Book Review- Small Island by Andrea Levy

To Jamaicans; England is portrayed as the land of opportunity, despite being in the midst of the Second World War, along with the ongoing issues of racial tension.

  The novel focusses on four protagonists. Firstly, the audience are introduced to Queenie who is Gilbert’s white landlady, the latter arriving in London as an RAF recruit. Gilbert, returns on the SS Empire Windrush, and through desperation he knocks on Queenie’s door, hoping for a place to stay, and discovers that she is actually willing to reside with a black man; subsequently Gilbert takes room in her desolate and decaying home. Then there is Hortense, a rather subdued and ‘depleted’ character, who marries Gilbert and shares a room with him. My favourite part of the novel, is a  vivid piece of imagery attributed to Hortense, was when she described the horror, of finding her husband standing ‘stark naked’ in front of her. Describing his genitalia Hortense recalls: ‘I only turned my back for five seconds, and there he was as naked as Adam, and between his legs the thing grew. Rising up like a snake charmed, with no aid and with no help, the thing rose before my eyes, rigid as a tree trunk, swelling before me.’ Apparently sex wasn’t part of the deal!

   The biggest surprise about the novel, was the pinpoint accuracy of the dialect used by Jamaicans, that was recounted by the author. Upon research, I found that there are many variations of Jamaican dialect depending on region, in a similar way to the dialects of Britain. However, many authors generalise the Jamaican dialect, ignoring and neglecting the idiosyncrasies of it. Therefore, Andrea Levy, demonstrates her astuteness by depicting authenticity and respect for each character, enabling them to have their own ‘voice.’

  The fourth protagonist, is Bernard; Queenie’s long lost husband, who is presumed dead after going missing in combat. Not much is offered by the author, in terms of Bernard’s characteristics and persona. But she cleverly captures the imagination of the reader, as we move from pillar to post, deciding if Bernard is actually dead or alive.

  Hortense regularly features in the novel, in a first and third person context. We are led to believe she is arrogant, a village snob- demonstrated by her constant criticism of the house she shares with Queenie and Gilbert. For example, describing the room she sleeps in as ‘run down,’ and the linen: ‘the sheet was so flimsy it ripped in two as easy as paper,’. One may believe that a person arriving from a foreign country may be grateful for giving her a place to stay. Apparently not. Hortense, received exaggerated facts about the details of life in England; and travelling from Jamaica expecting paradise, she arrived to find a country in desperate need of renovation, as the Second World War  was coming to a harrowing end. However, as the novel reaches its climax, Hortense, is mellowing somewhat; as she begins to appreciate her surroundings more, her demeanour becomes increasingly polite and agreeable.

  The Guardian newspaper (2004) rated the novel, ‘one of the most defining books of this decade’ (speaking of the years 2000-2010). And we can see how the broadsheet arrived at this assumption, especially when describing the xenophobia that was rife during this period. As times have thankfully changed, the contemporary reader may be appalled at the vocabulary used to describe black individuals, and the hostility that their presence evokes. This is summed up perfectly, by the reaction of Queenie’s next door neighbour as another “black un” arrives. Her response, due to the absence of Bernard, is that she needs “the money and more importantly the company.”

   The novel has since been adapted into a BBC drama, where the topics of prejudice, love and war are given a visual element.  This novel is certainly the proverbial rollercoaster, the reader is treated to memorable occasions described in an imaginative and up-beat fashion; but contrastingly the language and experiences that are used, expose a sinister side to human nature during this period, full of hatred and redemption.

   This novel is certainly worth a read, and reminds us how certain sections of society negated the minority in these difficult and disturbing war-torn times.

By Ryan Hillback