Play Book Tag discussion

This was a fresh and interesting debut novel, shortlisted for the Booker Prize last year. The story examines the lives of a Jamaican family who emigrate to the United States, with a particular focus on the younger son Trelawney. The chapters switch POVs, so it sometimes reads like short stories (especially the chapter featuring Trelawney and Delano’s cousin, who is barely mentioned elsewhere). My take on it was that the novel looks at what it means to belong somewhere - or what it takes to feel you belong somewhere - with accompanying discussions about nationality, race and identity. As the title suggests, it’s also about survival and in particular how to survive in a complicated family situation, with broken ties of love or responsibility to one another.

Not a novel to enjoy as such, though it has its funny, dramatic and poignant moments, but certainly thought-provoking. I don’t mind ambiguity or unresolved situations in novels but there were a few too many threads in this one that didn’t connect in a way that made sense to me - particularly, I think, the character of the boys’ father. And it was uneven: it started very strong but I found the ending a bit of a fizzle. I dithered about whether to give it three or four stars but have settled on four as the writing and concepts are strong and it wouldn’t have taken much to make things click better for me.

Team: Sassy Sisterhood. Extra for E. Tagged x 12

Great review! I just finished this one a couple of days ago too. Similarly, it started well but I was just so sad for them all at the end. It did fizzle but agree on good writing.

So sad! I just wanted to shake Trelawney at times - so brilliant and yet so insecure that he was constantly repeating mistakes …

Yes, his family just kind of dumped him and he continued to react to them as a kid and Cukie, what was he thinking?!