The title refers to a local legend concerning what happens to young women who disobey their mothers and become bad girls. She is then burdened for the rest of her life of having to do everything with only one arm - handicapped for her impetuousness, her foolishness. No morality tale of course for young men who get themselves into trouble. Nothing changes the world over!
The young woman in this story is Lala, who works the beaches braiding hair for the tourists. She has been brought up by her grandmother - the story of what happens to her mother is told through the story. As you expect, life is tough for the women in this family, burdened with useless and appalling husbands and fathers. Lala is now married to her own awful man - Adan - and in the first few pages of the story gives birth to her daughter. The birth takes place against the back drop of an act of violence with Adan breaking into one of the huge holiday homes, where he is confronted by the owners - local woman made good Mira and her wealthy British husband. A shot is fired.
Adan is clearly unhinged, too many drugs, crazy, unable to control himself or his urges. Lala is clearly abused, a home of violence is her normal, and she sees no way out. A terrible incident involving the baby leads to a whole new catastrophe in Lala's life, with Adan hell bent on finishing off his bungled burglary. His partner in crime is Tone, a gigilo who works the wealthy women coming to Baxters looking for a good time. Tone is actually a good man, and to up the anti in this little morality tale, deeply in love with Lala.
Well, you can see a whole bunch of different world views heading for a full on collision in this story. And let's not forget the local head policeman hellbent on solving at all costs the shooting referred to above. There is a pervading air of powerlessness in this whole story, for all of the characters, even the bullet proof Adan. For poor and powerless people, life is never really going to reach the heights of the wealthy tourists they pander to. But one of these characters will make it out, will have the courage to see a future for themselves. And this, in the end, is what makes the story so powerful and successful.
The writing too is wonderful. Written almost in the wonderful way people from the Caribbean speak, not just the dialogue between the characters, but also in the story telling. I loved the way it was written: you can feel the heat, the humidity, see the palm trees, the delicious sea, the sand. This book won't be everyone's choice purely because of the subject matter, but it is still a marvellous and vivid read.
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