's a book packed with meaty themes, from racism to corruption to passion and loyalty." The Sunday Telegraph
Review
"Roffey's Orange Prize nominated book is a brilliant, brutal study of a marriage overcast by too much mutual compromise." The Independent
Review
"A searing account of the bitter disappointment suffered by Trinidadians on securing their independence from British colonial rule and of the mixed feelings felt by a white couple who decide to stay on. An earthy, full-blooded piece of writing, steaming with West Indian heat." London Evening Standard
Review
"[Roffey's] plot engages the reader through a gradual revelation of the past — slowly forming a melancholy whole." Financial Times
Review
"Monique Roffey is a writer of verve, vibrancy and compassion, and her work is always a joy to read." Sarah Hall
Synopsis
A beautifully written, unforgettable novel of a troubled marriage, set against the lush landscape and political turmoil of Trinidad--by the author of The Mermaid of Black Conch Monique Roffey's Orange Prize-shortlisted novel is a gripping portrait of postcolonialism that stands among great works by Caribbean writers like Jamaica Kincaid and Andrea Levy.
When George and Sabine Harwood arrive in Trinidad from England, George is immediately seduced by the beguiling island, while Sabine feels isolated, heat-fatigued, and ill-at-ease. As they adapt to new circumstances, their marriage endures for better or worse, despite growing political unrest and racial tensions that affect their daily lives. But when George finds a cache of letters that Sabine has hidden from him, the discovery sets off a devastating series of consequences as other secrets begin to emerge.
Synopsis
A beautifully written, unforgettable novel of a troubled marriage, set against the lush landscape and political turmoil of Trinidad.
Monique Roffey's Orange Prize-shortlisted novel is a gripping portrait of postcolonialism that stands among great works by Caribbean writers like Jamaica Kincaid and Andrea Levy.
When George and Sabine Harwood arrive in Trinidad from England, George is immediately seduced by the beguiling island, while Sabine feels isolated, heat-fatigued, and ill-at-ease. As they adapt to new circumstances, their marriage endures for better or worse, despite growing political unrest and racial tensions that affect their daily lives. But when George finds a cache of letters that Sabine has hidden from him, the discovery sets off a devastating series of consequences as other secrets begin to emerge.
Synopsis
A beautifully written, unforgettable novel of a troubled marriage, set against the lush landscape and political turmoil of Trinidad Monique Roffey's Orange Prize-shortlisted novel is a gripping portrait of postcolonialism that stands among great works by Caribbean writers like Jamaica Kincaid and Andrea Levy.
When George and Sabine Harwood arrive in Trinidad from England, George is immediately seduced by the beguiling island, while Sabine feels isolated, heat-fatigued, and ill-at-ease. As they adapt to new circumstances, their marriage endures for better or worse, despite growing political unrest and racial tensions that affect their daily lives. But when George finds a cache of letters that Sabine has hidden from him, the discovery sets off a devastating series of consequences as other secrets begin to emerge.
Synopsis
A mesmerizing tale of a father and daughters sailing adventure from Trinidad to the Galapagos Islands, winner of the 2013 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature
Monique Roffey, vibrant new voice in Caribbean fiction and author of the Orange Prize finalist The White Woman on the Green Bicycle, returns with Archipelago, a new novel that is a journey of redemption, healing, and hope in the wake of devastating loss. When a flood destroys Gavin Wealds home in Trinidad and rips his family apart, life as he knows it will never be the same. A year later he returns to his house and tries to start over, but when the rainy season arrives, his daughters nightmares about the torrents make life there unbearable. So father and daughterand their dogembark upon a voyage to make peace with the waters. Their journey takes them far from their Caribbean island home, as they sail through archipelagos, encounter the grandeur of the sea, and meet with the challenges and surprises of the natural world.
About the Author
Monique Roffey was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and educated in the UK. Since then she has worked as a center director for the Arvon foundation and has held the post of Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Sussex, Chichester, and Greenwich universities. She is the author of the highly acclaimed novels sun dog and Archipelago, which is a finalist for the 2013 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. She has also written a memoir, With the Kisses of His Mouth. Read more about her writing at www.moniqueroffey.co.uk.