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A multi-generational novel of rare skill and precision, Jones’ full-length fiction debut revolves around three women, a cautionary folk tale, and the poverty and violence that lurk in the shadows of the paradisiacal island of Barbados.
Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2021
In Baxter's Beach, Barbados, Lala's grandmother Wilma tells the story of the one-armed sister, a cautionary tale about what happens to girls who disobey their mothers.
For Wilma, it's the story of a wilful adventurer, who ignores the warnings of those around her, and suffers as a result.
When Lala grows up, she sees it offers hope - of life after losing a baby in the most terrible of circumstances and marrying the wrong man.
And Mira Whalen? It's about keeping alive, trying to make sense of the fact that her husband has been murdered, and she didn't get the chance to tell him that she loved him after all.
How the One-armed Sister Sweeps Her House is the powerful, intense story of three marriages, and of a beautiful island paradise where, beyond the white sand beaches and the wealthy tourists, lies poverty, menacing violence and the story of the sacrifices some women make to survive.
Number of pages: 336
Dimensions: 196 x 128 x 26 mm
English
Cebuano
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Filipino
Hindi
Japanese
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Malay
Spanish