Review of The Spice of Life

[Salome Ogani]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Spice of Life" by Jennifer M Hallal.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Agnes started taking care of her younger ones as a child because her mother would always be sick when she was pregnant. She also had to leave school when she was 15 in order to help the family. Her mother's sickness when she was pregnant made her think the same would happen to her, but then, every woman is different, as Agnes had no idea when she became pregnant. She just went to the outside toilet to take a dump, and a baby fell out. The baby was crying, and Agnes was screaming, which alerted people around.

Agnes' husband, Davis Mark Junior, was in London, England, looking for work at the time their first child was born. Agnes had to also join him in England in order to get a job and earn a living. But what she found in England about her husband wasn't what she expected. Pick up a copy of The Spice of Life by Jennifer M. Hallal to find out more. It is the first book in The Legacy Books series.

I love the way the author took the time to tell the history of the Caribbean Island of Grenada (The Isle of Spice) and all the good things about it, including what they grow and the good people. I also loved the pictures the author added to the book, as they made visualizing the book easy. The book has themes of racism, family dynamics, and religion. The Spice of Life highlights the traveling conditions of the Caribbean and Blacks in the 1940s and 1950s and life after the Second World War for the Caribbeans and Blacks. This book is more like a historical book about racism and post-Second World War life, focusing on England and a particular family. I also like that it was professionally edited.

There are things I didn't like about this book, which is why I am rating it 3 out of 5 stars. The book is short and rushed, which affects the plot. I would have loved to see more of some aspects of the characters' lives that were jumped over. For instance, how did Agnes and Davis find Robert after he stood them up on his wedding day? The book was written in the third-person point of view, but a few times, it slipped to the first-person POV in an unintended fashion and slipped right back to the third-person POV, and this is usually confusing for me. For instance, on Page 64, "The white woman left my parent's room feeling a bit better." Meanwhile, before and after the sentence, the parents were referred to as Agnes and Davis and written in the third-person POV. Finally, I would recommend the book to those who like reading racism-themed books.

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The Spice of Life
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[Clauson Justin]

The kind of pregnancy discussed is one which I still find difficult to believe presently. I can imagine the shock. What does Agnes learn about her husband? I can't wait to find out.

[Shinshinshin]

Based on the review, "The Spice of Life" by Jennifer M. Hallal seems to be an interesting historical book that explores themes of racism and post-Second World War life. The author effectively portrays the history and culture of the Caribbean Island of Grenada. The inclusion of pictures in the book enhances the visualization. However, some aspects of the plot feel rushed, and the occasional shift in point of view can be confusing. Overall, it appears to be a decent read, especially for those interested in racism-themed books.