Two women collide lives on a Nigeria beach. One must make a terrible choice. Two years later, they meet again and the story starts …
RATING 3.5 STARS
I truly enjoyed this book, and was completely engulfed in little bee's character. This was one of the most heartbreaking stories I could have picked up, but the way that little bee stood strong throughout the story and thevperspective that little bee had was so heartfelt and light at the same time that the heartbreaking root of the plot was over taken by sweetness in the most precious of ways.
When I first picked up the book I wasn't quite sure how well I would relate to the characters, me being American not British and White not Black. However, Cleave does a terrific job with character development and it wasn't an issue at all. Also, I have worked one on one with refugee students so this book was a magnificent insight. Things that I really wouldn't have thought about were exposed, and looking at our western culture from a third world perspective was extremely eye opening.
There has been some discussion on the fact that this male author is writing in voices of two women in this book, and I see that some felt as if the text wasn't "womanly" enough. I didn't find that much of an issue with that either, in fact he was very brave to do so.
*SPOILER ALERT HERE*
Okay just a few spoiler-ish things.
I loved little bee. But I wasn't sure about how I felt about Sarah. She saved little bee's life of course so that was great, and I felt like she had good intentions, but most of the time I was pretty annoyed with her character, and her affair, and her choice in men. I didn't think either of the male characters in this book were likable.
Sarah's narration was great, but I think I would like to read the story completely in little Bee's character. I think it might have been more relevant to the story had it been that way.
And I wanted little bee to have her happy ending! After everything, I felt, she deserved it. That being said, I wasn't completely happy with the ending it seemed a bit open ended...but that's okay, I made up my own...but I thought it was sweet too and I really loved that Sarah and batman followed bee back to Africa.
All in all it was magnificent and well crafted story written by an extremely talented author.