Title: Love After Love
Author: Ingrid Persaud
Date Published: August 4th. 2020
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, LGBT
Source: Personal Copy
Format: Ebook
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis:
After Betty Ramdin's husband dies, she invites a colleague, Mr. Chetan, to move in with her and her son, Solo. Over time, the three become a family, loving each other deeply and depending upon one another. Then, one fateful night, Solo overhears Betty confiding in Mr. Chetan and learns a secret that plunges him into torment.
Solo flees Trinidad for New York to carve out a lonely existence as an undocumented immigrant, and Mr. Chetan remains the singular thread holding mother and son together. But soon, Mr. Chetan's own burdensome secret is revealed, with heartbreaking consequences. Love After Love interrogates love and family in all its myriad meanings and forms, asking how we might exchange an illusory love for one that is truly fulfilling.
In vibrant, addictive Trinidadian prose, Love After Love questions who and how we love, the obligations of family, and the consequences of choices made in desperation.
My Review
Absolutely loved this book!!
I am always on the look out for good novels from Trinidad and Tobago and I must say that if anyone wants to learn a little about life in Trinidad this is it.
The author Ingrid Persaud through the use of the Trinidadian dialect did a wonderful job in helping the reader even if you are not from Trinidad to really picture what life is like here.
Betty Ramdin is a widow and single mother to Solo. Upon the untimely death of her husband Sunil, Betty sets out to be both mother and father to her son Solo. Seeking an additional income, she rents part of her house to Mr. Chetan who develops a close bond with Betty and her son. Both Betty and Mr. Chetan has deep dark secrets and it is through these secrets that the bond grows stronger between the two.
One night, one of these secrets is revealed by Betty and causes a rift between herself and Solo. Betty spends most of the story seeking to repair her broken relationship with Solo. Solo, embarks on a journey to New York that impacts his life significantly.
I felt so many emotions when reading this book. There were parts when I was laughing really hard because seeing our "Trini" dialect written so expertly was really comical. I thought the sexuality in this book as well was well constructed.
This story also brought out issues that exist in Trinidad from domestic violence, alcoholism (we have a 'liming" culture here so we drink to celebrate most occasions here), mental health, migration and the challenges that come with it from a West Indian perspective and most importantly which is something that we in Trinidad and Tobago has been grappling with is the treatment of LBGTQ persons.
I loved Mr. Chetan's character the best. I think most persons reading will fall in love with him. Solo has me angry most times but in the end his actions proved true one of the folklores once you eat the cascadura fish, it doesn't matter how long you are away you always return home.
In all this was a wonderfully written novel with "Trini Flavour".
Do not hesitate to get a copy.
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