This book is a book of reality, a book of self-discovery. This is a book that
you read and as you are reading it you can identify with the character, what
he/she does and how she/he reacts to happenings around her/him. The story is set
in and around the Dominican Republic, around the 1950-60’s. The main character
in this book is Annie John, she is a black girl in a English ruled and own
colony. She is a smart tall girl of an inquisitive nature. She has always been
smart in school, but her more ”wild” side has always driven her towards
yearning other experiences. She is a slightly conceded girl and always wants to
be the best in her circle of friends and in school. She enjoys being the center
of attention and does everything she can to achieve this. She has changing
relationships with a couple of girls throughout the book and we can see how
those relationships change her, and also change themselves as her character
matures. Annie’s relationship with her mother is a main point of the whole
book. We follow the relationship going from being a admiring and respectful
mother-daughter relationship to becoming a hatred and dreaded “black
creature”. Many of Annie’s thoughts are quite reflective on the way she was
raised and where she was raised. Many if the characteristics also are easy to
find within our selves. I find this book to be an easy read book about universal
truths, knowledge, and experiences that most of us have already experienced or
if not, should experience. Annie John is a definite must on a list of leisure
and fun books to read.