Celia's mother died bringing her into the world - when one soul flies in, another flies out, her aunt Tassi says. So she lives in Black Rock, Tobago, with her cousins and Tassi's second husband Roman, a man so sly he could crawl under a snake's belly on stilts. Celia thinks he's the devil, so when he does something that proves her right, she runs away to Trinidad and a new life in service. A lyrical novel, Amanda Smyth's writing matches the lushness of the vivid tropical landscape. Black Rock is tinged with a sense of the supernatural.
Black Rock
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Review
'A beautiful, lyrical novel' - Sunday Tribune -- Sunday Tribune
'A captivating read' - Irish Times
-- Irish Times
'A lovely piece of storytelling' - Waterstone's Books Quarterly -- Waterstone's Books Quarterly
'Smyth's story is a powerful, authentic one and Celia is an appealing, earthy, yet spiritual heroine' - Lesley McDowell, Independent on Sunday -- Lesley McDowell, Independent on Sunday
`Smyth vividly and empathetically re-creates the gender and racial tensions in a culture's past, making them newly relevant.'
-- Elle USA
`Tropical landscape, realistic dialogue and a strong plotline make this debut a winner' - Image Magazine -- Image Magazine
'A captivating read' - Irish Times
-- Irish Times
'A lovely piece of storytelling' - Waterstone's Books Quarterly -- Waterstone's Books Quarterly
'Smyth's story is a powerful, authentic one and Celia is an appealing, earthy, yet spiritual heroine' - Lesley McDowell, Independent on Sunday -- Lesley McDowell, Independent on Sunday
`Smyth vividly and empathetically re-creates the gender and racial tensions in a culture's past, making them newly relevant.'
-- Elle USA
`Tropical landscape, realistic dialogue and a strong plotline make this debut a winner' - Image Magazine -- Image Magazine
Review
`A powerful cocktail of heat and beautiful coolness' - Ali Smith
'Smyth's story is a powerful, authentic one and Celia is an appealing, earthy, yet spiritual heroine' - Lesley McDowell, Independent on Sunday
'Smyth's story is a powerful, authentic one and Celia is an appealing, earthy, yet spiritual heroine' - Lesley McDowell, Independent on Sunday
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First Sentence
I knew about my parents from the things I was told, I had never seen a photograph of either of them because there weren't any. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
I knew about my parents from the things I was told, I had never seen a photograph of either of them because there weren't any. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Four Violets
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This book was a complete treat which I really looked forward to reading and was sorry to finish. Amanda Smyth is a truly talented writer who has conjured up an entirely believable story that mesmerised me from the first page. Celia is a young girl from Tobago who tries to find a life for herself after a shocking event drives her from home. It is a tribute to the author that in spite of there being so many characters they are all memorable and distinguishable. Possibly its more a book for women; and possibly the reader can perceive more than Celia herself - but I don't see this as a weakness. I would certainly look out for any future books by Amanda Smyth.
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By kehs
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Smyth pulled me into Celia's story from the very first page and I could not put it down. I read it in one sitting. Her writing is so captivating and evocative. The characters are bought to life on the pages and I was drawn into their lives. When Celia runs away and tries to make a new beginning for herself things soon become complicated. She gets herself involved with 2 men, one who loves her with his whole heart and the other who fills her life with passion. Soon her life becomes filled with confusion as she tries to choose between the two of them. On top of that she is also trying to find her father of whom she knows very little. I have to say that I did guess the final scenes but even so, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of this fabulous novel that is the author's first novel. If this is the standard of her first book then I cannot wait to read her future works because Black Rock is a superb read that left my head filled with wonderful imagery due to the lushness of Smyth's writing style. This is a poignant novel that is full of warmth, sorrow, hope and includes hints of the supernatural. Apparently, the story was inspired by an event from Smyth's own family's past. It's certainly a vividly told tale and the film rights have already been sold so I recommend you get a copy of the book to read first!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Dinky
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Black Rock examines the life of someone whose life doesn't seem to be her own. Smart and beautiful but poor and black, Celia can't escape the bad luck which a neighbour foretells for her. In the end, she makes her peace with the blows brought on her by fate: her decision to face her pain makes her stronger as she looks to the future.
Told mainly from Celia's perspective, Smyth's writing resonates with the colours and the rythms of Tobago. She writes from Celia's perspective convincingly. Celia's story may be another variation of previous personal tales of life in islands colonized by white men -- according to the information on Black Rock, this is based on a true story -- but it is well-written and readable. You could argue that the other characters aren't as fleshed out, but this really is a young woman's story, not a case study. Its interest lies not in being balanced or fair to everyone involved but in Celia telling you what happened to her and what she did. I felt sympathy for Celia and those whom she loved and could only put the book down with difficulty.
Told mainly from Celia's perspective, Smyth's writing resonates with the colours and the rythms of Tobago. She writes from Celia's perspective convincingly. Celia's story may be another variation of previous personal tales of life in islands colonized by white men -- according to the information on Black Rock, this is based on a true story -- but it is well-written and readable. You could argue that the other characters aren't as fleshed out, but this really is a young woman's story, not a case study. Its interest lies not in being balanced or fair to everyone involved but in Celia telling you what happened to her and what she did. I felt sympathy for Celia and those whom she loved and could only put the book down with difficulty.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Blighted Life
Amanda Smyth's first novel is set in Tobago and Trinidad in (I think!) the late 1950s and tells the story of Celia, a young girl whose life appears blighted by misfortune. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kate Hopkins
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simple words, deep emotions.
This is one of those books that I will want to finish reading in one sitting. I would not want to put it down simply because the story was so captivating. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Tham Chee Wah
3.0 out of 5 stars
"Better to marry someone from your own town."
Amanda Smyth writes exceedingly well about Celia, her protagonist, who is orphaned, at her birth. Celia asks touching questions about her mother, but though Aunt Tassie reassures... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Eileen Shaw
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent debut novel
I really enjoyed this book, set in Tobago. I loved the colourful descriptions of the island, its inhabitants and its culture. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Leicsliz
4.0 out of 5 stars
Black Rock
If it wasn't for the tired plot of this novel it would easily be five stars for the quality of the writing which is rich and evocative. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Moonlit
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Beach Read
A perfect summer read: I liked the tone of the book and the Caribbean accent in which it was written. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Mrs. L. Sleath
2.0 out of 5 stars
i didn't like it.
This book just didn't work for me, slow pacing and unengaging characters left me rather cold. I'm aware that this is purely a personal thing but the narrative just felt wrong to... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Ed F
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely, but sad
This is the story of Celia, a young girl living in Black Rock, Tobago, with her aunt Tassi and her family. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Nicola
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mesmerising - read it!
I heard Amanda Smyth read live from Black Rock and was smitten by her tone of voice that reflected the novel's mood: sunny on the surface, but very shady if you go deeper. Read more
Published on 25 July 2010 by Lou Ice
4.0 out of 5 stars
The "Outside" Woman
Amanda Smyth is a true Trini - obvious from her knowledge of Trinidad & Tobago. Celia, the main character, becomes what Trinidadians term an "outside" woman - this is a colourful... Read more
Published on 18 July 2010 by Singapore Relic
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