Island Woman
PART ONE
by
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Life on a Bahamian island was . . . strange. At first it was, anyway. So, let me acknowledge, finally, that the Bahamas did become home, my spiritual home, at least for the years we lived there. When, exactly, did I begin to consider it such? Was it the day I first added pounds and pence together with dollars and cents, never stopping to calculate the conversion in my head? Um, OK, a quarter is one-and-nine, a shilling is a dollar, a nickel is thrupence, so what I have here, um, yes, right, this just pays for two tins of pigeon peas and pound of chicken wings. Thank you, Miz Wildgoose. Or was it, perhaps, the afternoon I realized that the rhythmic beat of the Junkanoo parade played in my head more often, and with more emotion, than “Puff, the Magic Dragon”? Or the time that a curse slipped through my innocent lips for the very first time, even if it was the mildest little “hell!” and Bonita applauded me. Appla Or was it – do I really need to ask? – that humid afternoon (that sultry afternoon, is that better?) when H.M. chose to introduce me to womanhood?
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About the Book
“Island Woman” is Martha’s story, the coming-of-age story of a sensitive 15-year-old girl whose family seeks financial stability in the Bahamas, a move that will alter the way Martha views the world, a move that leads Martha into a relationship with a much older man, the headmaster of a small, quirky island school.
About the Author
Mary Jane Fine has written a stylish, sophisticated coming-of-age novel set in the Bahamas, with delightful characterizations and a playful dash of exotica and erotica. A very enjoyable summer read. - David Holmberg, New York journalist, playwright and author In this affecting novel of self-discovery, Mary Jane Fine introduces us to the blossoming of a young woman’s mind, body and soul in the distinctive setting of a Bahamian island with characters as vivid and vibrant as a flamingo’s plumage. “Island Woman” is a compelling narrative rich in love and loss, joy and sorrow, loyalty and betrayal... And finally, acceptance of the choices we make. - Cathy Newman, former editor at large, National Geographic Any novel that pivots between the Bahamas and Miami is likely to be steamy, and Mary Jane Fine’s “Island Woman” delivers on that promise. More than merely a coming-of-age romp in the sun, this first novel builds to a deeply personal reckoning for the wry and wise beyond her years narrator, whose life was both upended and deepened by a short-lived romance that she kept (mostly) secret for decades. Expect candor, poignancy, and fireworks, literal and otherwise, in this auspicious debut. - Madeleine Blais, author