Thursday, 10 July 2008

Evaristo's Blonde Roots

A book I'm very much looking forward to is Bernardine Evaristo's Blonde Roots. It's an alternative-history novel about black slavers kidnapping white children from England for use as slaves in the New World.

I don't know who did the cover design for the Hamish Hamilton hardback, but it's great, and another example of effective black and white illustration.



Evaristo's three previous novels (two in verse--Lara and The Emperor's Babe--and one in a mixture of poetry and prose, Soul Tourists) are all good, with Babe probably being the best. It's about Zuleika, a black citizen of Londinium in 211 AD, who becomes the object of ROman Emperor Septimus Severus's lust. It was also blessed with a very nice, simple but effective cover done in the signature sketchy style of illustrator David Tazzyman.

at

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous25 July 2008 at 03:49

    I have not enjoyed any of Bernardine's books. I will try to enjoy the new one. If i don't, i will just give up and not bother with anything from her.

    Ta

    ReplyDelete
  2. JRSM25 July 2008 at 17:29

    Well, can't say fairer than that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous27 July 2008 at 02:58

    It got a good write-up in the Times this weekend. Or as I suppose I have to say, the London Times. Immediately I had to think, as I do with every new title I see these days, whether it would be eligible for the Booker (I'll be reading the longlisted titles when announced on Tuesday.) It does: Evaristo is British. Bugger; another one to add to the list of potentials.

    ReplyDelete
  4. JRSM27 July 2008 at 17:21

    I hadn't realised the Booker was rolling around again. It seems like only yesterday (maunders into his beard)...

    ReplyDelete