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african american fiction  caribbean literature  historical fiction  literature  obeah  

Unburnable: A Novel

Unburnable: A Novel

Author: Marie-elena John
Publisher: Amistad
Category: Book

List Price: $23.95
Buy Used: $3.23
as of 3/21/2010 02:49 CDT details
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Seller: hpb-outlet
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 31 reviews
Sales Rank: 591,329

Media: Hardcover
Pages: 304
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.6 x 1

ISBN: 0060837578
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780060837570
ASIN: 0060837578

Publication Date: April 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

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Also Available In:

   Paperback - Unburnable
   Kindle Edition - Unburnable
   Audio CD - Unburnable
   Audio Cassette - Unburnable

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description

Haunted by scandal and secrets, Lillian Baptiste fled Dominica when she was fourteen after discovering she was the daughter of Iris, the half-crazy woman whose life was told of in chanté mas songs sung during Carnival—songs about a village on a mountaintop littered with secrets, masquerades that supposedly fly and wreak havoc, and a man who suddenly and mysteriously dropped dead.

After twenty years away, Lillian returns to her native island to face the demons of her past—and with the help of Teddy, a man who has loved her for many years, she may yet find a way to heal.

Set in both contemporary Washington, D.C., and post-World War II Dominica, Unburnable weaves together West Indian history, African culture, and American sensibilities. Richly textured and lushly rendered, Unburnable showcases a welcome and assured new voice.




Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 31



4 out of 5 stars Educational and entertaining   March 18, 2010
M (I wait behind the wall, gnawing away at your reality)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I learned a few new things about Carib culture in this book, and I always love it when a book teaches me a few things! :D The shifting storylines between Lillian and her mother/grandmother were easy enough to follow and entertaining as bits of the whole story are revealed.

Some people here say they don't like the ending or found it confusing. Personally, I feel that a concrete and happy ending would have spoiled the story. Legends and magic were a big part of this story, and while I do feel that some parts could have been more fleshed-out or clarified, this story was still very good. The ending of this book added to the general feel of the story, with Lillian becoming part of the legend/magic herself, and you can decide for yourself whether she does live or not. Overall a good story.



1 out of 5 stars Boring....   January 7, 2010
M. Montanez
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I do not like the style of writing by this author. I did not keep my interest at all. I had to struggle to get through it.


4 out of 5 stars Very nice!   March 17, 2009
Dr. Wallpaper (Maryland USA)
An absolutely fascinating look at Caribbean culture, lust, the legacy of African slaves in the Caribbean, women's oppression and family formation, marriage, mental illness,...I REALLY liked this book. Worth the read!


5 out of 5 stars Didn't put it down   November 22, 2008
D. Grell (Tampa, FL)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I had heard many many good things about this book, so I had to get my hands on it ASAP. I was told by my best friend to postpone starting it until I knew for sure I had time to finish it.. So after a few busy weekends, I finally dedicated a weekend to reading this book. End result: I did nothing all weekend!!! I had to finish it - no ifs, ands or buts about it. I delayed Sunday lunch and other activities until I was DONE!!! It sheds new light for me into folklore and life back in the day. I read "Death by Fire" earlier this year which has some overlap from the point of view of Carnival (Mas) in the 60s. As someone born in the Caribbean, I am encouraged to see writers tackle our issues and bring them to world-wide prominence. All the best for the future Marie Elena John. Looking forward to the next book....


5 out of 5 stars Hot just Hot   May 28, 2008
Blanche Secrete (Brooklyn, NY USA)
I read this book on my trip back home and I truly felt as if I was back in time. During the Carnival in Dominica, the characters in the book came alive to me so real.John did her job of pulling me into the history, the characters, the bourgeoise mentality, the Catholicism of the island. I never give away good books but I just had to share the wealth to another Antiguan-Dominican to enjoy the fire of who we are.

Showing reviews 1-5 of 31


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