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Small Island
- Narrated by: Andrea Levy
- Length: 17 hrs and 24 mins
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Small Island
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Summary
Small Island by best-selling author Andrea Levy won the Orange Prize for Fiction, as well as many other awards, including the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and the Whitbread. Now a major BBC drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Naomie Harris, its enduring appeal will captivate fans of Maya Angelou and Zadie Smith.
It is 1948, and England is recovering from a war. But at 21 Nevern Street, London, the conflict has only just begun. Queenie Bligh's neighbours do not approve when she agrees to take in Jamaican lodgers, but Queenie doesn't know when her husband will return, or if he will come back at all. What else can she do?
Gilbert Joseph was one of the several thousand Jamaican men who joined the RAF to fight against Hitler. Returning to England as a civilian he finds himself treated very differently. It's desperation that makes him remember a wartime friendship with Queenie and knock at her door.
Gilbert's wife Hortense, too, had longed to leave Jamaica and start a better life in England. But when she joins him she is shocked to find London shabby, decrepit, and far from the golden city of her dreams. Even Gilbert is not the man she thought he was....
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Critic reviews
'A great read...honest, skilful, thoughtful and important.' ( Guardian)
What listeners say about Small Island
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dolly
- 01-10-15
A breath taking saga.
I loved this audio book. I had chosen the book for my book group so listened to it after I'd read it.
I got so much more from it by doing this.
I was born in 1940 so was just a baby during the war and this was a real eye opener for me.
If ever Andrea Levy tires of writing she could surely earn a living with her talent for narrating!
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18 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- s
- 09-12-18
Interesting
Although this is fiction it held the truth about the attitudes and experience of people who came to help the mother country. It also highlighted the racist attitudes of a few British people after the war had ended. Men who were once good enough to fight for England were no longer welcome in peace time. It also makes you think about what is happening today with the Windrush generation who came to England as British and after a life time of service are told to leave.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian Clegg
- 27-04-19
superb!
An excellent insight into the difficulties faced by the Windrush generation in the mother land expertly read by the author.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wordwatcher7
- 17-03-21
Loved it
I think this has to be one of the best audible books I have listened to. Sometimes when the author reads their own book it doesn't work but the opposite is true for this. Andrea Levy brings the characters to life with her flawless narration. The story is wonderfully woven together and the characters properly fleshed out.
Highly recommended
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 20-08-20
very enjoyable and thought provoking
such a good story, made me think about situations from the black man's perspective. very well read, narrative was brilliant. one of my favourite listens for a long time. I bought this after hearing an interview with the author and so glad I did
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-08-20
Small island - a must read/listen
The story is beautiful and beautifully told. It makes you think. It gave me a better understanding of discrimination. At times it was painfull to listen to, brutally honest.
The story is written with humor even though it is a heavy hearted topic, you will surely be laughing aloud. I read/listened to it with a smile and a tear, and am sure that I will reread/listen to it again!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Molly
- 24-07-17
Thought provoking
Slow start but stick with it. Such a shameful part of the English psyche wonderfully exposed by this gripping story of human frailty and prejudice.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- book fan
- 21-12-16
Absolutely Brilliant!
What made the experience of listening to Small Island the most enjoyable?
Andrea Levy's wonderful accents
What was one of the most memorable moments of Small Island?
The different perpspectives taken by the characters, and the language used - loved it all
What about Andrea Levy’s performance did you like?
Andrea Levy's accents were spot on
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Too long for one sitting, but looked forward to listening every time!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- lizzie
- 22-10-16
An interesting historical perspective
What did you like most about Small Island?
The characters are well written and it describes times past without being political or judgemental
What other book might you compare Small Island to, and why?
It reminds me the Midwives series
What about Andrea Levy’s performance did you like?
The performance kept my interest and added to my enjoyment
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Too many to pick out one
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mrs e a harding
- 30-10-21
exceptional
Such a necessary story for our times, thankyou. I wish I had discovered years ago.
Beautifully written and read
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