I've tried several times now to finish this book and keep getting pulled away by more interesting stories. There is nothing bad about this story per say other than the fact it has been unable to hold my attention to completion after multiple attempts.

Set in an island paradise near Madagascar, Shay spends part of her life in Italy and part of her life in the Red House in tropical Madagscar. Her older husband Senna spends more and more time in the Red House, and Shay comes to realize the layered lives of the inhabitants and Senna himself. Well written and evocative, with memorable characters, this book takes you to places many of us dream of. Recommended reading.

I loved this book. The parts written about the Island are almost like a series of short stories, biographies of various Island inhabitants, each of which is fascinating. The stories are full of the "magic" that is part of life on the Island and which Shay comes to respect if not fully believe in. The character of Shay is deeply explored and her reticence at being the "lady of the house" and therefore boss of the servants is revealing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

I couldn’t have loved this book more, although (no spoilers) it broke my heart.

The story follows a young couple, - Shay, an African-American scholar, and Senna, her wealthy Italian entrepreneurial husband, - as they build and periodically vacation in an extravagant villa and property in the unspoiled paradise of the African isle of Madagascar.

The author has a gorgeous command of language, and within the first few pages, I was instantly transported to a vivid and exotic land, where:

🖊” in the light soaked stillness of the hottest noontime hour, mongrel dogs lie flat as puddles in patches of shade”.

🖊” the land formation is dazzlingly, virginally green, as if it is the first time that color has been used on earth.”

🖊”the long curve of empty coral beach, is white and perfect as a fresh slice of apple”

🖋”(visitors) are dizzied by the infinite possibilities of using First World money in a Third World country, one of the poorest on earth.

🖋”the first caress of tropical air like an infant’s hand on the face”

It doesn’t take too long for complex and interesting themes to begin to emerge.

The novel spans decades, with each chapter feeling like a self-contained short story, introducing us to new and beautifully rendered characters whose lives, loves, losses and adventures, feel less and less strange the more we become absorbed deep into the fabric of this book and the all-encompassing pull of the magical Madagascar setting.

Gradually it becomes clear that this is a novel about power, about entitlement, about rich sojourners, taking over (or so they believe), through the mastery and exploitation of new territories, leveraging whomever and whatever opportunities present themselves. An age-old theme.

However, as the story plays out through the lives of the protagonists Shay and Senna, it becomes clear that rather than simply rolling over and allowing dominance- homelands that are mired in history, in the deep-rootedness, culture, and connection to the land experienced by all their native peoples, rise up in unexpected ways to have a profound and inescapable effect over the lives of all involved. Most definitely including the interlopers.

This is a brilliant book that I will think about for a long while.

A big thank you to NetGalley; the publisher, Simon and Schuster Canada; and the author, Andrea Lee for an advance review copy of this book. All thoughts presented are my own. This book will be published March 23, 2021.

Unfortunately, I DNF'd this book at 10%. I found it read too much like a textbook in terms of the history/geography presented and I just couldn't get into the story.

Red Island House is an interesting and thought provoking book. It is a story about perspectives and how the sum of our experiences influence our perspectives. No matter how much Shay tries to help the islanders, things don't go as she intends, because she is an outsider and her experiences don't equate to an understanding of the islanders perspectives.

Each chapter is really a short story about a specific event relating to the house. Some of the timelines of these stories overlap, as some of them take place over years, but telling them separately makes them feel more full and powerful.

I received a copy of this book on Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A beautifully written story that takes place in Madagascar. Our main character is Shay, an African-American academic, married to an Italian spending time at their holiday home. I had a hard time getting through this book, the story line wasn't always cohesive and each chapter is more like a short story, exploring many topics, such as race, colonization, class, among others. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy.