Although Miller is saying a lot, the delivery is digestible and his writing, poetic (unsurprisingly as Miller has written poetry as well as fiction).Ĭritics have stated that Augustown is “truly panoramic” (Sunday Telegraph) and “richly nuanced and empathetic”(The Guardian), and Miller has been compared to fellow Jamaican writer Marlon James. He explores colourism, sexuality, the remnants of slavery and colonialism and much more. Through clever word play, and excellent writing, Miller is able to seamlessly tell one main story through several smaller anecdotes. The second part, the relighting of a fire many thought had been quelled, and the final part, the “autoclaps” (trouble on top of trouble). Set in August Town, an area in St Andrews parish, where Jamaicans settled following emancipation, the novel is divided into three parts, with the first section detailing the character of Bedward, as Ma Taffy (a blind Rastafarian who can sense trouble), remembers it. The book is loaded with significant history. Miller uses this incident to build on and create his own fable, full of life, metaphors, and commentary on the socio-political fabric of Jamaica. Miller’s third novel fictionalises an incident in 1920 Jamaica, where preacher Alexander Bedward attracts crowds from all over the island who believe he will fly to heaven, furthermore, will help them fly too. It won the 2017 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature and was shortlisted for the 2017 RSL Ondaatje Prize. Already on our list of 10 books you should have read in 2016, Augustown, is the phenomenal fiction novel written by Kei Miller that was published last year.

Augustown book