Annie John is a coming of age story about a girl who lives on Antigua. The exact time is never specified, but given that the author was born on Antigua in 1949 and that the story ends with a young adult Annie boarding a ship to study nursing in London, it seems likely that the events are taking place in the 1960s. Annie is the daughter of her father’s young second wife, and there are apparently other women and other children involved. Annie’s mother has a strong sense of propriety. Annie is smart, independent, and not particularly interested in following her mother’s rules.
The clash of teenagers and parents is universal, and here, the Caribbean setting gives it a lovely background. Even where it’s sunny, with ocean breezes and blooming flowers, people have trouble dealing with each other. In fact, life on an island means constant loss, because people have to leave for many jobs. Annie’s father seems to have a successful construction business, but his parents moved to South America when he was young in order to support him. Annie’s mother went to Antigua from Dominica and was nearly killed in a hurricane during the crossing. People have to move to get work, and once they go, they don’t come back. This was a time of poor infrastructure, high poverty, and travel only by boat. That added a sense of loss to daily life. It also gave Annie an out for her independent spirits.
The relationships are covered in more detail than the place, but I loved this book. I could identify with Annie, and not only because we share a first name.
