In this extraordinary book, the villagers on the tropical island, Bougainville, are caught between government forces and rebels high on jungle juice. Mr Watts, the only white man, appoints himself as teacher to the children, his only text book: Great Expectations. It and its hero have a huge influence on how the narrator, 13 year old Matilda, copes with the gruesome experiences inflicted by the warring factions and ultimately enable her to deal with life itself.
(Jenny Baker - bwl 47 September 2008 ) |
