Carnival: A Novel

by Robert Antoni

Robert Antoni has established himself as one of the most innovative voices to emerge from the Caribbean and the Americas. His ambitious third novel, Carnival, takes us on an expedition that stretches from contemporary New York City to the glitter of Trinidadian Carnival, and deep into the island's mountainous interior. Narrator William Fletcher is an aspiring novelist who has come to New York to escape his affluent West Indian roots. A chance meeting in a Greenwich Village bar reunites him with two of his childhood companions: Laurence and the vivacious and stunning Rachel, William's first love. Together, the three make a liquor-soaked pledge to return "home" to Trinidad for Carnival. The festival starts with passion and pleasure, but the Carnival ecstasy slides into a fog of ganja, alcohol, and the endless calypso beat. As William, Rachel, and Laurence journey to a remote area of the rainforest to "cool down" after the festival, the three hope for a secret paradise, hidden "behind God's back," to begin anew. But even here the demons of history, prejudice, and hatred violently intrude, as the novel's startling conclusion forces them to face both the power-and impotence-of human resilience and human love.

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Robert Antoni was born in the United States in 1958, and he carries three passports: US, Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas. His fictional world is the island of Corpus Christi, and to create it he draws upon his two hundred years or family history In Trinidad and Tobago and his upbringing in the Bahamas. His first novel, Divina Trace, was published in 1991 by the Overlook Press in New York1 and by Quartet in London. It received the Commonwealth Writers Prize, an NEA, James Michener and Orowitz fellowships. His second novel, Blessed is the Fruit, was published by Henry Holt in 1997 and in London by Faber & Faber. His story collection, My Grandmother’s Erotic Folktales was published in London by Faber & Faber in 20OO and in New York by Grove/Atlantic in 2001. My Grandmother’s Erotic Folktales appeared in French translation (Du Rocher)-, and it has been translated into Finnish (LIKE) Spanish (Anagrama). His most recent novel, Carnival, was published in New York by Grove/Atlantic (Black Cat) in 2OO5 and it has appeared in French translation (Denoel) and in Finnish (LIKEO). Carnival will appear in Spanish (Anagrama) and it will be published in London by Faber g Faber to coincide a reprinting of Divina
Trace in 2006. Carnival was short—listed for the Commonwealth Writers Prize 2006. Antoni’s short fiction has appeared in Conjunctions, The Paris Review, Ploughshares and other periodicals and it was included in the Editors Choice for 1985, The Oxford Book or Caribbean Short Stories in as well as other anthologies. He was awarded the Aga Khan prize for Fiction in 1999 by the Paris Review, where he is a Contributing Editor. He is also a Senior Editor or Conjunctions where he was co-editor, along with Bradford Morrow, of an Anthology or Caribbean writing titled Archipelago (Conjunctions 27). Antoni has given upwards or a hundred readings around the United States and the Caribbean, in addition to the ICA in London and the Harbourfront in Toronto. He holds an MA from Johns Hopkins University, an MFA and a PhD from the Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa. He is a former Associate Professor or creative writing and Caribbean 1iterature at the university or Miami where he taught for nine years until flay 2001. While at the university of Miami he acted as Associate Director of their Caribbean Writers Summer Institute. He presently 1ives in New York and he teaches Fiction Writing at Columbia University.

Reviews

[Katri Alatalo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olipas jännä ja omalaatuinen tarina ja jotenkin epätasainen kirja. Ihanaa mutta liiallista kuvausta. Suuria juonellisia juttuja, jotka eivät oikein johda mihinkään. Herkullisen mutkikkaita henkilösuhteita, jotka jätetään vain roikkumaan... Mutta vei minut niin itselle vieraaseen kulttuuriin, että tuntui melkein astumiselta toiselle planeetalle. Todella, todella kiehtova matka siis loppujen lopuksi.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I was not expecting this book. I bought it on a whim (read: very, very inexpensive and the back of the book sounded cool) and put it beside my toilet where it would get the most use. Based on the blurb, it’s a book about a guy who is a writer that goes to Carnival and smokes some weed. It is NOT that book. I actually would have preferred a warning of sorts that there is some sexual, physical, and psychological abuse in the story, so I’m sending that warning out to others in case you’re as sensitive as me.

So this character (whose name is barely mentioned, I think it was William) seems to be in love with his only real friend, Laurence. I think he idolizes the guy, but he can’t quite become him so he just looks on and tries not to be awkward around him. Then William’s hot cousin Rachel shows up, who he’s also in love with, but can’t be with (maybe because she’s his cousin?) and they all agree to meet up at Carnival in the Caribbean where they grew up or spent much time, the details are hazy.

So they go. This is the one redeeming part of the book for me, the actual Carnival. The parts that take place in New York are about playing tennis badly and going to bars, so not very good. When they get to the Caribbean, Antoni starts describing things that actually matter, and the book gains some headway. I would be far kinder in reviewing this book if the whole book had the passion, color, and life that the description of the parade had. But instead, Antoni painstakingly describes the protagonist’s awkward interactions with people, and his sexual inadequacies and perversions. I really enjoy a love story, a sex scene, or even well-played longing. This book had none of those things; instead there was real rape, unwanted gay advances, fake rape, assault. I wish it was easier to enjoy the beauty of the carnival dances, or the music, or the sea turtle that makes a late appearance as my favorite character. Antoni simply smashes that beauty into something ugly like punching a supermodel, using dark plot points to punctuate an otherwise pleasant experience.



Plot: Not much to speak of
Descriptions: Fantastic
Worth reading? If you’re interested in the culture of the Caribbean during Carnival.
Overall score: 5 / 10

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Iowa Writers' Workshop strikes again! I started reading this book on my way to Carnival in Trinidad, and it was a good introduction into what I had gotten myself into! Granted, Carnival serves as a backdrop for a group of friends who have left Trinidad for various reasons (searching for some things, running from others), and decide to return together to Carnival after a chance reunion in New York. Antoni has an interesting style of writing, and though the story is slow in parts, he vividly captures the sights and sounds of the Carnival experience. He would have done well to be as descriptive with some of his characters. All in all, a worthwhile and enjoyable read.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at class/race/culture set against the backdrop of Carnival in Trinidad.

[Justin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not very impressed.

[Shelley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing.