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Small Island

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About this listen

 SMALL ISLAND is a delicately wrought and profoundly moving novel of empire, prejudice, war and love.

It is 1948, and England is recovering from a war. But at 21 Nevern Street, London, the conflict has only just begun. Queenie Bligh's neighbours do not approve when she agrees to take in Jamaican lodgers, but Queenie doesn't know when her husband will return, or if he will come back at all. What else can she do?

Gilbert Joseph was one of the several thousand Jamaican men who joined the RAF to fight against Hitler. Returning to England as a civilian he finds himself treated very differently. It's desperation that makes him remember a wartime friendship with Queenie and knock at her door.

Gilbert's wife Hortense, too, had longed to leave Jamaica and start a better life in England. But when she joins him she is shocked to find London shabby, decrepit, and far from the golden city of her dreams. Even Gilbert is not the man she thought he was...

(P)2015 Headline Digital©2004 Andrea Levy Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Marriage England Feel-Good War
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Hightlights the struggles of multi-cultural unification in a funny, loving, realistic and passionate way. Amazing 🤩🤩🤩

like a wonderful and insightful play for your ears

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Having borrowed the paperback copy of Small Island from the library, I knew I would enjoy this recording. I was, however, completely unprepared for what a special experience the audio version would be. On paper Andrea Levy writes the words of the Jamaican characters beautifully, and you can hear the music in their voices. But listening them spoken aloud is really wonderful. I do not know anyone from Jamaica, so I cannot say for sure whether the readers have authentic Jamaican accents, but to me they sounded superb. The book really did come to life in a new way with this recording. Small Island has strong likable characters woven into a good story, sprinkled with gentle humour. Not only that, but it makes you think too. I was left feeling that I?d really learnt something about lives different from my own. I found this a funny, interesting, thought provoking and thoroughly enjoyable listen.

Brings a wonderful story to life!

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For once I really regret buying an audiobook instead of a print copy. An excellent, sensitive story with very well observed characters has been ruined by the addition of extraneous noises.

Pity about the noises

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That crosses all lines, race, gender, age, and location. Andrea Levy's characters are so achingly real, that to finish the book is a heartache. Her prose licks along at a wonderful pace. Sheer delight.

Wonderful human story

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This is a quick way to take on the books from my reading list for college whilst doing the housework.
As for the book I wouldn't have read it if it wasn't on the list. Good recording all the same and the ironing is all done too.

Small Island

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