Mamzelle Dragonfly

by Raphaël Confiant, Linda Coverdale (Translator)

Trapped in the cane fields of Martinique, Adelise, delicate and flighty as a dragonfly, has found a way to keep her hard life separate from her secret soul. But when she is forced to move from her village to Fort-de-France, the island's unruly capital, and her aunt introduces her to the unsavory business of nightlife among the mulatto elite, Adelise must draw on ever more tenuous resources to remain free. Set against the politically charged backdrop of mid-twentieth-century Martinique, the story of this unlikely heroine's struggle unfolds in a language at once precise and enchanting, bringing to life both the inevitable harshness of life on Martinique and its inescapably lush beauty.

Genres: Fiction

169 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 1994

Reviews

[Heather Holmes]

It was an interesting little story of a place I know very little about. I imagine that there were some things lost in translation as the storyline seemed a little jumpy.

[Candy]

I was excited to read this but couldn’t push myself to read beyond 40 pages.... it was quite boring such a big disappointment.

[Ashura Hirose]

really enjoyed this book. studied it as part of a French Caribbean Literature module at university.
beautifully written(/translated into French by the author) and representative of the Creole storytelling tradition. because of this, some may find the narrative disjointed and confusing, however this style only adds to the richness of the story and who it represents.

[Katandra Shanel]

Not for the faint of heart or those who are easily disturbed. The main character is a young girl who is resilient beyond measure. After being raped at a very young age she understands all too well that her body is not her own. She takes this knowledge with her and draws from it a strength that allows her to survive the harsh life that awaits in Morne Pichevin. There she discovers a trade that further forces her to tuck her heart deep away. Until she meets Homére. But love is not the cure-all to the hardships of life. You will find yourself drawn into the world that the Author sets before you. The blood. The hate. The rape. The riot. The betrayal. Wonderful story.

[Glen]

Interesting story from the standpoint of deconstructing the notion of the French Caribbean as a paradise. For those caught in the wheel of crushing poverty, and that means many if not most of Martinique's inhabitants, it is anything but. A number of interesting cultural observations along the way in what is, for the most part, a relentlessly depressing story of a young girl's journey from the sexual abuse she suffers in the sugarcane plantations of the countryside to life as a prostitute in the island's main city. Some humorous scenes here and there, but overall, grim stuff.

[Tatiana]

MARVELOUS book. Not for the timid- if prostitutes, violence, and perversion turns you off, this book may be a little much but the main character is soooooo compelling, she's beautiful but she doesn't care and she belongs to no one but herself, even if she forgets that for a while. Over look the streetwalker part and enjoy.

[Greta]

The eyes of a dragonfly are beautiful, complex, interesting and unique to their species. Mamazelle Dragonfly lives up to her surname in this traumatic, seemingly true coming of age story. Growing up poor and uneducated in Martinique is difficult for all but especially harsh for a young girl without protection from sexual predators.