Little Bee
A novel about a Nigerian asylum seeker and an English magazine editor, and the day that binds them.
A Nigerian girl who calls herself Little Bee arrives in a British detention centre, and an English magazine editor and her husband are drawn back to the day on a Nigerian beach when their lives first crossed. Cleave alternates the two voices and withholds the central event until late. It was a word-of-mouth bestseller published in Britain as The Other Hand.
Recommended by 1 Person
David Miliband
It’s about ‘Little Bee,’ a Nigerian refugee. The opening page says, “Britain is proud of providing a safe haven for people fleeting [sic] persecution and conflict.” That’s from Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship, UK Home Office 2005, a guide given to those preparing for the citizenship exam. The book is about the relationship between two women, Little Bee and Sarah, a mother who becomes a widow.
Interview · May 2016
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