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Review
"So touching and familiar it could be happening to any of us . . . and that's exactly the book's strength, its wisdom, its truth."--"The New York Times Book Review"
"So neon-bright that the traditional story of a young girl's passage into adolescence takes on a shimmering strangeness."--Elaine Kendall, "The Los Angeles Times "
"So neon-bright that the traditional story of a young girl's passage into adolescence takes on a shimmering strangeness."--Elaine Kendall, "The Los Angeles Times "
Product Description
The island of Antigua is a magical place: growing up there should be a sojourn in paradise for young Annie John. But, as in the basket of green figs carried on her mother's head, there is a snake hidden somewhere within. Annie John begins by adoring her beautiful mother, but inexplicably she comes to hate her. Adolescence takes this brilliant, headstrong girl into open rebellions and secret discoveries - and finally to a crisis of emotions that wrenches her away from her island home.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I consider Annie as one of or perhaps Kincaid's best written novels. It successfully and succinctly describes the unsettling feelings of a young girl growing up into adulthood, who having lived a life sheltered by her parents, must find a path by herself because her parents could not relate to the transition in her life, a transition that is different from the life her parents were used to. This book brilliantly explored the relationship between a mother and her rapidly maturing daughter and will serve as a helpful story to mothers and daughters the world over. This is one enjoyable , emotional and truthful story you will cherish.
Also recommended are: The usurper and Other Stories, Disciples of Fortune, A Small place
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Jamaica Kincaid's novel follows Annie John from childhood through her teenage years. Annie John is an intelligent only child, worshipped by her parents, who slowly grows beyond them and her childhood friends. The novel focuses on Annie's relationship with her mother, which goes from adoration to naked hatred as she grows up. Written very much from Annie's viewpoint, the novel explores authority in its various forms; from the classic authority figures of parents and teachers through to the way Annie holds court over her friends.
It's a nicely written book and an easy read, depicting the self-centred and often selfish innocence of youth totally realistically and yet, for me, it just wasn't that appealing a read. Annie John is not a sympathetic character and for all I felt that I was supposed to side with her in her rebelliousness, as she broke free from childhood, this often just felt like being asked to side with a spoilt child's petulance. Additionally, as a portrait of a mother-daughter relationship it is completely one-sided; we never know how her mother really feels about her. It is also somewhat strange that a novel about teenage years runs its entire course without any mention of the opposite sex: Annie's adolescence is marked only by a curiosity about her own changing physical appearance. And then there is the inexplicable weather-related illness which seems neither to forward the plot nor add to the characterisation of either Annie or her parents.
Kincaid writes beautifully about Antigua and its people and creates a very evocative picture of childhood there but for me, I just never really cared about Annie John and that's a key problem in a novel bearing her name.
It's a nicely written book and an easy read, depicting the self-centred and often selfish innocence of youth totally realistically and yet, for me, it just wasn't that appealing a read. Annie John is not a sympathetic character and for all I felt that I was supposed to side with her in her rebelliousness, as she broke free from childhood, this often just felt like being asked to side with a spoilt child's petulance. Additionally, as a portrait of a mother-daughter relationship it is completely one-sided; we never know how her mother really feels about her. It is also somewhat strange that a novel about teenage years runs its entire course without any mention of the opposite sex: Annie's adolescence is marked only by a curiosity about her own changing physical appearance. And then there is the inexplicable weather-related illness which seems neither to forward the plot nor add to the characterisation of either Annie or her parents.
Kincaid writes beautifully about Antigua and its people and creates a very evocative picture of childhood there but for me, I just never really cared about Annie John and that's a key problem in a novel bearing her name.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fantastic insights into the difficulty of the mother/child seperation from the perspective of the child. Insightful reading for mothers of teenagers.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Book review
"Annie John" finally arrived, some eight days after the last likely delivery date given. The book is in fair condition.
Published on 4 Jan 2010 by Mrs. Jeanice E. Singh
An Angel guided the authors hand
A book of wonder. I read the book at one go. Divinely written. Jamaica Kincaid has the most exceptional writing talent, I have ever seen.
A lovely, uplifting novel. Read more
A lovely, uplifting novel. Read more
Published on 13 Jun 2004
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