I am on page 204, and we are still in the Carribbean, but Part II is about Africans on the sugar plantations and it isn't pretty. Some of Tom's attitudes feel pretty modern, but then he comes out with something as ugly and racist as those around him. I think it is supposed to be a time of changing attitudes for him but I found the swings unsettling.

Do any of you know why the odd third person is used by some of the characters? They say 'the boy' when they are talking about Tom to him. That is something Portuguese would do, and I suppose Spanish might as well, but these are English speaking characters who make a big point of not being in sympathy with Spain. It isn't archaic English (at least, I never noticed it in Shakespeare a couple generations earlier.) Is this a typical Caribbean way of talking?

Just picked up the book from the library so I am hoping to start it sometime next week.

I'll be starting this in the next week

I just got it too, from interlibrary loan, so should be starting by next week.

I have it too and am almost ready to start it. Hopefully Leanne still wants to discuss it. LeAnne? :D

Sure. It won't be as fresh in my memory, but you guys can jog it for me and maybe someone can explain that third person thing.

I noticed the third person thing, and it seemed like a mannerism. I know in some cultures, it's common not to refer to people directly when discussing certain types of subjects. My husband's family, for example, will ask me when talking about the children, "What does the child's mother think?" But I can't tell if that's what's happening in this book, or if it's maybe an artifact of the translation? This book reminded me a bit of Treasure Island.

Yes! It is a bit like Treasure Island. Here's the review I put on my shelf. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17673...