The Attic Child
Summary: A hauntingly powerful and emotionally charged novel about family secrets, love and loss, identity and belonging.
Two children trapped in the same attic, almost a century apart, bound by a shared secret.
Early 1900s London: Taken from his homeland, twelve-year-old Celestine spends most of the time locked away in the attic of a large house by the sea. The only time Celestine isn't bound by confines of the small space is when he is acting as an unpaid servant to English explorer Sir Richard Babbington, As the years pass, he desperately clings on to memories of his family in Africa, even as he struggles to remember his mother's face, and sometimes his real name . . .
1974: Lowra, a young orphan girl born into wealth and privilege whose fortunes have now changed, finds herself trapped in the same attic. Searching for a ray of light in the darkness of the attic, Lowra finds under the floorboards an old-fashioned pen, a porcelain doll, a beaded necklace, and a message carved on the wall, written in an unidentifiable language. Providing comfort for her when all hope is lost, these clues will lead her to uncover the secrets of the attic.
My Thoughts: This book is a journey like no other. This story explores the unspoken history of British colonialism and what it meant for the people. Initially a young African boy by the name of Dikembe is taken away from his home and family by a British explorer named Babbington. Babbington takes Dikembe to England, renames him Celestine, and hires a private tutor for him. Celestine even attends school for a short time. As one of the few black people in England, Celestine continuously has to strive for ways to be accepted. When his fortunes turn Celestine finds himself forced into servitude. The attic becomes both his jail and partly his refuge. Within the walls of the attic Celestine fights to remain himself. He fights to remember his family. Being in the attic forces him to find the courage and determination to survive. It sets him on a path for justice.
Lowra brings Celestine's story full circle. Her life was marked early on by tragedy and abuse. As one could imagine, this took a toll on Lowra's emotional health. When a death forces her to come face to face with her past she first ignores it. A seemingly meaningless trip to a museum takes her on an epic journey, one with an ending not even she can imagine.
Lola Jaye truly wrote a masterpiece. As promised the book delivers a powerful and emotional story that will stay with the reader long after the pages have been read. The narrators for this book were absolutely excellent!!
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.
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