Nia Forrester’s Reviews > Waiting in Vain > Status Update

Okay, I’m back. I know what it was now. I was not in the mood for writing of this complexity when I first started this, even though I appreciated it for its artistry. Now that I’m in the thick of it, I am thoroughly in love with Colin Channer’s voice. Another Jamaican writer to crush on. And the love story of Fire and Sylvia ... both modern and timeless. I feel anxious, yet reluctant to know how it ends.

I like that the author is, even this early on, able to convey such a strong sense of place (Jamaica, New York, London) and draw such three-dimensional characters. His ear for Jamaican dialect is flawless. His narrative voice is sometimes a little dense and overwrought for my taste though. (Not EVERYTHING needs to be described with a metaphor.) But so far, this definitely feels like one to savor, and read slowly.