Dit andere paradijs vertelt het op ware gebeurtenissen gebaseerde verhaal van een eiland waar generaties verschoppelingen hun thuis hebben gebouwd, beginnend bij de Zwarte Benjamin Honey en zijn Ierse vrouw Patience. Ruim een eeuw later wonen hun nazaten nog steeds op Apple Island, samen met een zeer diverse groep buren. Ze zijn arm en lijden vaak honger, maar zijn gevrijwaard van de discriminatie en segregatie die op het vasteland aan de orde van de dag zijn. Tot de idealistische schoolmeester Matthew Diamond de aandacht van de autoriteiten vestigt op de in zijn ogen erbarmelijke omstandigheden, met de gedwongen evacuatie van het eiland tot gevolg. De bewoners gaan onverschrokken op zoek naar een nieuw paradijs.
A vivid story with interesting characters and a great sense of setting. Although it's definitely well written, there were times when I found myself getting a little impatient with some of the poetic but long-winded descriptions. I found it to be pretty somber overall, which I guess is not surprising considering the historical background. Quite a few haunting scenes. One of my favorite parts was the brief section focused on Eha being "slow of tongue" and aware of his inability to keep up verbally with his own thoughts.
When my book group's selection committee chose this novel it was partly because it was based on a tragic and local story that none of us knew anything about. I was fascinated and couldn't wait to read it. I am disappointed. Not because the book isn't beautifully written and skillfully structured -- it is. Not because the author wasn't successful in doing what he set out to do -- he did. It's just not the way I wanted this story to be told.
In 1912 a mixed race group of people were evacuated by the governor from Malaga Island, off the coast of Maine. They had been living a primitive existence since the 1860s, often on the edge of starvation. Many were sent to a home for the feeble minded on the mainland, and others drifted off to unknown places.
Harding writes this story in the manner of a folk …
When my book group's selection committee chose this novel it was partly because it was based on a tragic and local story that none of us knew anything about. I was fascinated and couldn't wait to read it. I am disappointed. Not because the book isn't beautifully written and skillfully structured -- it is. Not because the author wasn't successful in doing what he set out to do -- he did. It's just not the way I wanted this story to be told.
In 1912 a mixed race group of people were evacuated by the governor from Malaga Island, off the coast of Maine. They had been living a primitive existence since the 1860s, often on the edge of starvation. Many were sent to a home for the feeble minded on the mainland, and others drifted off to unknown places.
Harding writes this story in the manner of a folk tale or a biblical parable. In third person, no dialogue quotes, and with lyrical, poetic prose. The characters and the things they do stretch belief. The feeling is cool and detached, creating a universal tale as old as humanity.
There are only a couple times in the book when real outrage at what is happening breaks through. Although I know Harding limited the anger and intense feeling on purpose, I wanted more of it. As a New Englander I'm partly angry at myself for not knowing this story, but also at the cruelty of what the government of Maine did to these people. I can't quite abstract the specific facts to reach a more catholic take on the story. All that said, This Other Eden is beautifully written and explores through fable really the need of people in power, because of their own fear and narrow-mindedness, to destroy the lives of others. From the Pharaoh driving out the Israelites to the countries deporting immigrants today, it just keeps happening over and over and over again.
