The Cursed Village
The Cursed Village by Harripersad Samaroo, published by Troubador Publishing Ltd on October 28, 2020, is a historical fiction narrative set in a small sugar cane farming village in Trinidad during the 1940s. The story follows four-year-old Usati as he navigates the challenges of life in Sunnyvale, a community marked by poverty, domestic violence, and a deep belief in black magic. Through Usati’s eyes, readers gain insight into the language and culture of the mainly illiterate peasant workers, as well as the pervasive fear and brutality that shape their existence.
As Usati grows, he becomes a protector for his younger siblings and grapples with the harsh realities of his environment, including the impact of his mother’s death and the upheavals within his family. The narrative explores themes of violence, suffering, and the quest for education, as Usati vows to bring literacy to his village and confront the cruelty surrounding him. The story also touches on his relationship with B, highlighting the challenges they face amid the trials of their lives. This edition spans 376 pages and is presented in English, offering a poignant look at resilience and hope in the face of adversity.
Official synopsis Publisher
Usati is a four year old growing up in Sunnyvale, a small, poor and remote sugar cane farming village in Trinidad in the 1940’s. He describes the world he sees, and captures the language and culture of the mainly illiterate peasant workers who live around him. There is widespread belief in black magic, and nearby is the infamous silk-cotton tree which houses the evil spirits who are responsible for all the ills of the village. Usati looks after his two younger siblings. Even as a four year old he has to be a human shield for the neighbour on several occasions in the face of domestic violence. Life is hard and brutal with constant fear of violence and beatings.
Following his mother’s death the children are brought up by their grandparents, but there are further constant upheavals within the family. Violence remains within all parts of this society, as is crime and suffering. Usati observes how his family suffers through their illiteracy and the society within which they live.
Usati battles for a good education. He vows to bring literacy to the village and to fight against the cruelty that surrounds him. Usati and B started as teenage lovers, but can their love survive and endure a lifetime from the wicked curse and traumas of the intervening years?
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