BOOK BYTES: The Seeds of Green Mangoes (review)

4.5 out of 5 Rating


A lush, no-holds barred story


I am a big fan of stories that make you think, that make you want to talk about the story with others. Janete Scobie's debut novel, The Seeds of Green Mangoes is definitely one of those books. On the surface, it's a coming of age story, one young woman's journey to find herself and her place in the world. Beneath the surface is a lushly described story that vividly portrays locales, characters, and the yearning embedded in main character, Creola Philogène. There are two things I enjoy most about this story. One, I love the weaving of deep, serious issues in the story: the taboo of sex, culture, gender, and class, for example, blend well to layer the story and give book clubs something to talk about. Two, knowing a bit about Scobie's background - her education, travels, experiences - this book feels like a culmination of everything she's learned and felt thus far in her life. I look forward to seeing what she gleans from life next.

You can order a copy of The Seeds of Green Mangoes by clicking the cover above.