Happy Wednesday Scribblers, I hope you are all having a great week. Today I’m back with a new book for you to check out; Bermondsey Girl (get your copy here) by BJ Sikes (learn more about Sikes here). This is not your typical Climate Fiction story, there is a lot to this novel.
Here are the details:
“I remember how things used to be. I had a garden with flowers in it. I’ve seen the ocean, I’ve eaten real food. Now all we’ve got is this.”
Bermondsey’s inhabitants are shut in, all their needs met in automated tower blocks. No one goes outside because the streets regularly flood. Just to keep rich people on the other side of the river safe.
Idonny’s days are spent answering pointless online surveys for luxury goods she’ll never see, her nights in the arms of tough guys who only see her as a warm body.
Everything shifts when Idonny meets Kaver, an injured stranger who needs her help. For the first time, she defies her current boyfriend to help Kaver. She reaches out to her neighbors in the tower block, banding together against the gangs prowling the hallways.
Then, the government begins withdrawing resources from her community and food becomes scarce. Idonny tries to get involved in the underground economy providing for her fellow residents, but they don’t trust her. And her forbidden friendship with Kaver deepens, offering her a chance at real love—if she’s brave enough to take it.
When violence between rival gangs erupts around her, Idonny must decide whether to stay enmeshed as the ever-loyal girlfriend or strike out on her own.
Here is my review of the story:
Bermondsey Girl is unlike anything Sikes has written before. The story is post-apocalyptic and will stay with you, continuing to make you think. I will admit there are points in this book that drove me mad and I got frustrated with the characters, not because of anything the author did, but because of the choices the characters made and how they interacted with the world and people around them. I’m used to Sikes writing strong female characters who, despite their circumstances, manage to deal with what is happening to them in an intelligent and, what I believe to be, honest way. I’ve only known strong women in my life and to see a character like Idonny so not what I’m used to was hard for me to read, however the more I read, the more I understood her. I found myself believing in her growth and transformation in the story, which I enjoyed. And that is what this story is about for me, not what is happening around Idonny or the people she meets, but it’s about her; Idonny. Idonny by the end of the story has changed so much that I almost wish this is where the story started and we got to follow this character (maybe Sikes will write a squeal).
As mentioned this story is post-apocalyptic (climate fiction) and by it’s nature is not meant to be a fluff read. The world is flooding and the divide between the rich and poor is on full display. What this story makes you face is that we are already living in this world. We see it every day. The poor are pitted against each other while the rich live a comfortable life. Our world may not be at the extremes we see in Bermondsey Girl, but I fear we will be there in not too long. This story is a warning of what we may see in our future.
Sikes, as always, is a brilliant writer and you can see that in the story and how the novel is crafted. Congratulations to Water Dragon Publishing on picking up this book and releasing it. I doubt any of the large publishing houses would, much to their loss.
Characters are rich and interesting, I appreciated Sikes having the love/friend interest in the story; Kaver, being someone who is non-binary, I felt brought a unique take to the story and I doubt Idonny would have grown as much as she did in the story if Kaver was anything other than who they are.
I wanted to hate this book, but I can’t. It’s too well written, too good, and honestly too important. Well done Sikes! Now I’m off to read something with a lot of fluff, cause I need to give my brain a break.
I wanted to hate this book, but I can’t. It’s too well written, too good, and honestly too important. Well done Sikes! Now I’m off to read something with a lot of fluff, cause I need to give my brain a break.