The Gap of Time by Jeanette Winterson


I would like to start off by saying this rendition of Shakespeare’s “The Winter Tale” was by far the bravest thing ever written. Jeanette Winterson managed to take a timeless classic and smoother it in modern times, characters and situations. There’s also a very subtle nods to “Back to the Future” here as well. The book opens with the original “The Winter Tale” so the readers can become familiar with at least the basic backbone of the story and jumps right into what I believe to be a strangled and doomed relationship from the start between to childhood friends, Leo and Xeno and how that are in fact both in love with the same woman, MiMi.

The jealousy between these 2 men nearly kills MiMi, results in the death of Leo and MiMi’s son, Milo and separates Leo and MiMi from each other and their Daughter Perdita for nearly 18 years. Perdita was taken away by a trusted friend of Leo to be taken to what he assumed was her father, by unfortunately was murdered along the way. Baby Perdita was placed in a baby hatch on the island of New Bohemia, in America. Two men witnessed the murder and are overwhelmed with grief by this, so they decide to take her to safety.

“Up ahead there’s a Black BMW 6 Series smashed full frontal into the wall. The doors are open both sides. Some small junky car is rammed into the back. Two hoods are beating a guy into the ground…I realize without realizing that I’ve got the tyre lever in my hand. I move without moving to pries open the hatch. It is easy. I lift out the baby and she’s as light as a star” [Chapter 1: Watery Star]

Fast Forward 17 years and the story really begin to pick up. Perdita all grown up, Leo and Xeno are still business partners but rarely speak to each other and Leo and MiMi have been separated for quite a while. Perdita realized early on that she was adopted what with her father and brother are both Black and she is very much White. Everything moving forward in this story takes a drastic turn at this point.

Over all, this story was very entertaining, albeit a little strange in the beginning, it was never difficult to follow and very difficult to put down.

I received a copy of this book from Bloggingforbooks.com for this review

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