Golden Child

3/5 Stars

I have a lot of mixed thoughts surrounding this book. I really take well to books that give you a real sense of what a different culture is like; I love feeling immersed in the culture and grasping a sense of customs, environment and traditions. In that sense, I loved it. Nods to Caribbean mythological creatures and traditional foods were weaved throughout. I also throughly appreciated the plot of the story. The “Golden Child” obviously refers to Peter. It's heartbreaking, really, how the plot plays out in the end. The sacrifices the family makes in order to provide Peter with the life they envision him having and the success that awaits him, are tragic. It was distressing to see Paul as the outcast and the lack of faith in him as a person, especially by his own father. It's clear that Clyde is disappointed in Paul, referring to him regularly as “retarded.” I won't say too much about the ending of the book, but know that you should mentally prepare yourself for heartache and betrayal.

Unfortunately, I felt as though the pace of this book was relatively slow. It started out promising, with Paul missing, and from there back-tracked to Paul & Peter's childhood. The childhood piece I felt was too drawn out. I didn't feel as though I was truly interested in the book again until about 175 pages in (the book is 260 pages). I also felt as though there were too many characters introduced in a short span of time. I caught myself referencing back to previous pages to refresh myself on who is who.

Again, I did enjoy the overall plot of the book and the tragedy & betrayal that unfolds in the end. However, it took a lot of “fluff” to get to the meat & potatoes. It's because of this that I'd rate this book a 3/5 stars.