Winner of the 2018 Scotiabank Giller Prize A dazzling, original novel of slavery and freedom, from the author of the international bestseller Half-Blood Blues When two English brothers arrive at a Barbados sugar plantation, they bring with them a darkness beyond what the slaves have already known. Washington Black – an eleven year-old field slave – is horrified to find himself chosen to live in the quarters of one of these men. But the man is not as Washington expects him to be. His new master is the eccentric Christopher Wilde – naturalist, explorer, inventor and abolitionist – whose obsessio... continue
A debut novel in the tradition of Zadie Smith and Marlon James, from a brilliant Caribbean writer, set in Barbados, about four people each desperate to escape their legacy of violence in a so-called "paradise." In Baxter Beach, Barbados, moneyed ex-pats clash with the locals who often end up serving them: braiding their hair, minding their children, and selling them drugs. Lala lives on the beach with her husband, Adan, a petty criminal with endless charisma whose thwarted burglary of one of the Baxter Beach mansions sets off a chain of events with terrible consequences. A gunshot no one was m... continue
The beautiful island of Barbados, world-renowned for white sand beaches and tranquil blue seas, became the scene of an international crime in 1967. Forty years after Susan Taylor's whistle-blowing novel, 'The Unspeakable Truth' became the most famous novel by any Caribbean author, she reaches out to a young writer to write her biography. Lia Davis has no idea why Susan would choose her, but there's more to Susan's story than meets the eye. The Girl with the Hazel Eyes will show you just why there is trouble in paradise.
A new arrival on a Caribbean island dominated by the cane fields, fifteen-year-old Midra falls under the spell of the island prince, whose African ancestry brings Midra a revelation from the ancient past
When Paama leaves her husband, she attracts the attention of the undying ones who present her with the Chaos Stick, which allows her to manipulate the subtle forces of the world.
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2017 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION Read this funny, sharp, delicately woven story of two women’s complicated relationship set in post-apartheid South Africa. Hortensia and Marion are next door neighbours in a charming, bougainvillea-laden Cape Town suburb. One is black, one white. Both are successful women with impressive careers behind them. Both have recently been widowed. Both are in their eighties. And both are sworn enemies, sharing hedge and hostility pruned with zeal. But one day an unforeseen event forces the women together. Could long-held mutual loathing transform into... continue
Subtle yet rich descriptions of culture, society, and family life in Belize adorn Zee Edgell’s beautifully narrated story of a short time in the life of 14-year-old Beka Lamb. Through flashbacks, points on politics and independence are animated, since the political struggles for independence in Belize reflect Beka’s own developing maturity and need to assert herself. Two main features of this heartwarming story are Beka’s penchant for lying and her relationship with her older friend Troycie, whose troubling choices lead her down a self-destructive path. The pride of winning an essay contest at... continue
"Seven short stories vividly depicting different facets of Belize's reality. From the country's rural areas to New York City, we accompany Belizean women and men as they go through the joys and hardships of life. Zoila Ellis demonstrates a definite ability to perceive and reproduce situations and characters, heightening the emotional impact of everyday events and rendering them into fine literature"--Page 4 of cover