Fiction Unbound Bernardine Evaristo

This book covers all Bernardine Evaristoâ (TM)s major works: Lara (1997) and Lara (2009), The Emperorâ (TM)s Babe, Soul Tourists, Blonde Roots and Hello Mum. Each chapter focuses on a particular novel, combining a close analysis of the authorâ (TM)s technique with a penetrating understanding of the basic themes which underlie all of Evaristoâ (TM)s work. This monograph exposes that Evaristo is not simply interested in â oemulticulturalâ issues; to label them as such is to overlook her achievement as a novelist. It shows instead how Evaristo combines apparently disparate elementsâ "for example, historical research with late-twentieth century allusions in a narrative such as The Emperorâ (TM)s Babeâ "to show how African-Caribbeans have been coming to Britain for thousands of years. Yet Evaristo is not just interested in the African-Caribbean experience; this book shows how she tries to question those basic conceptsâ "for example â oeEnglishnessâ or â oepatriotismâ â "which lie at the heart of mainstream white culture in contemporary Britain. It argues that Evaristo is interested in alternative constructionsâ "not only of nationalism, but of other basic issues such as race, gender and class. Her books give the chance for hitherto marginalized charactersâ "slaves, women, or victims of a patriarchal worldâ "to tell their stories and postulate alternative views of the world they live in. Above all, this monograph shows how Evaristo refuses to be pigeon-holed; she is not simply â oea black British writer, â but someone who focuses on the interconnectedness of society. This book calls for readers to adopt a more enlightened approach, not only to issues of culture and identity, but to the work of Evaristo as a whole.