A powerful feminist read about the power of protest, however, it was quite slow paced in places and that sometimes took from the flow of the story.

Considering this is a book about a boycott, it's very tame and slow moving! It is great to learn about the cinema boycott and Bermudian segregation but I think it would have worked much better as a short story or non-fiction book. For a YA novel specifically about direct action it wasn't exciting or fast paced enough for me.

YA book. Easy to read and drawing n important themes in modern teenage lives. I enjoyed it. I recommended it to my teenage nieces,

I absolutely adored this book, which was both a bit of a delightful surprise and the first step in laying a foundation of affection for everything that comes after this!

A short book for a subject that is still going on today. I would recommend this book for people at middle school age, as it's an opening into race relations, without going into intense historical and political detail. The main character can be easily identified with, and is very fleshed out. This contrasts with the actual boycott itself, which I felt was too sparse.

My classroom is peppered with books based on historical figures and events that my students are not familiar with. This is a perfect book to introduce them to desegregation in Bermudan movie theaters. Its short length will make reading it more appealing to my middle schoolers.

This history is important to tell--the rarely told story of race relations in Bermuda. Desma is a character who is full of life so I was interested in her story. Unfortunately the plot was a bit basic--I wanted more, especially from the supporting characters. This novel seems like a good fit for upper elementary or middle grade readers who are interested in history.

We certainly get a lot of books about segregation in the American South. So it was interesting to get a look at how segregation presented in other places, more subtle but just as insidious. So I really wanted to like this book. And its not like I hate it. It just didn't leave much of an impression. There's not a lot of depth to emotions or events. Not a lot of drama. Kind of a low impact introduction to segregation, though also a great example of the power of peaceful protest.

Actual rating 3.5

The history behind this story is unfortunately more interesting than the story itself. Whilst there are parts of the book that are well fleshed out, like Desma (who I love) and the theatre boycott itself, there was too much that just wasn't explored enough. This is partly because the book is very short (only 175 pages) and there isn't enough room to fully explore the supporting characters.

It's fairly well written and the characters are believable even if some of them are a bit dull, the Johnson's made me so intensely angry and were vivid in their horrific views as were most of the other white characters in this book.

Overall, I found this a relatively enjoyable read, it could have done with being longer to really flesh out the characters but it was brilliant to learn about such an important event in Caribbean history through Desma.

Between 3.5 and 4. Great themes that are sadly still important today and lost on so many. It's great that this is YA and intended to stir that age group into not simply accepting things as they are, but to really examine and question societal norms, attitudes, laws, etc. The protagonist is well-written and feels authentically sixteen, which is not something that can often be said in YA. The secondary characters could've been a little more fleshed out. Some smaller plot points seemed to have fizzled out without much resolution, but the main plot around the boycott was quite well done. I almost think it could've been a tad longer to tie things up a bit better. This book does an especially great job at highlighting the way we must question everything and not simply let things go if they're not causing an immediate problem for us as individuals. Desma learns to see through fresh eyes and comes to understand that not all is what she assumed, and that sometimes taking a stand is necessary, even if that means sacrificing order.

I knew very little about the history of Bermuda before reading this book but Florenz Webbe Maxwell taught me a lot about it while staying focussed on her engaging story and heroine. This book shows the ongoing effects of imperialism and racism, together with sexism, as the heroine tries to make her way in a world that tries to deny her ambitions because of her colour and gender.

Girlcott

by Florenz Webbe Maxwell

Blue Banyan Books

Blouse & Skirt Books
Historical Fiction , Teens & YA

Pub Date 15 Sep 2017

I am reviewing a copy of Girlcott through Blue Banyan Books/Blouse & Skirt Books and Netgalley:

Just a week and a day ago Desma Johnson had only two things on her mind, in eight days she would be sixteen and she was inline for a top scholarship getting her closer to her dream. But it's 1959 and the Secret Progressive League has announced that they were going to Boycott all cinemas in Bermuda in an effort to end racial segregation.

Desma Johnson is determined to study for the exams so she can go to college and become an actuary.

As the events around the Boycott start building up, racial tension becomes more and more evident.

This book shows us that in the not so distant past, whites and blacks and Bermuda's lived separate, very segregated lives, but Desma the courageous young character in this book is determined to show that she is as worthy as her peers, and deserves a chance to go to college.

I give GirlCott five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

BROOKE’S REVIEW

This book by Florenz Webbe Maxwell is a terrific book for middle and high school students. In a time when it is incredibly important to give voice to diverse authors, Maxwell gives fresh perspective through her narrator, Desma Johnson. Desma transitions from being a typical teenager, concerned most about her 16th birthday, to becoming aware about the plight for desegregation in Bermuda.

Given our current political context, this novel shows teenagers the power of resistance, advocacy, and standing up for racial justice. This could certainly be used as a teaching tool.

EDITORIAL REVIEW

A week ago, Desma Johnson had only two things on her mind – in exactly eight days, she would be sixteen years old and to top it off she was inline for a top scholarship, bringing her one step closer to her dreams. Life was perfect and nothing would get in the way of her birthday plans. But it’s 1959 and the secret Progressive Group has just announced a boycott of all cinemas in Bermuda in order to end racial segregation. As anxieties around the boycott build Desma becomes increasingly aware of the racial tensions casting a dire shadow over the island. Neighbours she once thought were friendly and supportive show another side. So, Desma must learn that change is never easy, and even when others expect small things from black girls, she has the right to dream big.

In this startling debut, Florenz Webbe Maxwell takes a little known fact about Caribbean history and weaves an engaging tale that speaks eloquently to the contemporary experience. Girlcott takes you beyond the image of Bermuda as a piece of paradise and charts a narrative of resistance, hope and the importance of fighting for change. Girlcott won a Burt Award for Caribbean Literature (2016) prize.

AUTHOR

Ms. Maxwell has previously written Spirit Baby and Other Bermuda Folktales, and has had other work published in anthologies.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

A coming of age story told in the voice of sixteen-year-old Desma sheds light on desegregation in Bermuda during the year 1959. This story was certainly relatable to students of United States history and particularly poignant during our country's current events. Desma vascillates between a focus on ehr upcoming birthday and the resulting party, her schooling and intended career, and a growing awareness of her place, real and percieved, in the world.

Despite writing an entire dissertation on Caribbean literature, I'm unfortunately not as well-versed in Caribbean history as I'd like to be. Which is why I had no idea about the historic Bermudian theatre boycott until I stumbled upon this book.

There was a lot that I enjoyed about the book. I loved the protagonist, Desma, and her personality. I thought she was incredibly realistic in that she cared far more about her 16th birthday party than desegregation. Or even that she seemed ignorant about segregation itself, seeming to accept society as it was. She only begins to question things when the white family she babysits for suddenly begins to spit hate towards her because she turned down their job offer, and in lieu of the rumours of the theatre boycott. Desma's gradual understanding of segregation in Bermuda, and the importance of the boycott was also presented realistically. Desma, as a character, had a great character arc.

Unfortunately, everything else in the book that wasn't Desma, or the plot of the theatre boycott, was totally lacking. The characters were underdeveloped, as were various plot points. So when they were resolved, or when Desma interacted with other characters, it felt completely flat and one-dimensional. The dialogue and prose was also quite clumsy, and often felt forced - or even a bit redundant and condescending. Just because it's a kids book, doesn't mean you need to over explain or talk down to your audience.

All in all, I did enjoy certain things about the book, but the writing, characters, and subplots ultimately hindered much of my enjoyment.

Enticing read. It was nice to read about a teenager from a different culture (than mine). Love the main character, she had a strong voice. This book tackled some very important issues like segregation and the civil rights movement, still very relevant nowadays.

OMG! This engaging YA historical fiction novel exceeded my expectations! I was unaware of Bermuda's history of segregation before so Florenz Webbe Maxwell continues to right wrongs!