Sheribaby A Little Girl's Big Voice in Post Independence Jamaica Author: Sharon Gordon

5.0 out of 5 stars
Quintessential Jamaican Novel … a Must Read! Sharon Gordon has written the quintessential Jamaican novel, yet in a way it is at the same time a most intimate and privately revealing novel. Sheribaby is an experience, multi-layered and raw. The author transports us back to growing up in Kingston Jamaica in the 70s with ease and fluidity. Sharon's deft and skilled writing releases us into the world of Sheribaby with references to places and a time that renews our own Jamaican experiences. We see a brave and bold author writing through the eyes of a brave and bold child. Through the use of the language of the people "patois" we get to relive our own unique Jamaican experiences through the use of words, expressions and idioms, street and school references etc. that typify the Jamaican experience. This novel has us laughing, crying, longing, reminiscing, disgusted, crazed and sometimes all at once! As we emote with Sheribaby we find that we simultaneously emotionally connect with our own little Jamaican selves. This happened to me in a way that I had not experienced in over 40 plus years since leaving Jamaica. Sharon does this by venturing into areas such as mother daughter dynamic, sexual molestation, church and religion, obeah, class, color and politics to name a few. She does this with honesty and integrity staying true to the time, her characters and the Jamaican culture. All while keeping the story moving and entertaining and the music of the time and the vibrancy of the culture steadily beating in the background throughout. This novel is a must read for anyone who wants a good read and certainly for any Jamaican or anyone connected to Jamaica, the Caribbean or to the diaspora. Sharon Gordon you have made us proud! Erica H.