So good. Wonderful story. Laughing out loud reading it. Written in dialect, so fun to read. Excellent book. “Teena wait until Bat went to the table and stretch out his hand like one of them mechanical shovel you does see on building site. Then she gave him ONE lash. ‘Keep your digits off. ‘“ p117.

A short novel about a group of young Caribbean migrants (mostly from Trinidad, like the author) living in London in private rented accommodation in the 1960s, who struggle to find the rent, who dream of getting together the money to pay the deposit and start to buy their own house, with more space for all to live in.

The story is told from several alternating viewpoints, though clearly Battersby and his sister Jean are the central and most memorable characters. The racism and other issues they face is shown, and the characters dream of how they can improve their luck, but the tone is quite witty and entertaining. I particularly liked Selvon's portrayal of the way that the women in the novel realise they have to really take charge of the plan, including collecting up the money, if it is not to be squandered on cigarettes, alcohol, cannabis, girlfriends and general frivolity. Even in such a short book, characters who might have just been caricatures, female as well as male, felt quite real. ( )