The story is about a couple, George and Sabine Harwood, who moved to Trinidad in 1956. George and Sabine Hardwood got married and decided to move to Trinidad for three years. George was a British young man and he got a job on the island and Sabine was his French wife. In 1956 Trinidad was developing as a young independent nation fresh out of the era of colonialism. They came to Trinidad without much luggage because they were planning to go back to England and continue their lives there. Sabine brought with her a shiny green bicycle an couple of other things.
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Sabine used her bicycle to explore the island even if she was the only woman to ride a bicycle. She was admired for her boldness but she felt out of place and a stranger.
Over the years Sabine wanted so badly to leave Trinidad and go back to England that they even made and attempt during a period of intense political turmoil in the country but they didn't succeed and Sabine became even more bitter and frustrated. She became addicted to Valium and she spent her days locked up in her room. She was so depressed but she realizes she is never going to leave the island so she got over it and kept living her life.
George started to do business on the island and planned to build a big house. He never wanted to leave in the first place. He started having more and more affairs with the exotic women of Trinidad and he started drinking more and more rum. He neglected his wife and she became obsessed with the politics of Trinidad and the political figure Eric Williams.
George fell in love with the exotic island but Sabine hated it from the first minute. Fifty years later they are still in Trinidad but Sabine and George are an old, spiteful, disgruntled couple that fell apart over the years.
The story begins in 2006 and describes George and Sabine's life after fifty years on the island of Trinidad. Their children are adults that resemble the people from the island and Sabine and George live in a beautiful house but they hate each other. George discovers that Sabine had a confident all the time and that she wrote hundreds of letters to a charismatic political figure named Eric Williams. She never sent him those letters but George feels betrayed.
In the end George dies in his beloved pool in Trinidad. He loved the island and he loved his wife.
Best part of story, including ending:
I loved the descriptions of this exotic island. I knew nothing about Trinidad and I learned so much.
Best scene in story:
I like the description of the hill and the way Sabine talks to it because she believes the hill is George's mistress.
Opinion about the main character:
I don't like the fact that Sabine complains all the time. I understand her frustration though.
