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Frangipani House
Set in Guyana, this book tells the story of Mama King. Trapped by age and infirmity, Mama becomes too much for her family who send her away to a dreary and claustrophobic rest home - but Mama King does not give in. This book won a GLC Black Literature Competition before publication.
111 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
218 people are currently reading
2525 people want to read
About the author
Beryl Gilroy
25 books39 followersBeryl Agatha Gilroy (née Answick) (30 August 1924 – 4 April 2001) was a novelist and teacher, and "one of Britain's most significant post-war Caribbean migrants". Born in what was then British Guiana (now Guyana), she moved in the 1950s to the United Kingdom, where she became the first black headteacher in London. She was the mother of academic Paul Gilroy.
Gilroy's creative writing began in childhood, as a teacher for children and then in the 1960s when she began writing what was later published by Peepal Tree Press as In Praise of Love and Children. Between 1970 and 1975 she wrote the pioneering children’s series Nippers, which contain probably the first reflection of the Black British presence in UK writing for children.
It was not until 1986 that her first novel, the award-winning Frangipani House was published (Heinemann). It won a GLC Creative Writing Prize in 1982. Set in an old person’s home in Guyana, it reflects one of her professional concerns: the position of ethnic minority elders and her persistent emphasis on the drive for human freedom. Boy Sandwich (Heinemann) was published in 1989, followed by Stedman and Joanna: A Love in Bondage (Vantage, 1991), and a collection of poems, Echoes and Voices (Vantage, 1991). Then came Sunlight and Sweet Water (Peepal Tree, 1994), Gather the Faces, In Praise of Love and Children and Inkle and Yarico (all Peepal Tree, 1994). Her last novel, The Green Grass Tango (Peepal Tree) was published in 2001, sadly after Beryl Gilroy’s death in April of that year.
Gilroy's early work examined the impact of life in Britain on West Indian families and her later work explored issues of African and Caribbean diaspora and slavery.
In 1998, a collection of her non-fiction writing, entitled Leaves in the Wind, came out from Mango Publishing. It included her lectures, notes, essays, dissertations and personal reviews.
(from Wikipedia)
Gilroy's creative writing began in childhood, as a teacher for children and then in the 1960s when she began writing what was later published by Peepal Tree Press as In Praise of Love and Children. Between 1970 and 1975 she wrote the pioneering children’s series Nippers, which contain probably the first reflection of the Black British presence in UK writing for children.
It was not until 1986 that her first novel, the award-winning Frangipani House was published (Heinemann). It won a GLC Creative Writing Prize in 1982. Set in an old person’s home in Guyana, it reflects one of her professional concerns: the position of ethnic minority elders and her persistent emphasis on the drive for human freedom. Boy Sandwich (Heinemann) was published in 1989, followed by Stedman and Joanna: A Love in Bondage (Vantage, 1991), and a collection of poems, Echoes and Voices (Vantage, 1991). Then came Sunlight and Sweet Water (Peepal Tree, 1994), Gather the Faces, In Praise of Love and Children and Inkle and Yarico (all Peepal Tree, 1994). Her last novel, The Green Grass Tango (Peepal Tree) was published in 2001, sadly after Beryl Gilroy’s death in April of that year.
Gilroy's early work examined the impact of life in Britain on West Indian families and her later work explored issues of African and Caribbean diaspora and slavery.
In 1998, a collection of her non-fiction writing, entitled Leaves in the Wind, came out from Mango Publishing. It included her lectures, notes, essays, dissertations and personal reviews.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 8, 2015
4.5 stars
First book read as a result of Daughters of Africa edited by Margaret Busby (recommended by Aubrey). I had been meaning to read Beryl Gilroy for some time and this was the impetus I needed. Gilroy was a Guyanese author with an interesting background. Qualifying as a teacher and moving to Britain in the 1950s she was initially unable to get a job as a teacher because of racism. Eventually following a series of unskilled jobs she returned to teaching in the 1960s and became the first black head teacher in London. She did a good deal of work in the area of education in the days of the Greater London Council (GLC); developing a psychotherapy practice principally for black women and children. She also founded the Camden Black Sisters Group. It is easy to forget how much good the GLC did until Thatcher abolished it. Gilroy turned to writing quite late and this, her first novel was published in 1986; she addressed family issues (the treatment of elders being particularly important to her) and went on to write about the African and Caribbean diaspora and the experience of slavery.
Frangipani House is a home for older people in Guyana. Mama King has been placed there by her family, who now live in America. Mama King does not like the home and finds it oppressive. The concept of house and home is very important in Caribbean literature, often representing cultural identity. Home as a space is used in a variety of ways, but here it is a space of confinement for the old. It is often only home for a short space of time before death and a number of strong and well-drawn characters move briefly through its pages. After working hard all her life Mama King finds the rules and restrictions stultifying and plans to escape; firstly through losing her sanity and then by physical departure. Mama King escapes and spends time with a group of beggars, who although very poor treat her as an equal and appreciate her. Eventually she is beaten up and is in intensive care. Her family travel from America and have to decide what to do with her.
One of the issues highlighted is that Mama King’s family are westernised in the US and their solution to the problems of age is a western one; a nursing home. The main antagonist of the novel is the matron of the nursing home, Miss Trask. Although she comes across as unsympathetic and uncaring, the reader does come to understand her over the course of the novel. Gilroy gives a voice to the voiceless; the old and poor and uneducated. Although Mama King is uneducated in a Western sense, she has knowledge, alternative knowledge and has brought up many children and survived an abusive husband. This novel finds a place for someone who society has no place, a role for a black, poor grandmother.
The care home is supposed to be a haven, but is not; it is a place of memories, partly because the boring routine ensures people are drawn into the past and recollection. The real heart of the novel is the wonderful character of Mama King, who tells us her story. The ending is left a little open, which is good. It is really a novella, so do try it.
First book read as a result of Daughters of Africa edited by Margaret Busby (recommended by Aubrey). I had been meaning to read Beryl Gilroy for some time and this was the impetus I needed. Gilroy was a Guyanese author with an interesting background. Qualifying as a teacher and moving to Britain in the 1950s she was initially unable to get a job as a teacher because of racism. Eventually following a series of unskilled jobs she returned to teaching in the 1960s and became the first black head teacher in London. She did a good deal of work in the area of education in the days of the Greater London Council (GLC); developing a psychotherapy practice principally for black women and children. She also founded the Camden Black Sisters Group. It is easy to forget how much good the GLC did until Thatcher abolished it. Gilroy turned to writing quite late and this, her first novel was published in 1986; she addressed family issues (the treatment of elders being particularly important to her) and went on to write about the African and Caribbean diaspora and the experience of slavery.
Frangipani House is a home for older people in Guyana. Mama King has been placed there by her family, who now live in America. Mama King does not like the home and finds it oppressive. The concept of house and home is very important in Caribbean literature, often representing cultural identity. Home as a space is used in a variety of ways, but here it is a space of confinement for the old. It is often only home for a short space of time before death and a number of strong and well-drawn characters move briefly through its pages. After working hard all her life Mama King finds the rules and restrictions stultifying and plans to escape; firstly through losing her sanity and then by physical departure. Mama King escapes and spends time with a group of beggars, who although very poor treat her as an equal and appreciate her. Eventually she is beaten up and is in intensive care. Her family travel from America and have to decide what to do with her.
One of the issues highlighted is that Mama King’s family are westernised in the US and their solution to the problems of age is a western one; a nursing home. The main antagonist of the novel is the matron of the nursing home, Miss Trask. Although she comes across as unsympathetic and uncaring, the reader does come to understand her over the course of the novel. Gilroy gives a voice to the voiceless; the old and poor and uneducated. Although Mama King is uneducated in a Western sense, she has knowledge, alternative knowledge and has brought up many children and survived an abusive husband. This novel finds a place for someone who society has no place, a role for a black, poor grandmother.
The care home is supposed to be a haven, but is not; it is a place of memories, partly because the boring routine ensures people are drawn into the past and recollection. The real heart of the novel is the wonderful character of Mama King, who tells us her story. The ending is left a little open, which is good. It is really a novella, so do try it.
August 18, 2012
I ran across this book when I was unpacking other books I owned. I seem to have several from my undergrad days that I don't remember having read, so I'm blowing through them before getting rid of them. This one was really difficult to follow - partly from the deliberately disjointed strings, and partly from the foreign vernacular (idiomatic islander speak). The design concept was great, and I've no doubt that anyone from the Caribbean would have a much smoother time making sense of the theme and string of thought than I did. I kept losing track of who was speaking and which character was who. It did have a lovely, original style. Also, the focus of the story - an old lady left by her family in a nursing home - had enough human interest to keep me going. It's a very short read, after all - just a 100 pages or so. Enjoyed it two stars, but the quality is three.
June 26, 2014
this book FRANGIPANI HOUSE is the book am currently doing for my english literature exam and the book is very interesting because Mama King is a strong will character and does not easily give up when she makes up her mind to do something.... she keeps getting flashback about when she was a young girl and that entirely make this book a little interesting to read
October 14, 2013
i want to read it
Read
February 11, 2024DNF.
My Literature teacher dropped this so I’m going to as well xx
My Literature teacher dropped this so I’m going to as well xx
February 26, 2014
it is a very complicated but a emotional. it shows different aspects in life and what can if when u make wrong decisions. this book consist a wide variety of lesson to learn.
February 24, 2018
I was shocked at how difficult it was to find a book with a female protagonist over 60 for my Read Harder 2018 challenge! I had to interlibrary loan this, as it was out of print. I think I'm actually going to count this as my postcolonial book and continue reading books about old women because it never really occurred to me that they're so rare. I found this both a clear-eyed examination of age and a look at a place (Guyana) I haven't read much about. For some reason although it's quite short I found it a slow read; I gather that it's frequently assigned in British schools and I imagine they don't like it much. I'd say you need more life experience to really get what it's about.
November 6, 2013
this is a good book bz its talk an dshow us a lession never to abandon ur parents the ones who loved u did all dat it taked to get u where u are 2 days date
October 20, 2014
it's a great book
Read
January 28, 2015Nice nice
May 11, 2013
The novel has potential, the descriptions are sweeping and mesmerising, however, it is dragged down by characters who are not multi-dimensional, but contradictory. Added to that, the dialogue is occasionally unbelievable, and the code switching of Creole to Standard English is not handled properly.
June 12, 2016
I like the concept of the flow of the story of Mama King emotionally abandonment at a nursing home run by a bitchy Matron. The execution of the plot is a complicated mixture of family neglect, the art of letting go, murder, the plight of older people and immigration made me feel I was reading more than just a story. No wonder it is a Literature text for some Caribbean students.
July 15, 2014
this story is wonderfull
January 16, 2015
its a excellent book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2025
“Frangripani House” narra la historia de Mama King, una mujer mayor que, debido a su indomable carácter, es enviada por su familia a una casa de reposo para ancianos. El mayor acierto de este libro es que tiene como protagonista a una abuela y, además, ofrece una mirada crítica sobre la tercera edad y las instituciones sociales y públicas que se vinculan con ella.
Justamente, hace unos días conversaba con mi madre sobre las opciones que existen en nuestro país para que los adultos mayores puedan vivir su vejez en dignidad y lo que esto implica para sus familias.
Por un lado, está la situación de las casas de reposo. ¿Son lugares realmente adecuados para una persona? ¿Son accesibles para todas las familias? En el Perú, las personas suelen asociar estos lugares con precios exorbitantes o denuncias de maltrato psicológico y/o físico.
Del otro lado, está la percepción social que se tiene sobre los asilos. Para muchas personas, enviar a los ancianos a casas de reposo es sinónimo de abandono. Incluso, los mismos ancianos suelen entenderlo así. ¿Es esto real o si quiera justo para los familiares?
Pienso en mi vecino de 104 años y su hija soltera, quien hace unos años tuvo un derrame cerebral y perdió autonomía. Para cuidarlos, la hija mayor de mi vecino se mudó a la casa y, desde entonces, no ha podido volver a la suya. Sucede que su padre y su hermana no aceptan ser cuidados por otra persona que no sea ella, aunque esto implique que deba dejar de lado su vida. Si la hija mayor decidiera enviar a su padre y a su hermana a una residencia de vida asistida, así sea contra su voluntad, ¿cómo sería ella percibida por las personas de su entorno social?
Considero que este es un debate pendiente y que aún muchos estados no han encontrado la manera de ofrecerle a sus adultos mayores una vejez digna, ya sea en lo económico, psicológico, social o físico.
Justamente, hace unos días conversaba con mi madre sobre las opciones que existen en nuestro país para que los adultos mayores puedan vivir su vejez en dignidad y lo que esto implica para sus familias.
Por un lado, está la situación de las casas de reposo. ¿Son lugares realmente adecuados para una persona? ¿Son accesibles para todas las familias? En el Perú, las personas suelen asociar estos lugares con precios exorbitantes o denuncias de maltrato psicológico y/o físico.
Del otro lado, está la percepción social que se tiene sobre los asilos. Para muchas personas, enviar a los ancianos a casas de reposo es sinónimo de abandono. Incluso, los mismos ancianos suelen entenderlo así. ¿Es esto real o si quiera justo para los familiares?
Pienso en mi vecino de 104 años y su hija soltera, quien hace unos años tuvo un derrame cerebral y perdió autonomía. Para cuidarlos, la hija mayor de mi vecino se mudó a la casa y, desde entonces, no ha podido volver a la suya. Sucede que su padre y su hermana no aceptan ser cuidados por otra persona que no sea ella, aunque esto implique que deba dejar de lado su vida. Si la hija mayor decidiera enviar a su padre y a su hermana a una residencia de vida asistida, así sea contra su voluntad, ¿cómo sería ella percibida por las personas de su entorno social?
Considero que este es un debate pendiente y que aún muchos estados no han encontrado la manera de ofrecerle a sus adultos mayores una vejez digna, ya sea en lo económico, psicológico, social o físico.
October 19, 2022
As a person who is now in middle age, I found this quite depressing. So many elderly people are put in group homes to live out the rest of their lives. Call those home what you will - retirement, assisted living, nursing, elder care, whatever - they are homes we put the elderly in because they can no longer care for themselves and their families cannot or will not either. These homes have nurses and other care givers who provide the bodily needs, but there is little to provide for emotional needs that being apart from families brings. The homes are terribly expensive and they increase in price if the resident needs more medical care. I have no one in my family in a place like this, but it could be only a matter of time.
The main character is Mama King who has family in the US who pay for her to be in Frangipani House, a care home for elderly women in Guyana. Mama King spends her time thinking back on her life since there is little else to do. She is unhappy in the home because she feels dumped there by her daughters and other family whom she rarely sees.. She watches the other residents decline in health and die and feels she is going down that same road. Mama King is determined not to stay in the home and plots her escape. The home isn't a bad place because the residents are taken care of, but they are old and lonely and no longer useful as they once were. It should be a time of life to bask in a life of ease now that the hard work of taking care of families is over, but it doesn't work out to a happy time for some of the elderly women.
I think it is a fair depiction of elderly who feel abandoned and forgotten. There are cultural differences that readers from outside the Caribbean may not understand well, but the themes are entirely universal.
The main character is Mama King who has family in the US who pay for her to be in Frangipani House, a care home for elderly women in Guyana. Mama King spends her time thinking back on her life since there is little else to do. She is unhappy in the home because she feels dumped there by her daughters and other family whom she rarely sees.. She watches the other residents decline in health and die and feels she is going down that same road. Mama King is determined not to stay in the home and plots her escape. The home isn't a bad place because the residents are taken care of, but they are old and lonely and no longer useful as they once were. It should be a time of life to bask in a life of ease now that the hard work of taking care of families is over, but it doesn't work out to a happy time for some of the elderly women.
I think it is a fair depiction of elderly who feel abandoned and forgotten. There are cultural differences that readers from outside the Caribbean may not understand well, but the themes are entirely universal.
February 16, 2019
In this novel set in Guyana, Mama King's daughters in the US have decided that due to their mother's ill health, she should be placed in Frangipani House, a nursing home for elderly women. But Mama King soon feels well enough to be bored with the forced inactivity and lack of autonomy in the home. As she mentally reviews her life, Mama King plans an escape.
Mama King is a fascinating character and her review of the circumstances of her life paints a vivid portrait of the poverty, dreams and struggles of life for women in her time and place.
I felt the ending was unsatisfying but the rest was worth reading. Short, fast read.
Mama King is a fascinating character and her review of the circumstances of her life paints a vivid portrait of the poverty, dreams and struggles of life for women in her time and place.
I felt the ending was unsatisfying but the rest was worth reading. Short, fast read.
October 21, 2016
I don't know where to begin.
This social commentary on the mistreatment of the elderly is, in my view, a reality for way too many.
Too many children drop their parents of somewhere so that they become 'someone else's problem', justifying their action to themselves. When those same parents did all to provide for them, it is simply ingratitude to cast them aside but alas, it is a selfish world in which we live.
Many people die, not because of age or lack of life, but simply because they are thrust into a corner to be forgotten and learn that the ones they once lived for just don't want them.
I am happy that in this story at least, there was something of a happy ending because it is not always the case.
This social commentary on the mistreatment of the elderly is, in my view, a reality for way too many.
Too many children drop their parents of somewhere so that they become 'someone else's problem', justifying their action to themselves. When those same parents did all to provide for them, it is simply ingratitude to cast them aside but alas, it is a selfish world in which we live.
Many people die, not because of age or lack of life, but simply because they are thrust into a corner to be forgotten and learn that the ones they once lived for just don't want them.
I am happy that in this story at least, there was something of a happy ending because it is not always the case.
September 1, 2023
The plot is a bit unbalanced and the ending is abrupt, but this book has two strengths: first, it concentrates on the old people who are left behind when they live in a culture where young people migrate in order to seek a better life; second, it is full of the texture of life in Guyana, a country that has been largely overlooked in the history of literary endeavour. The interior monologue of the main character is well handled, but some of the other characters lack depth.
May 9, 2021
Lovely little story.
Want to read
October 12, 2021Its very amazing I just love it .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 7, 2023read
November 28, 2023
It was an okay read. Took me back to being in high school literature classes.
December 26, 2025
For what the book is, it is good for its psychology of the minds of old people and the portrayal of their lives. It's good. I like it for what it is. NICE!
Read
October 30, 2015My Name is Anarese.I am 14 Years of age and I attend West Demerara Secondary. I love this book alot.To me I find it really enjoyable and funny.I also think that Mama King is a person that speaks her mine and i love her for that.By reading this book she thought me how to be strong and how to stand up for yourself and how to be brave. So thats why i love this book and Mama king.Thank you
January 27, 2013
I think it was Kind of slow
June 7, 2013
this frangipani house book is great
Want to read
September 26, 2013this book is great!!
October 8, 2013
I think frangipanie house book is a very nice book to educate the young childre about oid age persons.
Read
November 23, 2013it is a sinificant book for young people to take care of their mother
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews