Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones - 4+ stars (Steeplechase, BWF)

[Joy D]

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones - 4* - My Review

Set on Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea during the 1990s civil war, thirteen-year-old protagonist Matilda was born on the island. She lives with her mother. Her father left the family when she was younger. Most of the administrative officials have left the island due to the government’s blockade, including the schoolteacher. Mr. Watts is the only white man who stayed. He is not a trained educator, but he takes over the teaching duties. He introduces the students to Great Expectations, and Dickens’s story of Pip enthralls the young audience. Matilda immerses herself in Pip’s story, and it becomes an escape from the oppressive environment of violent outbreaks that occur periodically in their village. Her strict Christian mother is at odds with the agnostic Mr. Watts. She visits their classroom and verbally spars with him. Matilda is strongly influenced by both adults. It is a tragic tale of war, the power of literature, and the will to survive. It takes place mostly during the war, but also includes what happens to Matilda years later, as she looks back on those days.

It is easy to empathize with Matilda. Her character exhibits growth over the course of the novel. She eventually comes to realize that Mr. Watts was a different man than what she thought as a child. It provides a great example of childhood idealism turning into adult pragmatism. It is a fictional story of a real war, which did not get much attention from the rest of the world. The prose is lush in its descriptions of the natural environment. Though Mr. Watts and Matilda’s mother are on different sides of the religious divide, each exhibits a heroic quality, illustrating Mr. Watts’s observation: “To be human is to be moral, and you can’t have a day off when it suits.” I found myself fully engrossed. Matilda is a fabulous character. There is quite a bit of violent and disturbing content during the war, but it does not dwell in misery. It contains optimism and hope for escape. It also made me want to re-read Great Expectations.

PBT Steeplechase - tagged "asia" x7:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...

BWF March Extra M - fits letter and tagged "coming of age" x36:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...

[KateNZ]

I adored this book. Thanks for the lovely review, Joy

[Joy D]

I loved it too! I debated giving it 5 stars. Definitely worth reading, and I'm not sure many people are aware of it.