The promises on the back of the book were intriguing! The cover claimed a special story and a magical unfolding. While Little Bee was a special story, I didn't necessarily view it as particularly outstanding or surprising. Perhaps I've read a few too many Holocaust stories where personal sacrifice is more often than not, the theme.
Chris Cleave's Little Bee tells the story of a Nigerian refugee and her journey to Britain to thank them for saving her life. But, that is not Little Bee's only reason for her journey. There is more, and I believe that is where editors believe the shock and surprise enters the story. Honestly, I was neither shocked or surprised. Perhaps, I am jaded. Or, maybe I just feel that people's motives are more bad than good. I am not sure, but I just wasn't as moved by this story as I think reviewers feel I should be.
Don't get me wrong, Cleave writes an entertaining story. The characters were very well written and multifaceted. I was totally enamored by Charlie, better known as Batman. Charlie's dialogue often reminded me of my three year old's manner of speaking. The presentation of the novel provided a few challenges for me. It often took be the better part of page to determine who the current narrator was. Once I determined who was narrating, I had to go back and reread what I already read, to digest the context.
I would definitely recommend Little Bee, but I wouldn't tout it as a story with a surprising and shocking ending.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
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