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Seduce
The word has gone out that Seduce is dead, and all the mourners gather on the mythical Church Island in the Caribbean for her wake. All bring their own memories of Seduce: her daughter Glory prays for the rescue of her mother's soul, but there are also those who have come to make sure that 'dutty filthy woman' has finally ceased to be a temptress to the island's husbands.
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2013
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90 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 4, 2025
This is something quite different. Written in patois and set on an unnamed Caribbean island the story revolves around the recently deceased Seduce and the people gathered around her deathbed - with their conflicting emotions and motivations thanks to her status as a ‘lampi’ woman (women who processed the local lampi fish but were also traditionally forced into prostitution to get enough money to survive). We see the struggle between her children, her fellow lampi women, the men who have used but also often loved her, and the church fearing women who just want to make sure that the is gone - which culminates in an overarching conflict between the church and the island’s more ancient spiritual traditions. It’s a wonderful concept and although it’s not always wholly successful (there were some chapters that move beyond Seduce’s immediate story and feel less relevant) it’s well worth a read.
February 17, 2014
It is an emotive, passionate read, full of good wit and dark subject matter. The book draws you in and has a whole range of relationships and emotions throughout. Not a comfortable read but one that is thoroughly addictive, eloquent and enthralling.
February 25, 2021
4.5 stars
Seduce is about the aftermath of the death of the main character, Seduce. In particular, her wake and burial. We read about the different people who were in her life including family, lovers and customers and how they feel about her death. Seduce used to be a lampi (women who cooked lampi fish, who then had to turn to prostitution as the food became less popular) and therefore there are also a couple of women who are glad to see she has past in attendance, as she 'stole their husbands' and they want to 'make sure that "dutty filthy" woman is dead.' There is also a struggle between the old ways and the new in what should happen to Seduce's body.
Seduce's life has not been an easy one and due to how she chooses to live her life and treat people, some loved ones have been hurt along the way. However, she still manages to pull them to her even when they try to resist. She is an intriguing character who you sympathise with, but also feel frustration towards because of how she treats the people who love her. The other characters in this book are also interesting to read about in how they deal with Seduce's actions.
This book covers a lot of issues including race, the struggle between men and women, class, family issues and to a certain degree - grief. I think the author covered these issues very well and at times it makes for uncomfortable reading. This is therefore not an easy book to read, but it is done so well that I definitely think it is worth it. It is a beautifully written book and very powerful, sad and even at times funny. The story immediately pulled me in and I wanted to know all about Seduce's life and the people surrounding her.
Seduce is about the aftermath of the death of the main character, Seduce. In particular, her wake and burial. We read about the different people who were in her life including family, lovers and customers and how they feel about her death. Seduce used to be a lampi (women who cooked lampi fish, who then had to turn to prostitution as the food became less popular) and therefore there are also a couple of women who are glad to see she has past in attendance, as she 'stole their husbands' and they want to 'make sure that "dutty filthy" woman is dead.' There is also a struggle between the old ways and the new in what should happen to Seduce's body.
Seduce's life has not been an easy one and due to how she chooses to live her life and treat people, some loved ones have been hurt along the way. However, she still manages to pull them to her even when they try to resist. She is an intriguing character who you sympathise with, but also feel frustration towards because of how she treats the people who love her. The other characters in this book are also interesting to read about in how they deal with Seduce's actions.
This book covers a lot of issues including race, the struggle between men and women, class, family issues and to a certain degree - grief. I think the author covered these issues very well and at times it makes for uncomfortable reading. This is therefore not an easy book to read, but it is done so well that I definitely think it is worth it. It is a beautifully written book and very powerful, sad and even at times funny. The story immediately pulled me in and I wanted to know all about Seduce's life and the people surrounding her.
June 7, 2021
I received this book as part of the Spring 'Heady Mix' subscription box and I'm so glad I did. I don't think the cover or the blurb do justice to the story inside and I wouldn't have picked it up had it not been included in the box.
The novel centres around 'Seduce' an infamous woman who has just died. It would be easy for the author to make Seduce a 'prostitute with a heart of gold' but Seduce is an often selfish character who doesn't seem to be aware of her own faults. The other characters are happy to discuss the ins and outs of this controversial woman and reveal little bits of themselves and the island in the process. The whole novel could easily be adapted into a very compelling play that I would watch over and over again.
'Seduce' is set on a 'two bit rock' somewhere in the Caribbean and is so evocative of the setting in everything that happens. From the local dialect that makes up a majority of the prose to the way that each character is shaped by their origins and the politics that play out, it's as though opening the book let me travel somewhere far away each time I turned the page.
It's difficult to explain what the novel is about without giving much of the plot away. For most of the first part I was happy to learn more about these interesting people without really understanding what was happening. By the end everything becomes a little melodramatic and the conflict between Church and traditional religion became a bit too overt for me to enjoy right at the end.
The novel centres around 'Seduce' an infamous woman who has just died. It would be easy for the author to make Seduce a 'prostitute with a heart of gold' but Seduce is an often selfish character who doesn't seem to be aware of her own faults. The other characters are happy to discuss the ins and outs of this controversial woman and reveal little bits of themselves and the island in the process. The whole novel could easily be adapted into a very compelling play that I would watch over and over again.
'Seduce' is set on a 'two bit rock' somewhere in the Caribbean and is so evocative of the setting in everything that happens. From the local dialect that makes up a majority of the prose to the way that each character is shaped by their origins and the politics that play out, it's as though opening the book let me travel somewhere far away each time I turned the page.
It's difficult to explain what the novel is about without giving much of the plot away. For most of the first part I was happy to learn more about these interesting people without really understanding what was happening. By the end everything becomes a little melodramatic and the conflict between Church and traditional religion became a bit too overt for me to enjoy right at the end.
December 18, 2024
This book sat on my shelf for many years it was a gift from a friend. I am glad I finally read it! Reynolds weaves magic and passion in her writing, introducing us to Seduce the old lampi (read whore) living on the mythical Church Island somewhere in the Caribbean. The lampi’s are strong women who use their bodies to make a living against a backdrop of inequality, the remnants of slavery, sexism and racism. Seduce is the original lampi formidable, a force to be reckoned with. The book opens with Seduce’s wake as people turn up to see if the dutty, filthy, woman is really dead. Some times funny, sometimes sad. A myriad of characters all influenced and affected by Seduce. A great read written in the patois of Church Island.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews