Even in Paradise

De: Elizabeth Nunez

Narrado por: Corey Allen

Peter Ducksworth, a Trinidadian widower of English ancestry, retires to Barbados, believing he will find an earthly paradise there. He decides to divide his land among his three daughters while he is alive, his intention not unlike that of King Lear, who hoped "That future strife/May be prevented now".

But Lear made the fatal mistake of confusing flattery with love, and so does Ducksworth. Feeling snubbed by his youngest daughter, Ducksworth decides that only after he dies will she receive her portion of the land. In the meantime, he gives his two older daughters their portions, ironically setting in motion the very strife he hoped to prevent.

Beautifully written in elegant prose, this is a novel about greed, resentment, jealousy, betrayal, and romantic love, through which Nunez weaves themes of racism and classism in the postcolonial world of the Caribbean, giving us a diverse cast of characters of African, Indian, Chinese, Syrian/Lebanese, and English ancestry.

©2016 Elizabeth Nunez (P)2016 Recorded Books

Ruined by the reader

Better to read this on your own than listen to this audio recording by this reader. This novel is ripe with colloquial content, words and phrases. His mispronunciation of almost all of those, his staccato style of reading and annoying inflection and pause after each short phrase was frustrating to listen to throughout this performance. I’m sure a Trinidadian narrator, familiar with the vernacular can be found to re-record and this novel’s audio version justice.

Ms. Nunez’s imagery and descriptive language was so vibrant throughout this story it brought smiles to my face as I recalled the same sights, smells, sounds and feelings that I experienced growing up in Trinidad, visiting Jamaica and very briefly stopping in Barbados. The author nailed all of it from start to finish.

Several of the main characters were not as believable or well developed. This robs the audience of the chance to be swept up in novel. You always know it’s just a story,…because no one can be as simple and single minded as Ducksworth, or stand by, like Emile and say nothing as their friend and girlfriend are openly bullied, insulted and cowed. Good literature book for 2nd year high schoolers in the Caribbean.