Kincaid toys with simple blocks of language like she’s Gertrude Stein, using the repetition of image-bits to build a lulling rhythm. The first sentence uses one phrase — ”the sun was in its usual place, up above and in the middle of the sky” — four times. This is the language of the title character’s daughter, an Antiguan woman who imagines the impoverished childhood and inner life of the father she hardly knows. Sometimes her lilting language gains intensity and reaches lush poetry, and sometimes it is a numbingly circular bore: ”See the small boy asleep in a slumber so deep, seamlessly still, his body seems stilled, but not in death, not in the life of death, his body is stilled yet moving with stillness….”
Related Articles
![Split photo of Donald Glover, Anna Sawai, and Jeremy Allen White](https://ew.com/thmb/DjJ4Uvl9m3w-10edJuk96pROB1M=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/emmys-2-071724-7f2de0e57e524d65917c37bc70962032.jpg)
The Bear breaks comedy series record with 23 Emmys nominations: See the full list
![Jonathan Bennett hosts 'Finding Mr. Christmas' on Hallmark+](https://ew.com/thmb/tUkjQHy79SKxzrQSC25wryFjS1w=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/finding-mr-christmas-071024-1-6a04619abc4947818b4c74a918c15eda.jpg)
Hallmark's Finding Mr. Christmas reality show seeks holiday movie hunk
![Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I](https://ew.com/thmb/eaMkxKDTpso_rGMYc2lIwcCFl24=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/harry-potter-062624-e5af0309f176495fa057cb66f04b5555.jpg)
Harry Potter HBO series enlists Game of Thrones, Succession alums as director and showrunner
![HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2, Matthew Lewis](https://ew.com/thmb/UvQ_213Jksn4Qz0vD91Abo0m4dI=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Matthew-Lewis-Harry-Potter-062124-9c76c00c7f0e47c29a081a3338e32a67.jpg)
Matthew Lewis doesn't 'want to do' Harry Potter reboot but is intrigued by idea of adult Neville
![tim doyle](https://ew.com/thmb/eQR1WvKsDBhwnI5OO48fOht-Dzk=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tim-doyle-071124-729eb86e25994cf295b9657436a643e5.jpg)
Last Man Standing showrunner Tim Doyle censured by WGA West for offensive social media post
![Ralph Macchio and William Zabka in 'Cobra Kai'](https://ew.com/thmb/PO_S8wbckurqRsX6ToluRWdOclY=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/cobra-kai-071824-7-6be8e361378c48e3a74a64362ab8fc46.jpg)
Cobra Kai creators answer spoiler questions, preview 'rocky road' ahead for Miyagi-Do
![Harry-Potter-covers](https://ew.com/thmb/cG0rh0Lw75IQ0jEYmX9HSuJFKRg=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/harry-potter-covers-2000-65e5c82072e94c88af3f6b2b68fecb3a.jpg)
See how Harry Potter book covers have changed through the years
![Alicia Hannah-Kim as Kim Da-Eun, Martin Kove as John Kreese in Cobra Kai](https://ew.com/thmb/Poqzi7vtQEZgLxuivDUbEP5BLoo=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cobra-Kai-season-6-070924-3-f9634ba2607147319d6e050cede9fbb2.jpg)
Cobra Kai creators warn Kreese is 'more dangerous than ever' in season 6
![Luke Thompson as Benedict on Bridgerton](https://ew.com/thmb/590P5oQWLZvIP88_qYVsiI3zaL8=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/benedict-072324-6b20dcd3171846f19f399ebe53a4858c.jpg)
Bridgerton season 4 will tell Benedict and Sophie's love story
![Ralph Macchio and Hilary Swank](https://ew.com/thmb/cb9h8UoGoRnMZtZRwSbooM9JpM0=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Ralph-Macchio-Hilary-Swank-071824-38806f16730e4149b7d73487ad3add99.jpg)
Ralph Macchio on Hilary Swank returning to Karate Kid franchise: 'That would be interesting'
![Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino; Steve Carrell as Michael Scott in The Office](https://ew.com/thmb/4ugAO7xyza8NyBg0uyKGU5ylssw=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/childish-gambino-michael-scott-the-office-071824-47ceaefc8f03496fb59c20edc2b44039.jpg)
Donald Glover compares Childish Gambino to The Office's Michael Scott as he retires rap persona
![Split screen from Evil, Shogun and Fantasmas](https://ew.com/thmb/UH8sPE8YpreGJwuhervlkx_veAQ=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/best-tv-070824-a1bf23d1b28649afa397d44818bead1e.jpg)
The 10 best TV shows of 2024 (so far)
![Split photo of Dominic West Tony Hale and Hiroyuki Sanada](https://ew.com/thmb/57xI_u-clfOzE_XN8DbabyOFx0g=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tony-hale-071724-ab5f1b2ab6024e72854f177eb5e86efa.jpg)
Tony Hale mispronounces Hiroyuki Sanada and Dominic West while announcing 2024 Emmy nominations
![Worst Onscreen Neighbors, WandaVision, Neighbors, You](https://ew.com/thmb/Zel235rOd2qhhWdcTamGA7SHsyw=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/worst-onscreen-neighbors-wandavision-you-061124-922e0882d2b148679b4add804f86e4b8.jpg)
14 of the worst onscreen neighbors: From WandaVision's Agatha to Friends' Mr. Heckles
![Holland Taylor and Sarah Paulson attend The 77th Annual Tony Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on June 16, 2024 in New York City.](https://ew.com/thmb/CwWHS3xWZAjq5aN-5ELYfTHijZ8=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Holland-Taylor-Sarah-Paulson-Tony-Awards-061724-3820e760e00647468031b966ae2b0ab7.jpg)
Sarah and Holland! Naomi and Billy! All the power couples nominated at the 2024 Emmys
![Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones on 'Sex and the City'](https://ew.com/thmb/4mkODjE3nEHhXzhWfWvXb7hX044=/282x188/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/TCDSEAN_HO006-c5341371e8b84d299dc136598d064267.jpg)
Kim Cattrall denies reports that she's returning for And Just Like That season 3