Monique Roffey
I was planning a trip to Trinidad and Tobago (click for my travel page) and wanted to better understand the culture of the islands. Instead of reading a bland, factual history I searched for books by Trini authors or stories taking place there.
Found this. Loved it.
“George liked it so, that this island was uncompromising and hard for tourists to negotiate. Not all welcome smiles and black men in Hawaiian shirts, playing pan by the poolside. No flat, crystal beaches, no boutique hotels. Trinidad was oil-rich, didn’t need tourism. Trinidadians openly sniggered at the sunburnt American women who wandered down the pavement in shorts and bikini top. Trinidad was itself; take it or leave it.”
Monique roffey
This story gave me just enough history combined with a fictional but somewhat accurate story about Trinidad’s struggle to oust the British colonialists and achieve independence. It is also a love story, about love between a couple and how a marriage can endure, but also love of an island, a place and how you become married to it.
It has been years since I read it, but I remember loving it and have kept my copy which means I loved it too much to share.
“Why did you marry mum?”
George was taken aback. He stared at his feet. “Because she was a dish,” he said finally.
“The world is full of beautiful women. Why her?”
“She was for me. Your mother filled up the frame. I couldn’t see anyone else but her, no one around her or past her.”
“Did that ever wear off?”
“No. It got worse.”
“How?”
“Well, then love comes. You can fancy lots of other people. But the heart is small and fussy: it knows exactly who it wants. You only have room in it to love one or two people in a lifetime.”
monique roffey
