By Alyson Holder

HELLO MAGAZINE | The Barbados Advocate

Ever so often one is given the opportunity to indulge in a book so enthralling that it is actually hard to put down. It’s not always easy to find such a read so when one comes across such, the novel should be treasured. Melanie Springer, the author of the book “Pearl” has definitely created a winner.

The story is set during the Crop Over season, right here in Barbados in Whit’s End, a place where everything is just a bit magical, where unlit fires burst across canes and strange energy fills the air. The cast is made up of Loretta Walcott who runs the shop, her daughter Pearl, son Omar and his friends Chicken and Jeffrey. Later on in the tale, the reader is introduced to Junior, Loretta’s younger brother and Michael, a friend of his from work. Pearl, being the older sibling, stays true to form and torments her brother with her rules, chastising him for every step out of line. So aggravated is young Omar that he and his friends come up with a plan to get even with her. Their mischief backfires and sends the boys shocked and terrified and Omar spiraling into despair.

One of my favourite things about the book is the real Bajana of it all. The realistic and relatable descriptions of the people, the atmosphere and the instances give one the impression that it could have happened in the ‘gap next door’, especially when one is introduced to the loud mouth malicious neighbours from ‘down de gap’. Drawing you further into the magic of the work is the story itself. So effortlessly and creatively does it flow, one is more than happy to come along for the rough, obeah spiced ride. 

The tale also traverses the reality of a parent losing a child, I won’t say how, but one is drawn into Loretta’s pain like her loyal customers and neighbours who came to her aid. So astonishing is Loretta’s behaviour that the neighbours have little clue what to make of it. One of the neighbours was so upset by Loretta’s apparent coldness that they lost their cool and attacked her.

True to form with the Bajan culture, the entire village turns up to support the grieving mother and have at the out of this world pudding and souse. Little do they know of the tormented soul dwelling inside the house the one who’s behaving the most normally and not speaking a word to anyone for any reason. After she comes to certain realizations one sees a different side of the single mother who sits grieving quietly alone. Without spilling anymore of the beans, I’ll just reiterate that this is a book to be supported, read from cover to cover and kept on the shelves of your personal library.

For those of you who look for the detail and foundations of the story, the imagery is definitely something to enjoy as one is easily given a window into the author’s world from where one has an unobstructed view of everything that comes to pass. So well put together is the package that the sharp imagery combines with the smooth story line effortlessly. For those of you looking for the next great Caribbean story, look no more. HELLO! Congratulates Melanie Springer on a job well done and looks forward to her next work. Look out for the book on Amazon online and support our local talent 100%.

Melanie Springer has produced an interesting and engaging work, worthy of representing the Barbadian flavour.