The Attic Child

A Novel

By: Lola Jaye

Narrated by: Lola Jaye, Lucian Msamati, Nneka Okoye

A hauntingly powerful and emotionally charged novel about family secrets, love and loss, identity and belonging.

Two children trapped in the same attic, almost a century apart, bound by a shared secret.

Early 1900s London: Taken from his homeland, twelve-year-old Celestine spends most of the time locked away in the attic of a large house by the sea. The only time Celestine isn’t bound by confines of the small space is when he is acting as an unpaid servant to English explorer Sir Richard Babbington, As the years pass, he desperately clings on to memories of his family in Africa, even as he struggles to remember his mother’s face, and sometimes his real name . . .

1974: Lowra, a young orphan girl born into wealth and privilege whose fortunes have now changed, finds herself trapped in the same attic. Searching for a ray of light in the darkness of the attic, Lowra finds under the floorboards an old-fashioned pen, a porcelain doll, a beaded necklace, and a message carved on the wall, written in an unidentifiable language. Providing comfort for her when all hope is lost, these clues will lead her to uncover the secrets of the attic.

©2022 Lola Jaye (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Great book

I truly did enjoy this book. I felt transported in time and I became a part of the story. Loved it.

A masterpiece

A masterpiece , that’s the only thought I have ! Beautifully written, an amazing story. Job well done Lola

Blown away!

I didn’t expect to be blown away fro. The storytelling g of this book. I as left speechless over and over again. The rich history of what our ancestors endured but told through Celestine’s narrative was much needed. I highly recommend this audiobook.

Very slowwwwww start

The first part of the book was very slow so much so, I had to increase the speed. Now that I completed the book, I now understand why. The foundation took a long time to build. Towards the middle, things started coming together and it concluded with a bang.

Some reviewers commented about this being a beautiful love story. This story is much more than that.

This book is about lies, hidden truths, theft, rape (not in the literal sense), deceit, fabrications, stereotypes and love woven in but not the focal point. This book is what is at the heart of critical race theory today - keeping the facts/truth hidden.

Throughout this book, I could do was shake my head.

Great Read

I really enjoyed reading the Attic Child. The voices are exceptional and the story is amazing.

This was Everything.

This story can only be described as EVERYTHING. I was captured by the first chapter and it kept my attention and my heart until the end, and through the epilogue. The story, the narration, the spirit of the child are one of the most profound pieces of literature I've ever experienced. Just wow.

Exceptional

OMG Ms Jaye, first novels cannot be this good! Class history brought home in an irrefruitable and compelling narrative. Family love and a broadside lack of it are braided together in flowing prose. Highly recommend this novel.

Worth reading

A great story reimagined. This book got my attention from the first chapter and kept it until the end.

Absolutely fell in love with the characters

I can't say enough how enjoyable this listen was. Tough topics for sure, but resilience and hope. I listened on a long road trip for hours on end and never experienced a moment of wanting to stop for a break. The narration, especially Celestine's voice is amazing and hypnotic.

Great Story

I loved the uplifting ending in spite of all the trauma. The performance made it easy to follow.