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Little Bee

Chris Cleave

Discussion: Books Set in Africa

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Books Set in Africa

* African Authors
By Diane , Armchair Tour Guide · 16 posts · 923 views

last updated Feb 06, 2025 09:27PM

Gambia
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last updated Sep 30, 2025 10:25AM

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What Members Thought

Nov 11, 2012 Aimee rated it liked it · review of another edition

"Little Bee" touches on important issues about immigration and interactions between those in developed and developing countries. Somehow I had trouble seeing the title character as a fully rounded one. At the same time, the other main character, from the "western" world, was more developed, but still hard to get to know. She seemed disengaged from her own life, and maybe this was part of the point, but it was therefore hard to connect with and sympathize with her, at least for me. Still, there a ...more

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Feb 11, 2012 mstan rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: british, src-spring-2012, public-transport

The story begins promisingly enough, with Little Bee, a Nigerian immigrant to the UK, being 'released' from the immigrant detention centre along with a few other women. She has only one place to go - the home of a white man she had met on a beach in Nigeria - and you want to find out the whys and hows of the matter because everything's just plain odd.

Then you realise the chapters alternate between the voice of Little Bee and that of the white man's wife, Sarah, a woman who's supposed to be a mag ...more

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Sep 17, 2010 Kara rated it it was ok · review of another edition

The Other Hand is a story paradoxing modern day England vs. war raveged Nigeria through the eyes of an English mother and a girl refugee. Very interesting to expose how little the hosting nations of refugees actually know about the people they provide asylum to and how the refugees view their adopted country.

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Dec 30, 2013 Kristen Iworsky rated it liked it · review of another edition

Not so much of a fan of this book. It seemed scattered and I never liked any of the characters very much.

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Aug 04, 2012 Grace rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Made subway rides in humid heat enjoyable

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Jan 20, 2011 Erica rated it it was amazing

The first half of Little Bee was amazing. Narratively brilliant, incredibly disturbing, an entire world to escape into and yet be unendingly assaulted by. I thought the second half lacked the panache and tightness of the first. The conversation the happens between Little Bee and Sarah's man was really over-written, and I thought most of the last half of the book was the same. But some truly amazing, haunting lines up to mid-way. ...more

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May 11, 2009 Katie rated it really liked it

Shelves: male-author, ___africa

I wanted to wait until Becky finished reading this before I posted my review, but now I kind of forget everything I would have said. I enjoyed the book for the most part, but I agree with a lot of what Becky wrote. Some of it just seemed unrealistic and a little forced or something, but i can't really remember. ...more

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Apr 25, 2010 Sarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, hot-lit, book-club-dm

I loved Little Bee and her voice, and I loved little Charlie (er, I mean Batman). But the book is four stars instead of five because I didn't care for Sarah and thought that the chapter where she met Lawrence seemed uneven and not genuine. ...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Astrid Lim rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: british, tragedy, literature

I'm not impressed with this book, especially after reading the over the top synopsis at the back of the book. It's a marketing ploy!!! huks. And I don't like most of the characters, except Little Bee. ...more

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