Roffey, Monique

Roffey’s enchanting tale, mixing prose with poetry and interweaving varied voices and time spans, makes for an affecting listening experience. Recommend to listeners looking for folk tales with a magical twist.

As heart-grabbing and memorable as her other books, e.g., The White Woman on the Green Bicycle, this new work will have readers cheering for Gavin, Ocean, and Claire. An excellent choice for book groups. [See Prepub Alert, 12/7/1213.]

Roffey (Sun Dog) succeeds wonderfully in writing an informative and deeply moving novel about her homeland. (The "white woman on the green bicycle" is in fact her mother.) She writes realistically enough to make readers feel that they have visited the island. Deservedly a finalist for the Orange Prize; Roffey is a fantastic talent who, one hopes, will keep writing for years to come.