Ever Since We Small Is Out Now!
And just like that, Ever Since We Small - the much anticipated brand-new novel-in-stories from OCM Bocas Prize-winner Celeste Mohammed is available in the UK! It’s such a joy to finally share this break-out must-read with our UK audience.
Ever Since We Small is a richly drawn, distinctively Indo-Trinidadian story that’s perfect for readers who love evocative literary fiction with heart and soul. Cherie Jones, author of How The One-Armed Woman Sweeps Her House describes it as ‘’a book of great candour and compassion written by a storyteller in whose skilful hands the tragic experiences of a Trinidadian family become lessons in love, life and grace.’’
Along the journey of these ten interconnected stories, Celeste Mohammed crafts a world rich with myth, memory and the everyday magic of Caribbean life. Readers who have previously enjoyed Celeste’s work, either through her first novel Pleasantview, or her short stories, can expect vivid prose that transports them right into the worlds, histories and cultures the characters of her stories inhabit.
Inspired by very real histories, Ever Since We Small triumphs in its capturing of the jagged edges of people and communities, holding space for the darkest flaws to be viewed from a place of mercy.
Publication Journey
In a recent article in The Bookseller, Celeste Mohammed writes of finding a ‘’daydream believer in Jacaranda Books.’’ Our publication of Ever Since We Small marks a significant cultural milestone as the first time a British publisher has enabled a Caribbean first release. Publishing Ever Since We Small in the Caribbean in May, ahead of the UK release, was important to Jacaranda Books due to our commitment to challenging long-standing barriers to accessing international books in the region.
‘’In reversing the typical publishing journey, Jacaranda is flipping the script and reimagining the relationship between Caribbean writers and their international literary community. Together, we are declaring that indigenous storytelling can begin and flourish at home, that Caribbean voices need not cross oceans and then drift back down to be heard belatedly by our people, and that our region’s literary future can be written in our own terms.’’ - Celeste Mohammed
Just last night, Celeste launched this book in a packed room of fans and curious soon-to-be fans. In conversation with Shelf Interest, she charmed audiences with her stories, while also shedding very real light on Indo-Trinidadian histories that are often forgotten when we speak about Caribbean histories - from the language of identity to the contradictory religious and cultural contexts of the region, the audience moved from laughter to contemplation over and again before rushing to purchase copies of her triumph of a second novel. Shout-out to long-term partners Round Table Books for being on hand as even book sellers.
Join in the Conversation
We can’t wait for you all to delve in Ever Since We Small! Share your thoughts and photos using #EverSinceWeSmall and be sure to tag @jacarandabooks on socials!
Praise for Ever Since We Small
‘'Ever Since We Small is a rich and captivating novel-in-stories, with beguiling characters and an emotional pull that made me want to swallow the book whole. Celeste Mohamedis a wise and consummate storyteller.’’ – Jendella Benson, author of Hope&Glory and All That We've Got
‘’Mohammed masterfully weaves together myth, history, and memory to illuminate the inner lives of Caribbean women whose spirits are tested but never broken by hardship.’’ – Kevin Jared Hosein
Where to Buy
Ever Since We Small is available to purchase in hardcover and ebook anywhere books are sold.
A huge congratulations to Celeste on this ground-breaking release - we couldn’t be prouder to share this story.