My sister suggested, practically mandated, that I read this book. And the inside-the-cover blurb suggests, practically mandates, that reviewers of this particular title not provide much plot summary. They say it would spoil the experience of the story to tell you what happens or even talk about the characters. I had some issues with the book, even though I found it an absorbing read, so I’m going to disobey and talk about the characters and even the plot in general terms and see if I can work through my issues. If you are considering Little Bee as your next read and you are afraid that my discussion will spoil it for you, don’t read. You have been warned.

Little Bee, the title character, is a Nigerian refugee who has been imprisoned in a British immigrant detainment center for the past two years. The book is about what happens when Little Bee gets out of the detainment center and about what happened two and a half years before on a beach in Nigeria to Little Bee and to a couple from England, Andrew and Sarah. The good part about this book is that I read it to the end to see what would happen to the characters. Therefore, I must have cared what happened to the characters. But, however, nevertheless, I don’t really think I did, care, that is. I didn’t like them very much. Oh, it was easy to feel sympathy for Little Bee, a refugee from the horrors of civil war and cruelty in Nigeria’s oil disputes. But even while I was feeling very, very sorry for her, I also felt as if I were being manipulated somehow. I do sympathize with refugees and illegal immigrants. I tend to believe in open borders, although I’m not sure how that sort of governmental policy would work out in reality. I think it’s horrible and bad policy to keep people in some kind of pseudo-prison while their refugee status is pending approval from on high, an approval that hardly ever comes. But many, many illegal immigrants are not in fear of being murdered if they return to their home countries. Some are in fear of starving to death; others just want to make a better life for themselves and their families. A few are very likely terrorists themselves. In other words, the character of Little Bee is a sympathetic over-simplification of the immigration issue.

And Sarah is (spoiler warning) an adulteress, with no good excuse or justification for her behavior. Andrew, Sarah’s husband, is a coward in a moment of extreme stress when an instant decision is required. I couldn’t really fault him; I probably wouldn’t be able to make the courageous sacrifice he was asked to make on the spur of the moment either. But Andrew’s character was never really fleshed out beyond that one fateful decision anyway, so I didn’t care much about him either. Lawrence, the “other man,” was a wimp and a cheater, so I couldn’t stand him. And Charlie, Sarah’s and Andrew’s four year old son, wore his Batman suit throughout the story and unknowingly caused a couple of really bad things to happen, so I wanted someone to keep a better eye on him and keep him from causing such trouble. No one did.

I dunno. If you’re up for a tragic story about some well meaning people who happen to have serious issues, you might like Little Bee very much. On a different day, I might write a more positive review. Today a mildly discontented review, and links to other bloggers that really liked it a lot, is all I can do.

Other views and reviews:
Caribousmom: “Cleave’s prose is ironic, at times humorous (although the themes of the novel are anything but funny), and original.” (I agree with that description of the writing in this book. The dialogue, and the inner monologue, in particular, were captivating.)
Judy at Carpe Libris: “I love the title character and her deep honesty about life. Also, her observations of human nature are compelling. Too bad she is not real. I would love to meet her someday.”
Rhapsody in Books: “The facts that Cleave brings to your attention about Nigeria and about detention centers are undeniably true, and that’s what I believe you will take away from this story. It’s yet another good reminder of how truly fortunate we are.”
Hey, Lady! Whatcha Readin’?: “Where I think the author excels is in getting the reader to examine their own humanity. What would you give up for someone else’s life? When put in this situation, a person learns their character, and in one character’s case in this book, found they came up short.”