The review discusses Tiphanie Yanique's novel 'Land of Love and Drowning,' highlighting its portrayal of Caribbean identity and culture. The story centers around two sisters, Eeona and Anette, who navigate the complexities of life in the US Virgin Islands during a period of political transition. The novel is praised for its depth and complexity, offering a counterpoint to earlier, less nuanced depictions of Caribbean life.
Tiphanie Yanique's novel 'Land of Love and Drowning' is a rich exploration of Caribbean identity and culture, set against the backdrop of the US Virgin Islands during a time of political change. The story revolves around two sisters, Eeona and Anette, who embody different aspects of the islands' spirit and resilience. Eeona, with her beauty and purity, represents the land itself, while Anette symbolizes the fighting spirit of the people. The novel delves into themes of colonization, identity, and the impact of external forces on a culture and a family. Yanique's work is noted for its depth and complexity, offering a more nuanced portrayal of Caribbean life compared to earlier literature. The use of different narrative voices, including Caribbean vernacular, adds layers to the storytelling, making it both artistically and politically significant.
Quick quotes
I love your interpretation. I believe that the reader brings as much interpretation, sometimes more, than the writer. When you write a book, it's never complete until another person experiences it. You don't know what you've done until you have a reader.
I wanted to write a text that might be held up alongside that text. That sounds very big, very braggadocio. But I wanted to write something that people would say, “If you're going to read the Herman Wouk, you have to also read the Yanique. If you haven't, you haven't read the whole story.
Artistically, I'm trying to say that this way of speaking can be beautiful, can be poetic, can be as big and large as any other way.