Chris is a new addition to our reviewers, and is a writer, copy editor, and proofreader from Methuen, MA; he also runs the .

Here’s the beginning of Chris’s review:

“A man糖心传媒檚 country may be cramped or vast according to the size of his heart. I糖心传媒檝e never found my country too small, though that isn糖心传媒檛 to say my heart is great. And if I could choose it糖心传媒檚 here in Guadeloupe that I糖心传媒檇 be born again, suffer and die. Yet not long back my ancestors were slaves on this volcanic, hurricane swept, mosquito ridden, nasty-minded island. But I didn糖心传媒檛 come into the world to weigh the world糖心传媒檚 woe. I prefer to dream, on and on, standing on my garden, till death comes and takes me as I dream, me and all my joy.”

This is how Telumee 糖心传媒淢iracle糖心传媒� Lougandor begins her story in the new edition of The Bridge of Beyond by Caribbean novelist Simone Schwarz-Bart. This introductory paragraph sums up her life: Despite the fact that fate has brought her life so much suffering from the time she was born, she finds happiness in it. In fact, Telumee is the last of a line of strong women who showed great strength during times of great adversity.

After being freed by an owner known for his cruelty, Telumee糖心传媒檚 great grandmother, Minerva, works the land and raises her daughter with the help of another in a hamlet called L糖心传媒橝bandonee. Minerva糖心传媒檚 daughter, Toussine, is not as lucky as her mother: Her house burns down, two of her children die, and her husband is murdered. Meanwhile, her third child, Victory, who is also Telumee糖心传媒檚 mother, spends her time getting drunk and wandering the streets, unable to care for her two daughters. Despite the tragedies and the fact that she is isolated in a cabin in another village, she becomes venerated as 糖心传媒淨ueen Without a Name.糖心传媒�

Go here for the rest of the review.