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Twenty-eight pounds Ten shillings
After World War Two the call went out to the British Empire for volunteers to help rebuild the ‘Mother Country’. Young men and women from different Caribbean islands were quick to respond, paying the considerable sum of £28.10s to board HMT Empire Windrush – the ‘ship of dreams’ that would take them to their new lives.
The motives and back-stories of these West Indian people is a key part of the Windrush story, one that has never been fully told. This powerful narrative reveals what happened on board that ship, was packed with young, excited people who had never before left their parents, their parishes – let alone their islands. In the course of the memorable two-week voyage there were parties, friendships, fights, gambling, racism, sex - and discussions of God and love.
The motives and back-stories of these West Indian people is a key part of the Windrush story, one that has never been fully told. This powerful narrative reveals what happened on board that ship, was packed with young, excited people who had never before left their parents, their parishes – let alone their islands. In the course of the memorable two-week voyage there were parties, friendships, fights, gambling, racism, sex - and discussions of God and love.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
296 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 27, 2022
Set largely aboard the HMT Empire Windrush, what the book does particularly well is demonstrate that those who travelled from the Caribbean were not a homogenous group. They come from different islands each of which have their own unique culture. The passengers also have a variety of reasons for deciding to travel to England. For some it’s out of necessity or to be reunited with family. For others it’s a desire for a new life or a way to make some money before returning home. Many of the passengers are – rightly, as it turns out – wary of the reaction that will greet them upon their arrival in England.
Although the Second World War is over, its legacy is still felt. For example, amongst the passengers is a group of recently demobbed West Indian soldiers who feel their contribution to the war effort has been overlooked, even belittled by the authorities and by the British soldiers they fought alongside. The most stark reminder of the longlasting impact of war is the character of Mickey.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of and I found myself having to create a list of who was who, who was travelling with whom and, latterly, who was pairing up with whom. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the frequent switching between different characters within a single chapter (with no identifiable breaks, at least in my digital copy). At times this became rather confusing. Longer sections from the point of view of a smaller number of characters would have made me feel I’d got to know them better. Having said that, my favourite characters were probably Mavis and Chef, along with the Captain of the HMT Empire Windrush who we discover has reasons of his own to fear discrimination.
Much of the dialogue is rendered in the patois of Jamaica and Trinidad, and although this gives a wonderful sense of authenticity I occasionally found myself having to reread a sentence. There is however a useful glossary at the end of the book. For those who are sensitive to such things, there is frequent use of strong language and some descriptions of sexual intimacy.
I enjoyed the moments of humour in the book, such as the Caribbean passengers’ univerally negative opinion of the food served up by the British chefs. Given most of the passengers are young, there’s plenty of dancing, drinking and eyeing up of the opposite sex. There are moments of melodrama and some serious topics are covered ranging from racist abuse to sexual assault and even murder.
I would liken Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shillings to a Caribbean cocktail, perhaps a rum punch. It has some fruity elements, an authentic flavour and a generous slug of stronger stuff.
Although the Second World War is over, its legacy is still felt. For example, amongst the passengers is a group of recently demobbed West Indian soldiers who feel their contribution to the war effort has been overlooked, even belittled by the authorities and by the British soldiers they fought alongside. The most stark reminder of the longlasting impact of war is the character of Mickey.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of and I found myself having to create a list of who was who, who was travelling with whom and, latterly, who was pairing up with whom. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the frequent switching between different characters within a single chapter (with no identifiable breaks, at least in my digital copy). At times this became rather confusing. Longer sections from the point of view of a smaller number of characters would have made me feel I’d got to know them better. Having said that, my favourite characters were probably Mavis and Chef, along with the Captain of the HMT Empire Windrush who we discover has reasons of his own to fear discrimination.
Much of the dialogue is rendered in the patois of Jamaica and Trinidad, and although this gives a wonderful sense of authenticity I occasionally found myself having to reread a sentence. There is however a useful glossary at the end of the book. For those who are sensitive to such things, there is frequent use of strong language and some descriptions of sexual intimacy.
I enjoyed the moments of humour in the book, such as the Caribbean passengers’ univerally negative opinion of the food served up by the British chefs. Given most of the passengers are young, there’s plenty of dancing, drinking and eyeing up of the opposite sex. There are moments of melodrama and some serious topics are covered ranging from racist abuse to sexual assault and even murder.
I would liken Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shillings to a Caribbean cocktail, perhaps a rum punch. It has some fruity elements, an authentic flavour and a generous slug of stronger stuff.
June 2, 2022
The Windrush scandal saw hundreds of Caribbean people in the UK wrongly targeted by the government's 'hostile environment' immigration policies; they were barred from working, refused benefits and in some instances detained and deported. Twenty Eight Pounds Ten Shillings takes us back to the start, when the first of the Windrush generation boarded the ship that would take them to the 'Mother Country'. Although a fictionalised account, seeing the stories of these courageous individuals means Twenty Eight Pounds Ten Shillings (the cost of their ticket) will be a vital addition to the collective history of those who made that journey, those that followed, and their descendants. However, it is also a powerful, moving book for anybody who believes it is high time that we recognise and celebrate the ongoing contribution of these people who made England their home, often in the face of rancorous hostility and institutionalised racism.
The book opens by introducing some of the characters who make the decision to accept the invitation to come to the UK. Following the HMT Empire Windrush's stops, we meet Mavis in Trinidad, a junior nurse who hears an announcer of the BBC World Service saying nurses can get a free ticket if they stay for five years and work for the new National Health Service; Pele, Anton and Vernado from Tampico, Mexico who have a rather more urgent need to board the ship; Norma in Jamaica, a teacher who loves her island but feels trapped by the lack of opportunities to advance her career, and her best friend, Lucretia who is excited to make the trip of a lifetime with her; Precious, a privileged young woman from Bermuda whose sudden change in her father's circumstances has meant she is travelling with her friends, Betty and Doris, and three young children; and Chef, whose nickname is more than fitting and who has a plan to gain a berth to London. Some are more instantly likeable than others but their youthful dreams and ambitions, their concerns and their fears ensure they're all utterly relatable and it's abundantly clear just what an enormous chance they are taking leaving their homelands for the unknown.
There are several other characters introduced once the ship sets sail for England and after the fairly linear narrative of the first few chapters, the structure of the novel becomes much looser. The perspective constantly switches between passengers and shifts from first to third person. It can be a little confusing at times but I felt it worked really well in reflecting the mixture of chaos, anxiety and excitement that must have been experienced by the passengers – and in some cases, the crew too. It's worth saying here that Tony Fairweather doesn't sanitise the racist language that was used at the time and while it is (hopefully) offensive to readers today, it's important to acknowledge not only what vitriol was directed at people due to the colour of their skin but also how it made them feel at the time. These words have always been offensive.
This is fiction, of course and as such there are scenes which add further elements of drama and intrigue to the proceedings without necessarily being entirely historically accurate. Nevertheless, some of what occurs has a ring of truth which strongly suggests that though the setting has been changed, the suffering was real. Much of the dialogue is in the Caribbean vernacular and there's a guide at the end of the book to explain any unfamiliar words or phrases, although I was able to figure out the meaning of most of what was said without any difficulties. The characters are all beautifully brought to life and are gloriously real. Considering their ages and that they were confined on the ship together for two weeks, it's not surprising that love affairs developed and there are some passionate encounters that leave nothing to the imagination.
The final part of the novel is arguably the most moving part of the book; as the passengers prepare to disembark, the welcome that awaits them from their family members already in England is overshadowed by the violent prejudice stirred up by the likes of Oswald Moseley, while Parliament and the national Press debate and inflame anti-immigration rhetoric. It's all depressingly familiar. However, as is noted towards the end of Twenty Eight Pounds Ten Shillings, 'The average age of the passengers was twenty-three years old ... many had never seen another country." and so it's this tremendous spirit of adventure and fortitude that should be the lasting impression made by Tony Fairweather's compelling debut. Despite moving to a country which has frequently been less than welcoming, these pioneers made lives for themselves here, raised their families and are as much a part of the nation's history as anybody else. A touching, humbling and inspiring read that will stay with me.
The book opens by introducing some of the characters who make the decision to accept the invitation to come to the UK. Following the HMT Empire Windrush's stops, we meet Mavis in Trinidad, a junior nurse who hears an announcer of the BBC World Service saying nurses can get a free ticket if they stay for five years and work for the new National Health Service; Pele, Anton and Vernado from Tampico, Mexico who have a rather more urgent need to board the ship; Norma in Jamaica, a teacher who loves her island but feels trapped by the lack of opportunities to advance her career, and her best friend, Lucretia who is excited to make the trip of a lifetime with her; Precious, a privileged young woman from Bermuda whose sudden change in her father's circumstances has meant she is travelling with her friends, Betty and Doris, and three young children; and Chef, whose nickname is more than fitting and who has a plan to gain a berth to London. Some are more instantly likeable than others but their youthful dreams and ambitions, their concerns and their fears ensure they're all utterly relatable and it's abundantly clear just what an enormous chance they are taking leaving their homelands for the unknown.
There are several other characters introduced once the ship sets sail for England and after the fairly linear narrative of the first few chapters, the structure of the novel becomes much looser. The perspective constantly switches between passengers and shifts from first to third person. It can be a little confusing at times but I felt it worked really well in reflecting the mixture of chaos, anxiety and excitement that must have been experienced by the passengers – and in some cases, the crew too. It's worth saying here that Tony Fairweather doesn't sanitise the racist language that was used at the time and while it is (hopefully) offensive to readers today, it's important to acknowledge not only what vitriol was directed at people due to the colour of their skin but also how it made them feel at the time. These words have always been offensive.
This is fiction, of course and as such there are scenes which add further elements of drama and intrigue to the proceedings without necessarily being entirely historically accurate. Nevertheless, some of what occurs has a ring of truth which strongly suggests that though the setting has been changed, the suffering was real. Much of the dialogue is in the Caribbean vernacular and there's a guide at the end of the book to explain any unfamiliar words or phrases, although I was able to figure out the meaning of most of what was said without any difficulties. The characters are all beautifully brought to life and are gloriously real. Considering their ages and that they were confined on the ship together for two weeks, it's not surprising that love affairs developed and there are some passionate encounters that leave nothing to the imagination.
The final part of the novel is arguably the most moving part of the book; as the passengers prepare to disembark, the welcome that awaits them from their family members already in England is overshadowed by the violent prejudice stirred up by the likes of Oswald Moseley, while Parliament and the national Press debate and inflame anti-immigration rhetoric. It's all depressingly familiar. However, as is noted towards the end of Twenty Eight Pounds Ten Shillings, 'The average age of the passengers was twenty-three years old ... many had never seen another country." and so it's this tremendous spirit of adventure and fortitude that should be the lasting impression made by Tony Fairweather's compelling debut. Despite moving to a country which has frequently been less than welcoming, these pioneers made lives for themselves here, raised their families and are as much a part of the nation's history as anybody else. A touching, humbling and inspiring read that will stay with me.
June 2, 2022
In Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shillings: A Windrush Story, by Tony Fairweather, we follow a variety of characters on the two-week journey from Trinidad, Mexico, Jamaica, and Bermuda to Britain on the Empire Windrush in 1948.
While I’ve read quite a few stories about Caribbean people who migrated to Britain after WWII, this is the first one I’ve come across that goes into any sort of detail about the sea crossing, let alone focuses on it. This makes Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shillings an original and especially interesting read, adding an extra dimension to my knowledge of what life was like for the Windrush generation.
For example, I learned that the new arrivals weren’t necessarily completely surprised by the racism they faced when they docked, as they would have experienced it on board from some white crew members, soldiers, and military police officers. They would also have heard from various sources that not everyone in Britain shared the welcoming sentiment in the King’s invitation to come to live and work there. Something else I didn’t previously know was that some of the migrants came from Mexico.
Being privy to so many characters’ thoughts, hopes, and fears gave me a renewed appreciation of how everyone had different motivations and plans for their new life in the ‘Mother Country’. I felt sad knowing that at least some of the characters wouldn’t be allowed to do the jobs they had trained for, and were looking forward to doing, in Britain, and many would have to deal with poor accommodation, discrimination, and (more recently) exile from a country they’d made their home.
This book also successfully conveys how people quickly form relationships and a community when they’re in an unfamiliar situation together. While some of the passengers are travelling in groups of friends of relatives, it doesn’t take long for those who are on their own to make genuine friendships, or groups to link up, and I’d love to read a ‘where are they now?’ follow-up set a few years down the line!
Romance also blossoms for several characters on board, and some of the women characters really come into their own as they explore and consolidate who they are and who they want to be, along with their beliefs and sexuality, among so many of their peers away from the watchful eyes of their home communities. The dances, with music supplied by a Caribbean band and DJ, are exciting and joyous.
However, it’s not all fun and games. As mentioned above, the characters have to contend with racism, from off-hand remarks all the way up to a nasty rape which is, at least, treated very seriously. There are even a few (not necessarily race-related) incidents where characters are killed and seriously injured. This adds another layer of drama that kept me turning the pages, but I’m guessing (hoping!) none of the real sea crossings had such a body count!
Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shillings is original and interesting, and made me feel all kinds of emotions.
While I’ve read quite a few stories about Caribbean people who migrated to Britain after WWII, this is the first one I’ve come across that goes into any sort of detail about the sea crossing, let alone focuses on it. This makes Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shillings an original and especially interesting read, adding an extra dimension to my knowledge of what life was like for the Windrush generation.
For example, I learned that the new arrivals weren’t necessarily completely surprised by the racism they faced when they docked, as they would have experienced it on board from some white crew members, soldiers, and military police officers. They would also have heard from various sources that not everyone in Britain shared the welcoming sentiment in the King’s invitation to come to live and work there. Something else I didn’t previously know was that some of the migrants came from Mexico.
Being privy to so many characters’ thoughts, hopes, and fears gave me a renewed appreciation of how everyone had different motivations and plans for their new life in the ‘Mother Country’. I felt sad knowing that at least some of the characters wouldn’t be allowed to do the jobs they had trained for, and were looking forward to doing, in Britain, and many would have to deal with poor accommodation, discrimination, and (more recently) exile from a country they’d made their home.
This book also successfully conveys how people quickly form relationships and a community when they’re in an unfamiliar situation together. While some of the passengers are travelling in groups of friends of relatives, it doesn’t take long for those who are on their own to make genuine friendships, or groups to link up, and I’d love to read a ‘where are they now?’ follow-up set a few years down the line!
Romance also blossoms for several characters on board, and some of the women characters really come into their own as they explore and consolidate who they are and who they want to be, along with their beliefs and sexuality, among so many of their peers away from the watchful eyes of their home communities. The dances, with music supplied by a Caribbean band and DJ, are exciting and joyous.
However, it’s not all fun and games. As mentioned above, the characters have to contend with racism, from off-hand remarks all the way up to a nasty rape which is, at least, treated very seriously. There are even a few (not necessarily race-related) incidents where characters are killed and seriously injured. This adds another layer of drama that kept me turning the pages, but I’m guessing (hoping!) none of the real sea crossings had such a body count!
Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shillings is original and interesting, and made me feel all kinds of emotions.
June 19, 2022
Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shillings
by Tony Fairweather
In this powerful debut novel, the founder of The Windrush Collection brilliantly re-imagines the stories and experiences of
the passengers on board HMT Empire Windrush.
It is 1948, and post-war Britain is on her knees. The call has gone out to the British Empire for volunteers to help rebuild the ‘Mother Country,’ and young men and women from across the Caribbean have been quick to respond, paying the considerable sum of £28.10 shillings to board HMT Empire Windrush – the ‘ship of dreams’ that will take them to their new lives.
Meet Mavis, a 22-year-old Trinidadian nurse who just wants to see the world. Chef, the best cook on the island, desperate to get to London and his wounded soldier son. Norma, who wants to teach the British how to teach, and her funny best friend Luquser, who is sure that every man wants her, and that English food is very... English.
Their epic journey took two weeks, but for some it was a lifetime. Friendships were made and broken. There were love affairs and fights; dancing and dominoes; gambling and racism. Many of the young people on board that ship had never left their parents or their parishes, let alone their islands. Their lives would never be the same again.
Much has been written about the Windrush generation after their arrival in Britain, but the passengers’ back stories and experiences on board the ship have been little explored – until now. Joyful and poignant, this irresistible debut novel, brings their hopes and dreams to vivid life.
My Thoughts💭
I’m ashamed to say that I know very little about The Windrush Generation and jumped at the chance to read and review this book.
I’m so glad I did because what a ride!
No words I say will ever give this book the justice that it deserves. Suffice to say, I bloody loved it.
Just go and buy it people. NOW!
It’s a magnificent 5🌟review from me👌
Ad|Gifted
Thank you to Random Things Tours and Hope Road Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my own honest review.
by Tony Fairweather
In this powerful debut novel, the founder of The Windrush Collection brilliantly re-imagines the stories and experiences of
the passengers on board HMT Empire Windrush.
It is 1948, and post-war Britain is on her knees. The call has gone out to the British Empire for volunteers to help rebuild the ‘Mother Country,’ and young men and women from across the Caribbean have been quick to respond, paying the considerable sum of £28.10 shillings to board HMT Empire Windrush – the ‘ship of dreams’ that will take them to their new lives.
Meet Mavis, a 22-year-old Trinidadian nurse who just wants to see the world. Chef, the best cook on the island, desperate to get to London and his wounded soldier son. Norma, who wants to teach the British how to teach, and her funny best friend Luquser, who is sure that every man wants her, and that English food is very... English.
Their epic journey took two weeks, but for some it was a lifetime. Friendships were made and broken. There were love affairs and fights; dancing and dominoes; gambling and racism. Many of the young people on board that ship had never left their parents or their parishes, let alone their islands. Their lives would never be the same again.
Much has been written about the Windrush generation after their arrival in Britain, but the passengers’ back stories and experiences on board the ship have been little explored – until now. Joyful and poignant, this irresistible debut novel, brings their hopes and dreams to vivid life.
My Thoughts💭
I’m ashamed to say that I know very little about The Windrush Generation and jumped at the chance to read and review this book.
I’m so glad I did because what a ride!
No words I say will ever give this book the justice that it deserves. Suffice to say, I bloody loved it.
Just go and buy it people. NOW!
It’s a magnificent 5🌟review from me👌
Ad|Gifted
Thank you to Random Things Tours and Hope Road Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my own honest review.
May 26, 2022
📚 Book review - Twenty-Eight pounds Ten Shillings by Tony Fairweather 📚
This book was gifted to me as part of a book tour with @randomthingstour in exchange for an honest review.
Premise:- This novel seeks to highlight and tell the stories of the passengers aboard the HMT Empire Windrush ship that travelled from the Caribbean to England in 1948. This is a true historical event that happened and this group of people are referred to as the Windrush generation. The British Empire called for help and volunteers to help rebuild the “Mother country” after the devastation of World War Two. This novel sheds light on the events that happened during that two week voyage to England. Although this is fictional it is based on true stories that have been gathered and put together to create this powerful narrative.
Thoughts:- I absolutely loved this book, I am being honest when I say I had never heard of the Windrush generation or what it involved but since finishing this book I have looked this historical event up and have been so intrigued in the story. We follow a cast of ten passengers on this ship, I liked that it was multiple perspectives from people from different upbringings, class & geographical areas. It felt authentic. The way this story is told is heartbreaking, I was brought to tears at the end. There are moments of happiness and love and a found family aspect in this novel which I adored. Unfortunately though racism in this time period was horrific and this novel highlights this in an honest but truly gut wrenching way. I really felt for these characters, they all had a story to tell, dreams & aspirations. I read this in a few days I was completely addicted to it. I gave it four stars, I highly recommend this, it’s an important read & Thankyou to Tony Fairweather for writing it and changing the narrative to give the suppressed people of this generation a voice. 👏🏼
This book was gifted to me as part of a book tour with @randomthingstour in exchange for an honest review.
Premise:- This novel seeks to highlight and tell the stories of the passengers aboard the HMT Empire Windrush ship that travelled from the Caribbean to England in 1948. This is a true historical event that happened and this group of people are referred to as the Windrush generation. The British Empire called for help and volunteers to help rebuild the “Mother country” after the devastation of World War Two. This novel sheds light on the events that happened during that two week voyage to England. Although this is fictional it is based on true stories that have been gathered and put together to create this powerful narrative.
Thoughts:- I absolutely loved this book, I am being honest when I say I had never heard of the Windrush generation or what it involved but since finishing this book I have looked this historical event up and have been so intrigued in the story. We follow a cast of ten passengers on this ship, I liked that it was multiple perspectives from people from different upbringings, class & geographical areas. It felt authentic. The way this story is told is heartbreaking, I was brought to tears at the end. There are moments of happiness and love and a found family aspect in this novel which I adored. Unfortunately though racism in this time period was horrific and this novel highlights this in an honest but truly gut wrenching way. I really felt for these characters, they all had a story to tell, dreams & aspirations. I read this in a few days I was completely addicted to it. I gave it four stars, I highly recommend this, it’s an important read & Thankyou to Tony Fairweather for writing it and changing the narrative to give the suppressed people of this generation a voice. 👏🏼
June 28, 2022
Twenty Eight Pounds and Ten Shillings: A Windrush Story recounts the history of those young Caribbean people who responded to the call from the British Empire for men and women to help rebuild the “Mother Country” after the Second World War.
On paper, this does not sound new but Fairweather’s novel is nothing like other books about the Windrush generation. I have learned so many things I couldn’t suspect through this reading.
The narrative is focused on the two-week journey aboard the HMT Empire Windrush – the “ship of dreams” that would take the West Indians from Trinidad to Kingston, via Mexico and Bermuda to finally disembark in Essex, on 21 June 1948.
It’s also a book where facts meet fiction. While you will find yourself laughing and crying over the friendships, romances, jealousy, resilience and racism, you will also feel for those passengers, soldiers and staff when you read about their backstories. And yes the author has created those characters but they are based on stories told by his elders and his community.
Overall, this book brilliantly highlights the misconceptions that most of us can hold of the Windrush passengers.
These young kids, who came with hopes, fears and dreams were qualified people – teachers, nurses, cooks, and plumbers.
They were coming to do business and most of them expected to return to their country and families after the five years they had to stay in the UK.
Including other crucial issues such as the lack of respect and recognition felt by the West Indian soldiers regarding their wartime efforts, this book was a very easy and interesting read.
++ I loved that the author has provided a glossary in the book as the dialogues are written using the patois of Jamaica and Trinidad.
On paper, this does not sound new but Fairweather’s novel is nothing like other books about the Windrush generation. I have learned so many things I couldn’t suspect through this reading.
The narrative is focused on the two-week journey aboard the HMT Empire Windrush – the “ship of dreams” that would take the West Indians from Trinidad to Kingston, via Mexico and Bermuda to finally disembark in Essex, on 21 June 1948.
It’s also a book where facts meet fiction. While you will find yourself laughing and crying over the friendships, romances, jealousy, resilience and racism, you will also feel for those passengers, soldiers and staff when you read about their backstories. And yes the author has created those characters but they are based on stories told by his elders and his community.
Overall, this book brilliantly highlights the misconceptions that most of us can hold of the Windrush passengers.
These young kids, who came with hopes, fears and dreams were qualified people – teachers, nurses, cooks, and plumbers.
They were coming to do business and most of them expected to return to their country and families after the five years they had to stay in the UK.
Including other crucial issues such as the lack of respect and recognition felt by the West Indian soldiers regarding their wartime efforts, this book was a very easy and interesting read.
++ I loved that the author has provided a glossary in the book as the dialogues are written using the patois of Jamaica and Trinidad.
May 30, 2022
Twenty-Eight Pounds, Ten Shillings - the cost of a single ticket to 'The Motherland'. Sadly, for many of those onboard HMT Windrush they were soon to find out that this was not going to be the only price they had to pay. This is a story of found families, love, friendship and humour laced with equal amounts of racism, hatred tragedy and pain.
Although a story of fiction the characters and their experiences in this book are all sadly based on real life facts which makes this read that little bit more gut-wrenching. This is one of those books that I honestly feel should be made a compulsory read for everybody as the voices of the Windrush generation need and deserve to be heard.
𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 @randomthingstours 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 @hoperoadpublishing 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 #𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 🥰
Although a story of fiction the characters and their experiences in this book are all sadly based on real life facts which makes this read that little bit more gut-wrenching. This is one of those books that I honestly feel should be made a compulsory read for everybody as the voices of the Windrush generation need and deserve to be heard.
𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 @randomthingstours 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 @hoperoadpublishing 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 #𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 🥰
August 23, 2024
I loved that they didn’t undermine the individuality of each different Caribbean country and that much of the dialog was written in patois. I did wish it explored more of that experience though, I’m sure there are other books that go further but it felt kind of lacking and the ending was quite abrupt. You could tell the writer did a lot of research into the relevant historical context to create a breadth of different characters. But in the end, there way too many, I really didn’t know who to care about and who was only getting a paragraph for the whole book. I think the writing style made it tough to do it any other way.
June 10, 2022
Twenty eight pounds and ten shillings was the cost of your ticket aboard 'the ship of dreams' HMT Empire Windrush for your passage to a new life, the Motherland.
Based on true events, the book is both powerful and conveys a strong message of hope for so many. Some having never left their homes and their loved ones before. Not knowing what to expect or how they were going to be welcomed must have been such a nerve wracking experience.
From stowaways, rape, murder and racism, to friendships formed, the book highlights unseen events that may have taken place during those days at sea.
TEPTS is a very well written, thought provoking and hard hitting read. It does have its lighter moments, the Caribbean band, Lucretia's wind problem and John Crow Batty rum.
Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Based on true events, the book is both powerful and conveys a strong message of hope for so many. Some having never left their homes and their loved ones before. Not knowing what to expect or how they were going to be welcomed must have been such a nerve wracking experience.
From stowaways, rape, murder and racism, to friendships formed, the book highlights unseen events that may have taken place during those days at sea.
TEPTS is a very well written, thought provoking and hard hitting read. It does have its lighter moments, the Caribbean band, Lucretia's wind problem and John Crow Batty rum.
Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2022
An excellent read, telling the stories that have never been told, of people's journeys on Windrush. West Indians enticed to the Mother Land, with false promises of streets paved in gold!
October 7, 2022
Wow what a read you can really imagine the Windrush journey to England being like this and all the different characters that would be on the ship.
June 28, 2023
I thought the information, story and background was really interesting but I the style of writing is not for me. I prefer writing that shows rather than tells
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