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The Attic Child
- Narrated by: Lucian Msamati, Nneka Okoye
- Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins
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The Attic Child
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Summary
Longlisted for the Jhalak Prize 2023.
Two children trapped in the same attic, almost a century apart, bound by a secret.
1907: Twelve-year-old Celestine spends most of his time locked in an attic room of a large house by the sea. Taken from his homeland and treated as an unpaid servant, he dreams of his family in Africa even if, as the years pass, he struggles to remember his mother’s face, and sometimes his real name....
Decades later, Lowra, a young orphan girl born into wealth and privilege, will find herself banished to the same attic. Lying under the floorboards of the room is an old porcelain doll, an unusual beaded claw necklace and, most curiously, a sentence etched on the wall behind an old cupboard, written in an unidentifiable language. Artefacts that will offer her a strange kind of comfort, and lead her to believe that she was not the first child to be imprisoned there....
Lola Jaye has created a hauntingly powerful, emotionally charged and unique dual-narrative novel about family secrets, love and loss, identity and belonging, seen through the lens of Black British history in The Attic Child.
Critic reviews
"This is important storytelling about issues of race and privilege...and a book that will stay with me for a long time." (Tracy Chevalier)
"Just brilliant." (Dorothy Koomson)
"Powerful and emotional." (Lisa Jewell)
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What listeners say about The Attic Child
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- Tazzie
- 21-12-22
Wonderful!
Wow! This book had me binging! I was very moved by this story. Well written and wonderfully narrated.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- murphy21
- 13-09-22
Enjoyable, touching and informative
I really enjoyed this book though at times hard to listen to as we ignore or are ignorant to lot of the terrible historical things people did and suffered through. I felt really connected to each character and couldn’t wait to listen to it
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Joleen Tobias
- 16-02-24
A very moving story
The storytelling is complex and interesting. I really enjoyed this sad tale of our terrible history.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ms. A. Allen
- 02-01-23
Delicious
From start to finish this book was a joy.
Was a great listen and well performed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ziyah
- 03-01-23
The Attic Child Review
A brilliant book, capturing the impact of separation, loss, cultural identity, belonging, and legacy. This story is told across generations and the timeline is so seamless, it enables the reader to be immersed within the history, and the life experiences of the characters. For example, it is through the totality of Dikembe experiences, that we feel the power of trauma, resilience, self-determination, love, and African pride. This is a multidimensional book, transporting you across locations, including Africa (Kongo) and England. It is beautifully written, depicting the varying degrees of human consciousness, against a backdrop of power and control, choices, and ethics.
Thank you Lola, this book is a gift.
Ziyah
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Clemence Hope
- 08-02-23
Captivating and at some times uncomfortable
This is and Incredible story magnificently written depicting a potential outlook and voice of the lion rather than the hunter for once
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Alessandro Bertie
- 04-11-22
Was sneaking a listen at every possible opportunity!
Everything about this incredible book captured and broke my heart at the same time.
Beautifully and thoughtfully written. It’s blown my mind wide open.
Exquisitely narrated, the smooth voices melted in my ears.
A most read for so many reasons.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- anngee
- 13-06-22
A most amazing and intriguing story
I loved the way this story was narrated and the various accents used. I loved the way it switched back and forth in time between the two main character. The story was so intriguing and had me drawn in as if I were part of the narrative. Though it touched on very sensitive racial issues as well as abuse, the story of overcoming despite it all and the love superseded everything. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a bit of lighthearted but serious history. So beautifully written.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 27-11-23
Heartwarming and heartbreaking
I felt so much empowerment and hope in this story despite the many obstacles the main character faced. Dual narrative was interesting and kept me engrossed in the story to find out more.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Bella A
- 24-10-22
Great read
Captivating, thought provoking story. Great work by both narrators. The story tackles difficult themes, however, it is not a depressing read and is quite an uplifting book, depicting human resilience, hope and the power of love. I found that by the end it veered towards the sentimental, but on the whole this was a worthwhile experience and an important book.
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