Description
Book SynopsisSola is confused the first time she sees Judith, a fair skinned woman with dreadlocks dancing to reggae music. Meeting her gaze, Judith thinks Sola is judging her for appropriating Black culture. A few days later, up against an interlocking fence, Judith kisses Sola. Onlookers hurl stones and racial and gay slurs. Thus begins the complicated friendship between Judith and Sola who live in between the land they were born, the Caribbean, and the land where they presently live, North America. Winner of the 2016 Beacon Award for Social Justice Literature and the 2015 Atlantic Writer’s Competition, Big Island, Small is a story of intimacy and friendship between two Caribbean/Canadian women with similar, yet vastly different, backgrounds who must dismantle their assumptions and biases around race, class, gender and sexuality in order to make amends with violent pasts, release shame, find joy and reconnect with themselves and each other.
Trade Review"A deeply sensitive and engaging novel. Maureen St Clair writes the lives and relationships of her characters with rare delicacy and perception. Well worth reading." --Jacob Ross, Grenada-born poet, playwright, journalist, novelist. Author of Pynter Bender and the Bone Readers // "St. Clair's debut novel makes a brave entrance galloping on the scene like her morning sun. The language is real and engaging, addressing social ills like the heat curling our necks. She enters the consciousness of her characters with such skill, channeling their voices with a delicious sweet rawness -- it's like biting into a ripe cashew nut fruit. Fresh. Honest. Rootsy!" --Cindy McKenzie, Grenadian writer and author of Force Ripe // "Maureen St. Clair is a fearless new kid on the Can-Lit block. Her writing is both lyrical and passionate as she pens this unique story of two young women longing for love, and a sense of belonging in a world riddled with judgements. Her voice is true, her writing lyrical, her story intriguing and unique. If it's one thing I know, here lies the voice of a powerful writer." --Donna Morrissey, author of The Fortunate Brother
