What a delightful, entertaining read!
I absolutely enjoyed Shakira Bourne‘s Young Adult novel My Fishy Stepmom. This tale, set in a fictional fishing village called Fairy Vale, in my homeland, Barbados, takes readers on a rollercoaster ride while also showcasing Barbadian culture and traditions. The protagonist, Josephine Cadogan, aka ‘Bean,’ is a mischievous but goodhearted young Barbadian girl, who is extremely protective of her widowed father. Bourne, weaves an intricate plot that twists and turns as Josephine embarks on one adventure after another. The novel is replete with a colorful supporting cast of characters who exhibit in one way or another very Bajan (i.e., Barbadian) traits, ranging from their mannerisms, to their superstitious beliefs and prolific use of ‘wise’ sayings/aphorisms. The dialogue in the narrative is sprinkled with Bajan dialect, which is richly expressive and often hilarious. Yet it still remains quite accessible to the average reader who is not familiar with the dialect.
My only minor critique of My Fishy Stepmom is that towards the climax of the story, the narrative felt a bit rushed and chaotic. Bourne does an excellent job building up suspense and mystery, yet at the point of denouement the story unravels somewhat and then fairly abruptly ends. If the ending had somehow maintained the momentum of the start and middle, this could well have been a 5 star read. Nevertheless I would highly recommend this book written by a rising star in the literary world of Barbados!
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