THE PLOT: ‘Annie John’ by Jamaica Kincaid is a literary coming-of-age novel set in Antigua. An adored only child, Annie grows up inseparable from her mother. But when she turns twelve, their relationship becomes more complicated. Rather than being doted on, Annie’s mother chastises her for not being ladylike and puberty means Annie must conform to bewildering gender expectations. Excelling at school, Annie dreams of leaving Antigua but her mother prepares her for marriage instead.

SUMMARY: First published in 1985, ‘Annie John’ is a Caribbean classic. The predominant theme is difficult mother-daughter relationships, particularly the need to reject one’s mother to find oneself. Personally, I can’t give this book less than three stars because it’s not badly written. There is a strong atmosphere and many successful literary devices, particularly the use of repetition, so I can see why it’s so venerated from an artistic point-of-view. However, I can’t lie… it was kinda boring. Much like the limit, the plot does not exist. I mean, you could write a 2,000-word essay about the plot for English class (if pushed). But it’s a very interior novel and there aren’t many up’s and down’s to keep you hooked. At only 140-pages, I was able to push through to the end. But if it was any longer, I would’ve given up (DNF’d).

GOOD BITS: There’s a lyricism and poetry in the language which draws you into Annie’s world. Her voice comes across sharply and she made me think of all the clever yet naughty little girls who were popular with teachers and students alike. Unfortunately, that was the opposite to my personal experience, so I found it hard to relate to Annie as a character. Yet, I did understand the complexities of her relationship with her mother and I enjoyed her character arc. The ending felt appropriate and satisfying.

NOT SO GOOD BITS: For such a short book, it feels very drawn out. Annie ruminates on every action or perceived slight from her mother for pages and pages. Though the feelings are realistic, they’re not particularly interesting to read. The whole point of the novel is that it’s a typical mother-daughter relationship, which means Annie’s mother is not overly or unusually cruel. This makes the book relatable, but not too exciting for a novel (I tend to prefer it when an exaggerated plot sets off realistic emotions). If you’ve already been through your teenage mother-angst and spent your twenties processing the trauma, it feels a bit ‘old hat’.

OVERALL: I’d recommend this book to fans of ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ by Zora Neale Hurston, ‘The Star Side of Bird Hill’ by Naomi Jackson, and ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ by Jean Rhys. This definitely isn’t a fun beach read, but worth it if you’re academically interested in Caribbean literature.

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