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Product Description
Independent on Sunday, January 21, 2004
‘Powerful...rigorous...bittersweet...touching’
Review
A brilliantly deft and humane account of two ordinary couples in post-war London Evening Standard, 3 February 2004 (Evening Standard 20040125)
Small Island is never less than finely-written, delicately and often comically observed, and impressively rich in detail and little nuggets of stories Evening Standard, 2 February 2004 (Evening Standard 20040123)
Small Island is as full of warmth and jokes and humanity as you could wish...Such a rich saga, stuffed full of interlocking narratives Time Out, 2 February 2004 (Time Out 20031001)
An involving saga about the changing face of Britain Mirror, 6 February 2004 (Mirror 20031001)
Its an engrossing read - slyly funny, passionately angry and wholly involving Daily Mail, 6 February 2004 (Daily Mail 20031001)
I know it is a fiction, but I emerged from the book full of admiration for the patience and resilience of that generation...Levy has written one of those rare fictions that tells you things you didn't know but feel you should have known...the writing is deft and striking, without being pretentious Sunday Herald, 8/2/04 (Sunday Herald 20031001)
With this funny, tender, intelligent fourth novel Andrea Levy looks set to become as commercially popular as she is critically acclaimed Sainsburys magazine, February 2004 (Sainsburys magazine 20040919)
An impressive break-through novel Publishing News, 23/1/04 (Publishing News 20041204)
It is a work of great imaginative power which ranks alongside Sam Selvons THE LONELY LONDONERS, George Lammings THE EMIGRANTS and Caryl Phillips THE FINAL PASSAGE in dealing with the experience of migration Linton Kwesi Johnson (Linton Kwesi Johnson 20040613)
What makes Levys writing so appealing is her even-handedness. All her characters can be weak, hopeless, brave, good, bad - whatever their colour. The writing is rigorous and the bittersweet ending, with its unexpected twist, touching... People can retain great dignity, however small their island Independent on Sunday, 25/1/04 (Independent on Sunday 20040608)
A bevy of luminaries have garlanded Andrea Levys fourth novel with advance praise - and its no surprise. Using elements of her own family background, Levy has vividly animated London in the immediate aftermath of World War II... She weaves a wonderfully detailed and vibrant story Red magazine, February 2004 issue (Red magazine, February 2004 issue 20040710)
A terrific book Alan Plater (Alan Plater 20040711)
Wonderful...seamless...a magnificent achievement Linda Grant (Linda Grant 20041009)
A cracking good read...I think what appealed to me most was the passion and anger in the writing all the way through, yet it was always leavened with a particularly wry sort of humour the sort that, tho you find yourself smiling, you at the same time realise you almost shouldnt be Margaret Forster (Margaret Forster 20041030)
I enjoyed SMALL ISLAND enormously and wish it every success. It conjures up so vividly the era of the 1940s and expresses so vividly through the lives of its four protagonists the conflicts and racist attitudes that existed at that time. A wonderful insight into a little understood period Joan Bakewell (Joan Bakewell 20041017)
A worthy winner of the 2004 Orange Prize for Fiction...Levy does not set out to preach, and her light touch, wry humour and down-to-earth, almost gossipy tone make this novel as readable as it is challenging The Sunday Times, 19/9/04 (The Sunday Times 20041015)
Small Island is a brilliant picture of the dented dreams of Jamaicans in post-war Britain Financial Times, Dec 04 (Financial Times 20041126)
Soon you will be enchanted. It is good enough to compete against anything written this year Jasper Gerard, News Review, Sunday Times 13/6/04 (Jasper Gerard, News Review, Sunday Times 20040531)
Small Island is an astonishing tour de force by Andrea Levy. Juggling four voices, she illuminates a little known aspect of recent British history with wit and wisdom. A compassionate account of the problems of post war immigration, it cannot fail to have a strong modern resonance Sandi Toksvig, Orange Prize judge, 8/6/04 (Sandi Toksvig, Orange Prize judge 20041128)
Levy offers her readers rich satisfaction from both story and character The Times, 10/7/04 (The Times 20050215)
This won the Orange prize for its insight, compassion, wealth of historical details and its cracking plot Independent on Sunday, 11/7/04 (Independent on Sunday 20050612)
Levys trinity of voices gently refutes the idea that the story of West Indian immigration has anything to do with (free) teeth or glasses Guardian, 9/10/04 (Guardian 20040615)
The small islands of Andrea Levys title are not Britain, Jamaica or the outlying Caribbean islands - they are the blinkered mindsets of both the hopelessly optimistic West Indians and the reflexively racist Britons who have to learn to live together both during and after the war. But Levys concern is not to browbeat but to educate and entertain. This deserving winner of the Orange Prize never loses its wit, energy or power Observer, 30/10/04 (Observer 20040221)
A touching, eloquently written storyAndrea Levy expertly captures the turbulence of a time of momentous change Sunday Telegraph, 17/10/04 (Sunday Telegraph 20040214)
Its more than a novel, its a recreation of a largely unexplored episode of our historythe narrative voices seem so authentic that it is easy to become lost in their sometimes dark, sometimes joyous worlds Daily Express, 15/10/04 (Daily Express 20040213)
Levy handles themes of empire, prejudice, war and love with a lightness of touch and an uplifting generosity of spirit Age, Melbourne (Age, Melbourne 20040213)
Levy tactfully delves into her family history while tackling the heavy issues of prejudice, assimilation and love in the ordinary lives of Jamaican migrants MX, Melbourne, 31/5/04 (MX, Melbourne 20040229)
Levys book brings freshness and humour as well as indignation and pity to its survey of social and racial prejudice half a century ago The Sunday Times, 28/11/04 (The Sunday Times 20040612)
A spellbinding story An enthralling tour de force that animates a chapter in the history of empire Kirkus Reviews (Kirkus Reviews 20050616)
Levys must-read novel seems to gain stature with time Sunday Express magazine, 12/6/05 (Sunday Express magazine 20041017)
What a deserved winner she is. It was a very good shortlist but in my opinion Small Island stood out at the longlist stage - for its writing, its wit and the impressively light touch she brought to the subject Minette Walters, 15/6/04 (Minette Walters 20040504)
Small Island operates on a larger canvas than Levys previous novels. Its neither splashy nor experimental, but for thoughtfulness & wry humour cannot be faulted Telegraph 21/2/04 (Telegraph 20040501)
Small Island is a great read, delivering the sort of pleasure which has been the traditional stock-in-trade of a long line of English novelists. Its honest, skilful, thoughtful and important. This is Andrea Levys bi
‘Powerful...rigorous...bittersweet...touching’
Review
A brilliantly deft and humane account of two ordinary couples in post-war London Evening Standard, 3 February 2004 (Evening Standard 20040125)
Small Island is never less than finely-written, delicately and often comically observed, and impressively rich in detail and little nuggets of stories Evening Standard, 2 February 2004 (Evening Standard 20040123)
Small Island is as full of warmth and jokes and humanity as you could wish...Such a rich saga, stuffed full of interlocking narratives Time Out, 2 February 2004 (Time Out 20031001)
An involving saga about the changing face of Britain Mirror, 6 February 2004 (Mirror 20031001)
Its an engrossing read - slyly funny, passionately angry and wholly involving Daily Mail, 6 February 2004 (Daily Mail 20031001)
I know it is a fiction, but I emerged from the book full of admiration for the patience and resilience of that generation...Levy has written one of those rare fictions that tells you things you didn't know but feel you should have known...the writing is deft and striking, without being pretentious Sunday Herald, 8/2/04 (Sunday Herald 20031001)
With this funny, tender, intelligent fourth novel Andrea Levy looks set to become as commercially popular as she is critically acclaimed Sainsburys magazine, February 2004 (Sainsburys magazine 20040919)
An impressive break-through novel Publishing News, 23/1/04 (Publishing News 20041204)
It is a work of great imaginative power which ranks alongside Sam Selvons THE LONELY LONDONERS, George Lammings THE EMIGRANTS and Caryl Phillips THE FINAL PASSAGE in dealing with the experience of migration Linton Kwesi Johnson (Linton Kwesi Johnson 20040613)
What makes Levys writing so appealing is her even-handedness. All her characters can be weak, hopeless, brave, good, bad - whatever their colour. The writing is rigorous and the bittersweet ending, with its unexpected twist, touching... People can retain great dignity, however small their island Independent on Sunday, 25/1/04 (Independent on Sunday 20040608)
A bevy of luminaries have garlanded Andrea Levys fourth novel with advance praise - and its no surprise. Using elements of her own family background, Levy has vividly animated London in the immediate aftermath of World War II... She weaves a wonderfully detailed and vibrant story Red magazine, February 2004 issue (Red magazine, February 2004 issue 20040710)
A terrific book Alan Plater (Alan Plater 20040711)
Wonderful...seamless...a magnificent achievement Linda Grant (Linda Grant 20041009)
A cracking good read...I think what appealed to me most was the passion and anger in the writing all the way through, yet it was always leavened with a particularly wry sort of humour the sort that, tho you find yourself smiling, you at the same time realise you almost shouldnt be Margaret Forster (Margaret Forster 20041030)
I enjoyed SMALL ISLAND enormously and wish it every success. It conjures up so vividly the era of the 1940s and expresses so vividly through the lives of its four protagonists the conflicts and racist attitudes that existed at that time. A wonderful insight into a little understood period Joan Bakewell (Joan Bakewell 20041017)
A worthy winner of the 2004 Orange Prize for Fiction...Levy does not set out to preach, and her light touch, wry humour and down-to-earth, almost gossipy tone make this novel as readable as it is challenging The Sunday Times, 19/9/04 (The Sunday Times 20041015)
Small Island is a brilliant picture of the dented dreams of Jamaicans in post-war Britain Financial Times, Dec 04 (Financial Times 20041126)
Soon you will be enchanted. It is good enough to compete against anything written this year Jasper Gerard, News Review, Sunday Times 13/6/04 (Jasper Gerard, News Review, Sunday Times 20040531)
Small Island is an astonishing tour de force by Andrea Levy. Juggling four voices, she illuminates a little known aspect of recent British history with wit and wisdom. A compassionate account of the problems of post war immigration, it cannot fail to have a strong modern resonance Sandi Toksvig, Orange Prize judge, 8/6/04 (Sandi Toksvig, Orange Prize judge 20041128)
Levy offers her readers rich satisfaction from both story and character The Times, 10/7/04 (The Times 20050215)
This won the Orange prize for its insight, compassion, wealth of historical details and its cracking plot Independent on Sunday, 11/7/04 (Independent on Sunday 20050612)
Levys trinity of voices gently refutes the idea that the story of West Indian immigration has anything to do with (free) teeth or glasses Guardian, 9/10/04 (Guardian 20040615)
The small islands of Andrea Levys title are not Britain, Jamaica or the outlying Caribbean islands - they are the blinkered mindsets of both the hopelessly optimistic West Indians and the reflexively racist Britons who have to learn to live together both during and after the war. But Levys concern is not to browbeat but to educate and entertain. This deserving winner of the Orange Prize never loses its wit, energy or power Observer, 30/10/04 (Observer 20040221)
A touching, eloquently written storyAndrea Levy expertly captures the turbulence of a time of momentous change Sunday Telegraph, 17/10/04 (Sunday Telegraph 20040214)
Its more than a novel, its a recreation of a largely unexplored episode of our historythe narrative voices seem so authentic that it is easy to become lost in their sometimes dark, sometimes joyous worlds Daily Express, 15/10/04 (Daily Express 20040213)
Levy handles themes of empire, prejudice, war and love with a lightness of touch and an uplifting generosity of spirit Age, Melbourne (Age, Melbourne 20040213)
Levy tactfully delves into her family history while tackling the heavy issues of prejudice, assimilation and love in the ordinary lives of Jamaican migrants MX, Melbourne, 31/5/04 (MX, Melbourne 20040229)
Levys book brings freshness and humour as well as indignation and pity to its survey of social and racial prejudice half a century ago The Sunday Times, 28/11/04 (The Sunday Times 20040612)
A spellbinding story An enthralling tour de force that animates a chapter in the history of empire Kirkus Reviews (Kirkus Reviews 20050616)
Levys must-read novel seems to gain stature with time Sunday Express magazine, 12/6/05 (Sunday Express magazine 20041017)
What a deserved winner she is. It was a very good shortlist but in my opinion Small Island stood out at the longlist stage - for its writing, its wit and the impressively light touch she brought to the subject Minette Walters, 15/6/04 (Minette Walters 20040504)
Small Island operates on a larger canvas than Levys previous novels. Its neither splashy nor experimental, but for thoughtfulness & wry humour cannot be faulted Telegraph 21/2/04 (Telegraph 20040501)
Small Island is a great read, delivering the sort of pleasure which has been the traditional stock-in-trade of a long line of English novelists. Its honest, skilful, thoughtful and important. This is Andrea Levys bi