From the Bookshelf of Between the Pages Book Club…

The Lost Love Songs of Boysie Singh

Ingrid Persaud

Start date: June 10, 2024

Finish date: June 30, 2024

Why we're reading this: This month has been a very busy one so far this is why I am just now picking a BOTM. It is Read Caribbean…more
[close] This month has been a very busy one so far this is why I am just now picking a BOTM. It is Read Caribbean Month, and I thought that reading this would be a great way to celebrate Caribbean writing.

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Jun 16, 2024 Francica Cornwall rated it really liked it

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

I like everything about this book.

In this book we meet the notorious Trinidadian crime boss of the 1950s Boysie Singh. Boysie is a criminal in the truest sense of the word his crimes were everything from murder, smuggling and gambling. In the book, his life story was told in a very unique and creative way through four women (Popo, Mana Lala, Doris and Rosie) who were connected to Boysie in a way that was different to most people which was their love for him.

Boysi Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

I like everything about this book.

In this book we meet the notorious Trinidadian crime boss of the 1950s Boysie Singh. Boysie is a criminal in the truest sense of the word his crimes were everything from murder, smuggling and gambling. In the book, his life story was told in a very unique and creative way through four women (Popo, Mana Lala, Doris and Rosie) who were connected to Boysie in a way that was different to most people which was their love for him.

Boysie was bad and all four women were willing to do anything for his love at some point. Popo's story was the most sad of all I think. She genuinely loved Boysie and realized too late that the feeling was not mutual. Popo represents many women even today in relationships who support men who just take them for granted. At least though Popo was willing to do something about it unlike his child mother Mana Lala.

When I say each woman represents women in general is no lie. Cause Mana Lala loved Boysie more than life itself that she just sat her whole life waiting for him to love her back. This character frustrated me the most I think cause Boysie did not care one bit for this woman and there she was always waiting...

Doris was the wife who I also thought something was wrong with. She could have had a good life but fell for the glamourous part of Boysie. The club owner who had the nice suits and big money. He used her "Redness" to fit in to high society.

Them there was Rosie. Rosie's connection to Boysie went way back before these other women. She became reconnected with him when he began taking rent for her shop and when she wanted answers for the death of her lover Etty. The end of this will have you shook.

Boysie Singh was an interesting character. Although he was a criminal, he also had a human side too. He loved his son Chunksee a lot and although throughout the book he was a crook at his best, it was also good at times to see he was human too.

I love books by Trinidadian authors that use the language of the people, this is what made this book even more special for me. Love After Love was also a great book.

I am anticipating the next book by Ms. Persaud. ...more

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