Review - The World So Wide by Zilla Jones (Historical Fiction)

⁉️ Do you enjoy reading messy characters or do they irk you bad?

Felicity Alexander is a renowned biracial opera singer with Grenadian roots, living in Canada. Going back and forth from 1960s to 1980s, readers are taken on Felicity's journey of becoming an opera singer, falling in love, exploring her sensuality, her struggles with identity and need for affection, motherhood, and racism.

In 1983, Felicity returns to Grenada to perform at a political event. Her story for the media - it's for promotional purposes. Her true intention, is to see her first love, Claude, again. Assuming a fake, American name, Felicity's visit becomes complicated when there are attempts to oust Claude and other members of the current Grenadian government. They are all placed under house arrest and Felicity is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Along with Claude's pregnant lover.

The rest of the novel follows their attempts to fight the coup and take back their country. In the midst of flashbacks, showing us Felicity's life up til that point.

"Heartache was always here. It always would be. It was a strange kind of happiness, to be happy to wake up each day and sing about pain."

💭 My Thoughts: Felicity is a very FLAWED character. She's messy, emotional, uses others for her own needs, seeks affection desperately, and finds herself in disappointing situations, at least when it comes to her personal life. As an opera singer, Felicity is magical and incredibly talented. It was really cool getting to see what opera is like behind the scenes, especially for a Black woman.

This novel also shows us how past traumas of mothers can impact their relationship with their children. Felicity's relationship with her mother lacks the affection she needs and Felicity's own relationship with her daughters is practically cold, as they are reminders of past pains.

Lastly, I learned a lot about how foreign powers can interfere and impact smaller countries like Grenada. And reading about attempts to create a revolution and change a country was fascinating. The World So Wide taught me some things about Grenada's history and fight for independence.

"The time has grown so short, the world so wide."

👀 Would I recommend?

I wasn't sure at first how I felt about this book because Felicity's character really irked me. But I also couldn't stop reading because I wanted to understand why/how she became the way she was. I also enjoyed reading a modern historical fiction account set in Grenada and learning more about the world of opera. Overall, I would recommend this. Interesting read and might be different from your usual reading which is always fun.

You can find a copy of The World So Wide by Zilla Jones at Tuma's Books, Bookshop, or your local library.