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Oh Gad!: A Novel (Zane Presents) [Paperback]

Joanne C Hillhouse
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

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Book Description

April 17, 2012 Zane Presents
A stirring novel about a woman facing cross-cultural odds and redefining everything she understands about her family, herself, and the country she’s never really been able to call home.

Nikki Baltimore was born in Antigua but grew up with her dad in the United States. With each year, she’s grown further apart from her mother and maternal siblings, potters in rural Antigua.

Her mother’s funeral brings Nikki back to the island, and, at a professional and personal crossroads, she makes the impulsive decision to stay after being offered a job by the ruling government. Soon, Nikki is embroiled in a hurricane of an existence which includes a political hot potato, confusion in her romantic life, and deepening involvement in the lives of the family she left behind. Will Nikki eventually find her place in the chaos and begin to plant the roots that have escaped her all her life?



Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joanne C. Hillhouse is the author of two novels, The Boy from Willow Bend and Dancing Nude in the Moonlight. She won the 2011 David Hough Literary Prize from the Caribbean Writer and a 2004 Honour Award from Antigua and Barbuda’s UNESCO office. Her fiction and poetry have appeared in Tongues of the Ocean, Mythium, Ma Comère, The Caribbean Writer, Calabash, and more.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Strebor Books; Original edition (April 17, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9781593093914
  • ISBN-13: 978-1593093914
  • ASIN: 1593093918
  • Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.1 x 8.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,130,588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Antiguan Joanne C. Hillhouse is the author of Oh Gad! (Strebor/Atria/Simon & Schuster), The Boy from Willow Bend (Macmillan/Hansib) and Dancing Nude in the Moonlight (Macmillan). Her fiction also appears in the anthologies So the Nailhead Bend, So the Story End: An Anthology of Antiguan and Barbudan Writing (A Different Publisher), In the Black: New African Canadian Literature (Insomniac Press) and For Women: In Tribute to Nina Simone (Black Classic Press/MZWrightNow Publications); while her fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous journals including Womanspeak: A Journal of Literature and Art by Caribbean Women, Tongues of the Ocean, Mythium: the Journal of Contemporary Literature, Ma Comère: Journal of the Association of Caribbean Women Writers and Scholars, The Caribbean Writer, Calabash: A Journal of Caribbean Arts and Letters, Sea Breeze Journal of Contemporary Liberian Writings,SX Salon: A Small Axe Literary Platform, Poui: the Cave Hill Literary Annual, and more. Hillhouse's awards include a Breadloaf fellowship, the David Hough Literary Prize, and a UNESCO Honour Award for contribution to literacy and the literary arts in Antigua and Barbuda. She's founder and co-ordinator of the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize - http://wadadlipen.wordpress.com - promoting the literary arts among young people in Antigua and Barbuda. She works as a freelancer providing primarily writing and editing services for clients. Like her at http://www.facebook.com/JoanneCHillhouse Also check out http://jhohadli.wordpress.com

Reviews for Hillhouse's Oh Gad!:

"Joanne's confidence in telling our story in a contemporary setting with some history and mythology thrown in without making you feel like you got to go to university to understand that our navel string is tied to the 'muddy' and sucks up our ancestors......bravo Joanne...bravo.....can't wait to see this on the 'Book Club"list across the diaspora and beyond." - Brenda Lee Browne, Handbags and Chocolate blog

"Hillhouse expertly reels the reader deeply within the cultural fabric of Antiguan society... With, Oh Gad, Hillhouse has officially placed herself on the international literary map. Her ability to convey the soul of her characters through their words at times makes one forget they're actually reading fiction. This tale of family, love and loss could potentially bridge the gap that separates Caribbean people and their African American counterparts; particularly from a literary standpoint." - David B. Da Costa, Caribbean Literary Salon

Reviews for Hillhouse's The Boy from Willow Bend:

"The coming of age story is well crafted, lively and absolutely believable" - Daily Observer, Antigua

"...a story of the triumph of spirit over situation." - She Caribbean, St. Lucia

"...effectively addresses issues prevalent in Caribbean society." - Sun Weekend, Antigua

"The characters in Hillhouse's book feel real and best of all, they feel Caribbean, but the story could have held up in any culture." - Trinidad Guardian


Reviews for Hillhouse's Dancing Nude in the Moonlight:

"In Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, Joanne Hillhouse weaves a love story into a narrative of the challenges facing a young family of emigrants from the Dominican Republic to Antigua, exploring themes like the difficulty of trust and the individual's longing to be at home in the world." - Caribbean Beat, Trinidad

"A true page-turner that never misses the beat, Dancing in the Moonlight is definitely an excellent choice for book club discussion and a great selection for a modern literary readers' collection" - Sun Weekend, Antigua

"It is beautifully crafted and simply told..." - Outlet, Antigua

"Dancing Nude is lyrical, sensual and gentle...a valuable glimpse of the Caribbean female." - The Caribbean Writer, USVI

"A narrative that is rich in issues, values, intercultural conflict and gender relations as they present themselves in Antigua today...(the) love story is sensitive, sensuous, well nuanced..." - Antigua and Barbuda Review of Books

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
(16)
4.6 out of 5 stars
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Great story, great characters. wanderluster  |  7 reviewers made a similar statement
I eagerly await the author's next novel. Ellenaj  |  3 reviewers made a similar statement
You said it took you several years to complete this book - "Oh Gad!" Reina Mason  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Heartfelt Novel April 29, 2012
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
It was a rough start but once I sat down and focus I was lost in the island. It pulled you in and refused to let you go. Even though the dialect wasn't something I was used to at the end of the book i felt that I could go to Antigua and carry on a conversation with the best of them. Nikki Baltimore reminds me of anyone who felt like they didn't have a foundation to find out who they were. Going back home and finding spare bricks to build that foundation made her at the end of the day a strong woman that the people around her knew she was all along.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Informative and Entertaining October 16, 2012
Format:Paperback
Oh Gad is the story of a young woman who was born in another country, but was raised in the States by her dad. She returns to her homeland of Antigua when her mother dies.

The book starts a little slow with setting the background, but, after several chapters, I found myself intrigued. The main character, Nikki, has always felt alone. She laments never truly knowing her mother, but accepts that as being her own fault. She talks of being alone in "the organized chaos of New York housed with a man who never stopped being a stranger... A man who told her he was her father, but never taught her what family was." This novel is the story of her journey to discovering herself. On that journey, she goes over potholes and speed bumps in her relationships with family members as well as several with men.

In addition to giving us the story of Nikki's finding herself, the reader is given a look into the Antiguan culture. The dialect is wonderfully written and rolls off the mental tongue while reading it. The book also touches on the subject of developing the country and its effects on the people who live there.

I rate this book a four out of five stars.

** Disclosure: I won an ARC of this book in a contest. No compensation, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this review.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars An intriguing and beguiling read September 8, 2012
By Ellenaj
Format:Paperback
This is definitely one of the best books I've read in a while. It pulled me in and took me on an exciting journey from New York to a beguiling Caribbean isle. The story is deep with many layers and interesting characters that evoked an array of emotions, including happiness, laughter, anger, confusion, pity and pride. A well-written book. The last time I felt this way about a book was when I read Toni Morrison's 'Song of Solomon' over 10 years ago. I developed a love-hate relationship with the main character Niki Baltimore. I was more often than not frustrated by her actions and couldn't decide if I wanted to hug her or scold her. Aeden's character is simply colourful. He felt true, real. The use of the local dialect enhances the books authenticity while the characters have universal appeal. By the end of the book my favourite character was the island. Although fictional, the book hints at the island's socio-political reality and history that leaves me wanting to know more about it. I eagerly await the author's next novel.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Great book. Enjoyed reading about familiar places. Am hoping for more novels with a caribbean storyline. The story was easy to follow and she made it so realistic. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Carol Carter
5.0 out of 5 stars Oh Gad! Dis ya ah say One!!
Totally enjoyed reading this book! Why? Definitely could relate to every aspect of the book - storyline, setting, culture, and most of all, the characters(all with there own... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Reina Mason
5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic
If asked to review this book in one word I'd simply call it: authentic.

I LOVE reading the work of local and other Caribbean authors. Read more
Published 7 months ago by C. Warner
4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing broken here...
This is definitely Joanne's best work to date. I found the characters to be complex and their stories compelling. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Patriot
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Storyteller!
I was trying to figure out which author this book reminded me of and it is definitely Maeve Binchy. Once the characters came alive I was unable to put the book down. Read more
Published 9 months ago by ASgt
4.0 out of 5 stars Antiguan American Wanting to Go Home Too
Dear Ms. Hillhouse,
I just finished reading Oh Gad. I really enjoyed your work. I felt like I understood Nikki and on my commute to work, would look around and wish I were... Read more
Published 9 months ago by balanced gem
5.0 out of 5 stars This book took me back...
I really enjoyed this book, and was sad when it ended...I became really connected to many of the characters and the family as a whole. Read more
Published 10 months ago by wanderluster
5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks for taking me back
It was so refreshing to read a book that I could totally relate to.... from the dialect, to the food, to the way the characters relate to each other. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Hstar73
5.0 out of 5 stars Fitting into One's Skin: A Book Review of Joanne Hillhouse's Oh Gad!
Fitting into One's Skin: A Book Review of Joanne Hillhouse's Oh Gad!

Oh Gad, set in Antigua and New York, is about "outsiderness," alienation and learning to fit into... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Althea Romeo-Mark
4.0 out of 5 stars Historical Fantasy
Culturally relevant, history lessons, inciting a quest to learn more (if you are from the Island or you are visiting). OH GAD is an excellent read!! Read more
Published 11 months ago by Petra F. Williams
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