Prospero's Daughter

by Elizabeth Nunez

A spellbinding new novel from acclaimed author Elizabeth Nunez, Prospero’s Daughter is a brilliantly conceived retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest set on a lush Caribbean island during the height of tensions between the native population and British colonists. Addressing questions of race, class, and power, it is first and foremost the story of a boy and a girl who come of age and violate the ultimate taboo.

Cut off from the main island of Trinidad by a glistening green sea, Chacachacare has few inhabitants besides its colony of lepers and a British doctor who fled England with his three-year-old daughter, Virginia. An amoral genius, Peter Gardner had used his talents to unsavory ends, experimenting, often with fatal results, on unsuspecting patients. Blackmailed by his own brother, Peter ends up on the small island as England’s empire is starting to crumble.

On Chacachacare, Peter experiments chiefly on the wild Caribbean flora–and on the dark-skinned orphan Carlos, whose home he steals. Though Peter considers the boy no better than a savage, he nonetheless schools the child alongside his daughter. But as Carlos and Virginia grow up under the same roof, they become deeply and covertly attached to one another.

When Peter discovers the pair’s secret and accuses Carlos of a heinous crime, it is up to a brusque, insensitive English inspector to discover the truth. During his investigation, a disturbing picture begins to emerge as a monstrous secret is finally drawn into the light.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Retellings, Mystery, Literary Fiction, Shakespeare, Contemporary

336 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2006

About the author

Elizabeth Nunez was a Trinidadian-American novelist academic who was a Distinguished Professor of English at Hunter College, New York City.
Her novels have won a number of awards: Prospero's Daughter received The New York Times Editors' Choice and 2006 Novel of the Year from Black Issues Book Review, Bruised Hibiscus won the 2001 American Book Award, and Beyond the Limbo Silence won the 1999 Independent Publishers Book Award. In addition, Nunez was shortlisted for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Discretion; Boundaries was selected as a New York Times Editors' Choice and nominated for a 2012 NAACP Image Award; and Anna In-Between was selected for the 2010 PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award for literary excellence as well as a New York Times Editors' Choice, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal. Nunez is a contributor to the 2019 anthology New Daughters of Africa edited by Margaret Busby.

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this retelling of William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest", Elizabeth Nunez not only pays homage to the writer, but manages to captivate her readers with good old fashion storytelling.

Let it be known, I am not a fan of Shakespeare. I've read more than my fair share of his work and can appreciate what he's done for the genera and his fame, but he is not someone that I sit back and read for fun. Furthermore, I felt that the Tempest was his weakest play by far. Nunez, however, takes the few things that worked in the Tempest and expands on them to form this full fledged story. She treats the original text with respect but creates a world that a reader with no background knowledge of Shakespearean literature can dive right into. Not only is this one of my favorite stories, but it is easily one of the best love stories that I have read. In a world where romance in literature is synonymous with rippling biceps and crappy prose, Nunez breaks all convention.

Whether you have read The Tempest or not, will not matter. Prospero's Daughter is full of history and rich characters. I dare you not to fall in love with Caliban after his first line.

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop · Rating 5 out of 5]

n Elizabeth Nunez's Prospero's Daughter, the exploits of its key characters (Dr. Peter Gardner, Carlos, Virginia, and Ariana) are intrinsically linked to key characters (Prospero, Caliban, Miranda, and Ariel respectively) and themes inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest. Both works occur on an island, both explore the principles of freedom, forgiveness and rebirth but Nunez modernizes the classic tale by adding contemporary flavors of racism, classism, colorism and domination - legacies of European colonial rule.

Staged in the 1960's, Prospero's Daughter opens with an investigation of an attempted rape of Virginia Gardner, reported by her father, Dr. Peter Gardner. As the investigation progresses, the police uncover a repulsive secret that exposes the truth behind the alleged rape and ironically parallels the historical sins of the colonizers and social unrest of the day (Trinidad's quest for independence from British rule). Nunez also folds in the rich history of Trinidad and its inhabitants when retracing the deteriorating relationship between the colonizers and the colonized. She cleverly divides the book into three sections to allow the reader to gain altering views and perspectives from Peter, Carlos, and Virginia on the series of events lea! ding up to the alleged rape.

Paralleling the play, Peter's arrival on Carlo's island home in the aftermath of a deadly storm is symbolic that a dark and destructive force has arrived. Peter steals the house by outwardly lying and squatting on the property Carlos inherited from his parents. He spews insults upon Carlos's deceased parents memory (an unmarried interracial couple), administers punishments as self-imposed `master' of the manor and batters young Carlos and Ariana's self-esteem, innocence and dignity by subtly administering psychological, physical and verbal attacks reinforcing negative stereotypes surrounding their mental inferiority, lower socia! l class and their "natural/savage" behavior. Dr. Gardner relents a bit when he decides to experiment on using his rationale - to "civilize" - Carlos (it is his duty as an Englishman to attempt to do so), but his warped thinking only exacerbates Carlo's fury over the years. Dr. Gardner's self-imposed exile on the island also fails miserably and leads to unforgivable lasciviousness and an unexpected, clandestined love affair.

This novel is filled with so many pedagogical and cultural facets that this reviewer can not do the book justice. Although it started a bit slow, the writing was such that I was pulled in deeper - constantly highlighting passages and scribbling in the margins along the way. It caused me to pause and give thought to many of the themes and the masterful handling of parallels to the original work, to modern day events and historical and current social attitudes. I was thoroughly entertained, educated, angered and appalled. This was my first time reading Ms. Nunez and I will definitely read her other works. I highly recommend it to those who can appreciate "literary" pieces steeped in history and culture. It is well done and well written!

[B. Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title declares, this novel retells the story of The Tempest. Set in 1961 on Trinidad and the small island of Chacachacare off its coast, Prospero’s Daughter portrays the intersection of a handful of lives as England’s empire withdraws. Assistant commissioner, John Mumsford, has come to Trinidad because as a white man and an Englishman he can live the life of a lord that his middle-class birth could not provide at home. Change is in the air, though, with calls for independence, and Mumsford is not certain he can trust his Trinidadian commissioner, whose white skin does not preclude the African blood most people assume runs in the veins of Trinidad’s French Creoles.

Mumsford is sent to Chacachacare to investigate an alleged rape of a white girl by her black servant, the Englishman’s worst nightmare. But he has also received a note from Ariana, the other servant in the household, who says that there was no rape and that the two are in love. The household is run by Peter Gardner, a disgraced and reclusive scientist, who came out from England with his young daughter, Virginia, several years earlier. He took over the house from Carlos, then a young, newly orphaned boy, claiming that he had bought it from the dying servant who had been caring for Carlos and the servant girl, Ariana. The only other inhabitants of the island are a small leper colony and a doctor who serves them.

This story is enthralling, keeping me up nights to finish it. Nunez’s descriptions are gorgeous, evoking the tangled beauty of the island, the cold precision of Gardner’s house, the delicate carvings of birds and flowers made by Carlos’s father. The relationship between Carlos and Virginia is delicately traced, believable and sweet. Brave Ariana is the one my heart aches for, but it is Mumsford who most interests me. He may start the story as a rigidly prejudiced and fearful Englishman, but he reveals unexpected strengths. Like its precursor, this is a story about power, the power of knowledge, the power of love, the power of courage, the power of integrity. It brilliantly brings out the relationship of power to class and race buried in Shakespeare’s play.

[Yanielly ੈ✩‧₊˚ Stiehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️

I want to start by saying that I know this was supposed to be like that. To tell us the real truth about colonization. How these white Europeans colonized our islands and took advantage of women, even girls, and how they treated the men.

The writing was great but I hated Dr. Gardner so so much (that’s the whole point, i know). To the point that i wanted to stop reading, I wanted to dnf this so bad.

I read this for uni and I’m surprised that my professor would assign such a strong book. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised? I don’t know. It touches subjects such as r*pe, p*dophilia, s*icide. And it makes me think of the people who might find this triggering but are obligated to read it for class.

The ending was exactly what I wanted and I couldn’t have asked for more (hence the .5).

[Pat · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book because I thought I'd learn about Trinidad. It was cliched, evil, perverted, white oppressor-type of book.

[Megan]

A dark, vivid postcolonial retelling of The Tempest, set in 1960s Trinidad. If you're not interested in that angle, I can imagine this will not work for you at all. It's absolutely about colonialism, and that theme reverberates through all the smaller thematic interests and plot points.

I appreciated the way this retelling worked, however. I really don't like paint-by-number retellings; I like retellings that critique and rework the source, kneading it into something new, not just something "updated." I appreciated most of the choices Nunez made in shaping the narrative points, twisting falsehoods and truths, and centering Carlos (Caliban).

Content warnings for this include explicit racism, explicit violence, and explicit descriptions of incest.

[Charlotte Willmore · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book pmo :(
DNF

[Alyssa Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This title got my attention right away because of its link with Shakespeare. It's supposed to be a modern retelling of The Tempest, and I was interested in seeing what Nunez would do with that story. Unfortunately, I don't think it's a successful retelling.

Prospero's Daughter is about an orphan named Carlos who lives in the Caribbean. Peter, who has escaped England with his small daughter to avoid a scandal, steals Carlos's home and forces Carlos and another native woman to work as his servants. When the time comes for Peter to give his daughter, Virginia, lessons, Carlos feels sorry for the girl, since she isn't able to learn them fast enough for her father and is yelled at constantly. Carlos, whose parents taught him to read, secretly teaches Virginia how to read at night so that she can impress her father. Eventually, they end up falling in love, and when Carlos tells Peter of his intentions to marry Virginia, Peter accuses Carlos of rape and launches an investigation, in the hopes of getting Carlos arrested.

I think that the enjoyment you get out of this book really depends on what you're reading this book for. It's a great book about colonization, and what the natives go through when the English come in and take over their island. The story is well-written, and is generally enjoyable; however, if you're reading this as a modern retelling of The Tempest (as I was), or even for the "romance" you may be disappointed.

I'm all in favor of authors changing original plot points and characters to fit in with their retelling of the story. I don't think that happened enough in Prospero's Daughter, and when it did, I wasn't sure why the story changed. For example, I found it strange that Peter is portrayed as a mad scientist and Carlos describes him putting on a robe decorated with stars to do magic. I didn't get this. At first, I thought it was Carlos's imagination, but later, I wasn't sure. Though he's supposed to be a stand-in for Prospero, this didn't make sense to the story in general, and I think that Peter would have been a perfect Prospero without the "magic robe." Especially since The Tempest is directly mentioned in the story and Carlos blatantly calls Peter Prospero. One thing that changed that I didn't like was the fact that Carlos teaches Virginia to read, whereas in the play, Miranda teaches Caliban. I'm not sure what purpose this change was supposed to serve, especially when other things are so strictly adhered to, even when it doesn't make sense within the world that Nunez has created.

Though many people consider this a romance, I definitely do not. There is romance in this novel, but it's not really the main focus of the story. Actually, it's more of a plot device for the author to show the mistreatment and discrimination of the natives by the English. I also don't think that the resolution of what separates Virginia and Carlos is very well done. A romance between an English woman and a native from an island that the English have colonized will never be without its problems, and I think that Nunez overlooks the fact that there are some real challenges that people in the position of Virginia and Carlos would have faced.

As for listening to the audiobook version, I have no complaints. I think that Vance did an amazing job with all the voices and the characters. The switching of points of view and the dialogue were all extraordinarily easy to follow. I only wish that the story could have been better so that I could have enjoyed Vance's narration all the more.

[Urenna Sander · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1961, English widower, Doctor Peter Bidwedder, is a fugitive from justice. He is known to experiment on his patients, sometimes disfiguring them. One of his patients dies from his medical experiment. Because of this, fearing a lawsuit, his brother, Paul, who is also a physician, arranges for Peter to leave England before he is arrested and sued. Paul advises him to turn over his bank assets, home and their parents’ inheritance to him.

Peter changes his name to Peter Gardner.

Similar to the brothers Prospero and Antonio, in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Gardner’s brother, Paul, after obtaining Gardner’s assets, breaks off contact with him.

Paul arranged for Gardner’s move to Chacachacare, an island northwest of Trinidad, home of a once thriving leper colony. Gardner and his three-year-old daughter, Virginia, are given housing in the physician’s quarters on the island. It’s the perfect hideout.

The island’s physician arrives occasionally to tend to a small population of cured lepers. But Gardner has a fear of contamination and germs and does not want to live near the leper colony. In fact, Gardner shows revulsion, prejudice and an entitlement attitude over anyone that is not European.

During a rainstorm, Gardner and his daughter happen upon the Codrington home. Six-year-old orphan, Carlos Codrington, owns the home. He lives in the home with his late parents’ deathly ill, housekeeper, Lucinda, and her nine-year-old daughter, Ariana.

Gardner seizes the Codrington home after Lucinda’s death, taking illegal control of Carlos’s property and heirlooms left to him by his mother.

Carlos’s deceased parents were a Black Trinidadian and English mother; therefore, Gardner burns Carlos’s mother’s bed, chops down all fruit-bearing trees surrounding the property, and renovates the home built by Carlos’s father.

Peter Gardner, no longer using his skill as a physician, flourishes as a botanist, experimenting on the island’s flora. Afraid of being recognized, he cannot receive recognition or a return for his new found interest. Therefore, he lives off Carlos’s money.

Although Trinidad gained its independence from England in 1962, for the next 12 years, Carlos and Ariana are treated like slaves on Chacachacare. They are physically, emotionally, and verbally abused by Gardner. At 12-years-old, his daughter, Virginia, becomes a victim of his abuse.

I enjoyed reading this book and the author’s characters: Mumsford, the fainthearted, morally strict, prejudiced, police inspector; Dr. Gardner, murderer, hateful, racist, a wicked child abuser, who through lies, steals the property of an orphan, and years later, lies accusing Carlos of attempting to rape his daughter; Carlos, heir apparent, smart, proud, and unyielding. He derived strength of purpose from his late parents. With self-love and pride, he withstood Gardner’s verbal abuse, and with unshakeable resolve, he vowed to repossess his property; Ariana, a clever, strong-willed survivor, who used niceties and cunning to endure the years tortured by Gardner; Virginia, an unbiased, kindhearted soul, in love with her childhood friend, Carlos. She becomes progressively confused, frightened, and ambivalent concerning her father’s love.

This story proves that ultimately the good are justified and the wicked receive their due retribution, and that death comes to all, no matter what their prejudices, character or status.

I enjoyed the author’s brief descriptive history of Trinidad. I hope other readers enjoy this book as much as I did.

[Brisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Many reviews that called this book a retelling of the Tempest were disappointed. I believe Ms. Nunez used the Tempest as an inspiration and vehicle for her telling her story. She never intended to simply retell the Tempest. She clearly used the framework of the Tempest but told it through her lenses. She bought her culture, problems of colonization etc. to this story. Her prose transports you to Trinidad. The strength of her writing paints beautiful pictures as well as harsh ones that were part of the history of the island and the characters in this novel. She takes us through difficult topics in a straightforward but not in your face manner. This a very meaty novel based in history, culture and issues which remain current and perhaps still unresolved.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Tempest will never be the same now that I've read this book. Prospero's Daughter is an updated telling of Shakespeare's classic, set in Trinidad when it was a colony of the British. The book spells out the connections between this one and Shakespeare's, but it helps to know the Bard's tale to get the full effect of what this book is saying. Or, perhaps reading this book helps get the full effect what the Bard says. Colonialism and the brazen racism that went with it is found on every page in the book. It's almost shocking how the British (or any colonizing country) could be so blind to their own hypocrisy and prejudice. What makes people think that white is better than black? Thankfully, the British officer Mumsford only narrates the first few chapters, so I was not subjected to the first-person racist thinking the whole time.

Colonialism is not the only theme, however. The book also explores oppression against women. Is it just a sick mind that makes a man think he is better than those not like him? Is it Gardner's greed that makes him this way? The book does not really explore his "magic" but it is there in his cape, staff, and book, just as Prospero has.

There's a lot to discuss about this book. But the author's note at the end, where she references Will in the World, which notes that Shakespeare's last three works, The Tempest, Pericles, and A Winter's Tale, are all about father/daughter relationships. Apparently Shakespeare was fascinated by his daughter, Susanna. Prospero, a sort of self-modeled character, feels unexplicable guilt. Is the explanation Nunez gives for Gardner's guilt connected to Shakespeare's guilt? That's why my view Prospero has changed.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros:

-Interesting interpretation of The Tempest
-Beautiful prose
-Worth reading just for the wonderfully painted picture of the Caribbean going through the decolonization process.
-Worth reading if you're looking for a book on colonization.
-Story was well-paced and it's quite easy to read in a few sittings.

Cons:

-I didn't particularly like Nunez's choices on which plot points in the Tempest to change to her fitting in the story. Some of which irked me such as Carlos teaching Virginia to read when it was Miranda that taught Caliban. It might not bother some people but it did bother me from a feminist point of view.
-Mr. Gardner, or Prospero was portrayed as an evil mad scientist. The end.
-I don't know why people say it's a good love story, it's not. Sure there is romance in the story but it's hardly worth mentioning.
-Ending was cheesy and "happily ever after" which seems silly seeing as to how it's a novel mainly about colonialism and I'm not sure how many "happily ever afters" accompany decolonization.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd have to say, when it comes to books I was "forced" to read for class, this is definitely one of the best. I think the fact that I've recently read the Tempest (and I'm also semi-familiar with other works by Shakespeare) added to my enjoyment. That aside, I actually liked this more than the Tempest. The love story, the race issues, everything about it was just so much more emotional and meaningful to me. Be that because of the style or writing or just the story itself, I really enjoyed this. It ended a little suddenly, but it didn't take away from anything. Overall, twas very interesting, and quite a pleasure to read.

I'd definitely recommend it.

[Cerimar Olivares · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the distinctive pleasure of having Ms. Nunez as my Professor when I read this for my Caribbean Women Writers class. It made all the difference. Learning about her thought process, the manner in which she took inspiration from Shakespeare's The Tempest for this novel, the cultural understanding of Trinidad she weaved into every page (homage to her own culture and history), it not only furthered my enjoyment of this novel but it also inspired me in my own writing.

[KC · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say, I went in really excited about this book and came out underwhelmed. It's ambitious and well written but somehow boring. And also, the structure is a bit all over the place. I am going to read her Bruised Habiscus. Hopefully that will be better.

[Alaina DiSalvo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading this book in Dr. Nunez's class on Caribbean Women Writers. I love Shakespeare, but more than that, I love compelling stories. While it certainly enriches your reading, you don't need to know anything about The Tempest to thoroughly enjoy this retelling. This book deals with so many issues: racism, colonialism, sexism, abuse, police incompetence, and classism. The dedication of this book is to Shakespeare, for giving his most lyrical lines in The Tempest to Caliban. Dr. Nunez's Carlos is similarly artistic and lyrical in his speech and in his love for literature and for Virginia. Through the small cast of characters, Trinidad is able to break its colonial chains and find joy and redemption. I highly recommend this book - it will leave you wanting a lot more.

One warning - there are a few semi-graphic depictions of rape in this book, so keep that in mind if you're sensitive to those issues. However, without spoiling too much, I can guarantee you that this book has a happy ending.

[Linda Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh gosh, now that I've read one other by Nunez, I was ready for the Caribbean dialect, which is used throughout, though not for every character. Very musical. A story which you'd have to be made of lead not to feel deeply...all the black and the black/white characters are complex and tragic. The white characters vary...but there is the promise of redemption. Would love to see a movie of this one. I'm not good at analyzing fiction (or non-fiction) but I believe I know very very good writing when I read it, and this is. Today I read a review in the NYTimes of Jean Toomer's book CANE, which has come out in a new edition every decade for 50 years...It was first published in 1923. Mr. Toomer was born mixed-race also, and although it takes place in the US south, I think the two books would be quite a pair to read one after the other. Your choice.

[Henry DeForest · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was easy to get lost in—and I mean that in a very favorable way. It was enjoyable picking out the parallels between this story and The Tempest; that said, while the influence is clear, it is far from a direct retelling, which makes for a refreshing reading experience. There are several scenes throughout this book that are intense to read through; if you are especially sensitive to descriptions of abuse, this book might not be for you. Narratively, my only gripe might be the ambiguity surrounding some of the more magical sections of the book; while I won't divulge the specificities of my confusion out of a desire to not spoil the book, I feel like these elements would have been more useful to the narrative if they were more directly explained.

[Pilar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how each of the three chunks were from a new character's perspective and I really appreciated that the last perspective was from the daughter. She shared an interesting view on the entire situation and I felt that the contrast between the betrayal of a father, the man who was supposed to love her and protect her, and the love of the boy who chose to love her and protect her because he wanted to, gave the story an endearing heir of innocence and happy-ever-after.

[Amberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is how you do a Shakespeare retelling!!! SO good!
This book explores the story of the Tempest in the setting of 1960s Trinidad and shows how the conflicts are important to this day. I enjoyed reading from the different characters perspectives, especially those we didn't get to hear from that much in the original story. While this is a retelling with obvious and clear references it also stands on its own as a story about love, colonialism, class and how humans can misuse their power.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prose is excellent, and the story is intriguing, in a cartoony way. I really love the descriptions of Trinidad and the island. The characterizations are over the top though. And I noted some minor anachronisms early on. But overall a clever reimagining of The Tempest with a shift toward Caliban as hero

[Mark Chesnut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling and Fascinating

I first chose this book solely because I had visited Chacachacare, one of the primary settings. But I quickly found myself drawn in by this engaging story that manages to make powerful statements about colonialism, race and class while taking the reader on a dramatic ride. Really enjoyed this.

[A. B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, the imagery is captivating and the setting is full of both color and metaphorical depth. A wonderful exploration of Shakespeare's text that provides an accessible and intelligent exploration of postcolonial racial and sexual dynamics.

[Adelyn Hoier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book three or four years ago and still think back on it fondly.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is so good. Her retelling of the tempest would have worked better for me if the magical aspect of Prospero wasn’t included. Language and sexual abuse, violence are all present.

[Margaret Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This retelling of The Tempest, set on a small island off 1960s Trinidad, paints a picture of the continued devastation wrought by colonization. Really well done.

[Pris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this down.

[Electa R · Rating 4 out of 5]

close reading essay pending. very fast read in the second half and i liked the change in perspectives. there's a lot to be said here and i dont have the words except i need them by tomorrow....

[TheCrazyFanvergent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probabilmente il retelling più bello de La Tempesta????? Elizabeth Nunez tu non sai quanto mi hai intrippato il cervello

[ále · Rating 3 out of 5]

lo leí para inglés pero i gotta admit que i would’ve read it for fun