A Thirst for Rain

by Roslyn Carrington

Book Overview

A wise, heartfelt, shattering novel set in the northern foothills of Trinidad, "A Thirst for Rain" evokes the vibrant rhythms of the Caribbean and is seared by the heat that is a prelude to both... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1575665751
• ISBN13: 9781575665757
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Enjoyed Reading this book

It took me a few days to read this book, not because I didn't enjoy it...I had to take breaks to process it all. I love how each chapter is that specific character narrating their own thghts and place in the story that particular moment. Odile is a young girl who feels neglected by her mother and becomes pregnant. Little does she know, her mother is also pregnant, both mother and daughter are pregnant by no good men who could care less abt them and their babies. While one finds love in a man from the neighborhood, the other refuses love from the neighborhood guy and also loses her baby for being so cruel and heartless to the guy that is willing to assume responsibility. A Thirst of Rain, is just that...once the rain came that everyone thght the land needed due to all the heat and dryness, the rain brought bad times. Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.

A Thirst for Rain

Several stories have been written about single parent homes fighting society's most basic hardships in an effort to rise above predetermined stereotypes or much less, survive with a sense of normalcy. In the United States these achievements are often a tall order for families facing hardships like poverty, crime, and domestic abuse; likewise, in a poor rural setting on the island of Trinidad, families are forced to accept certain realities with time, hard work, and education as their only way out. Myra, a beautiful, hard working Creole style cook, who makes a living selling lunches to people out of a small hut in Port of Spain, Trinidad, strives to hold her business and family together while turbulent forces threaten to pull her whole life apart. On the surface, a reader sees Myra's struggle with her rebellious teenage daughter and a father with deteriorating mental health but this novel goes so much deeper in dealing with feelings of rage, resentment, disappointment and loss. I was extremely impressed with Roslyn Carrington's amazing ability to develop each character with enough substance and detail that as a reader, you feel a sense of connection with all the people in the story. In a clever way, the author gave all the characters in the book a personality trait that in some way related to people we know in our personal lives and/or ourselves. As Myra's world slowly closed in around her "A Thirst for Rain" brings you deeper into her thought process as well as the minds of those around her. Even with the cultural differences of Trinidad to the States there is no ambiguity in the emotions that are being expressed by all the characters.This truly inspiring and uplifting tale of hope and sacrifice should be considered an absolute must read for people who are ready for the ultimate drama. For me, "A Thirst for Rain" provided a wonderful example of how close knit communities can pull together in crisis and how the ability of one woman to trust can affect the lives of all those who care about her.

A Thirst For Rain: A Venezuelan Perspective

Rosslyn Carrington's A THIRST FOR RAIN: A Venezuelan Perspective Well-written and fascinating, this novel is set in the island of Trinidad and focuses on two women, Myra and her daughter Odile, who suffer the ravages of machismo and single parenthood. They represent the depressing role in which so many women in tropical countries suffer and how the legacy of fatherless children is repeated from generation to generation. Although Myra had indulged in irresponsible sex, she did everything she could to prevent Odile from repeating her mistake by encouraging her to focus on her studies to assure a better future for herself. But the call of sex is powerful and young people are weak and more vulnerable. Unlike Myra, her daughter loses her baby and there is hope that she'll go back to her studies and make something of herself. In tropical countries, there are also many Slims and Jacobs, Myra's two lovers. Slim is an irresponsible womanizer. He gets her pregnant and treats her with extreme machismo. He also has his eye on Odile and would have made her pregnant if he had the opportunity. Jacob, on the other hand, is an introvert and disabled by his former exploits as a stick fighter. He moves from his small village in the eastern part of the island to its capital where he lives in the past, not caring for the present or the future until he meets Myra. He timidly courts her and eventually becomes her lover. He provides Myra the emotional support and respect which Slim so blatantly denies her. Written in disarmingly plain English, A Thirst for Rain brings back memories of my country, Venezuela, where a vast majority of the population experiences daily the depressing situations described by the author. Countless women are abandoned by machista and irresponsible men, who father their children and then leave them to fend for themselves and their families. This dire situation forces these hapless women to sell their bodies for a pittance in order to alleviate their abject poverty. Women instinctively know that there are many men ready and willing to offer money for sex. They also know that after satisfying their carnal desires, the men will discard them in that incessant search for sex so characteristic of the Latin male. Like Myra, the majority of our Latin American women live in a world of anxiety, incomprehension, and insecurity. Many are unaware of the AIDS virus and the danger it poses. Some think that if they get it, luck will save them. Others have a more fatalistic attitude and believe that death will solve the innumerable and unbearable problems, which assail them. While some of these women hope for a stroke of luck or a miracle, others believe it's their destiny or God's will for them. They will eventually enjoy their rewards in heaven. We have a hint of this idea when Myra, after an arduous workday, sits on a park bench with a beer in her hands and with her eyes shut perhaps dreaming of a better world. These moments provide her

Like a Painting

One of my favorite reads this year. A mother and teenage daughter facing the same dilemma struggle alone, each ignorant of the other's predicament. Set in an apartment yard in Port of Spain, we meet Odile and her mother, Myra, Jakob, the noble stick-fighter, Myra's father, and my favorite, the young boy Rory who loves Odile with all his heart. Like a fine painting evokes the soul of a place, A Thirst for Rain let me feel Trinidad and it's people. Carrington shows us it's colors and smells, it's trees, flowers, streets and buildings. Through her wonderfully-drawn, touching characters, we get to share their lives. My only criticism of this book is that I didn't want it to end, I wanted more. However, it is obvious that Carrington is such a talented writer we are sure to get much more of her in the future.

An unforgettable beautifully written offering

One cannot simply read this book. The texture and the depth of characters drew me in to a rich, passionate, sensual, sweet and sad experience. The characters are three dimensional, people with whom I'd like to sit down over a cup of coffee. This book is what art should be, an evocative, compelling experience that affects us in so many ways.

Quite a Find

This book was not my typical reading material, but I am grateful that I followed my instinct when I bought it. The story is absolutely engaging and the painting of the characters is exceptional. In such a short work Ms. Carrington manages to create great depth in her characters and draws the reader into this small area of Trinidad. What a great surprise and discovery - I hope you will all find it just as rewarding!