Originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
Sophistries of Summer Days follows the life of young Cherrimina into adulthood.
Set in the West Indies from the 1930s onward, Lofters captures life on a small, sunny isle; how sheltered the islanders’ lives are and how they change.
Cherrimina’s life is altered first by Dove’s arrival and then again as her home is drawn into the Second World War after British troops set up base, and boys she grew up around are deployed overseas.
Cherrimina’s story is one of discovery, loss, grief and transition. Lofters’ writing is a stunning ode to the beauty of the Caribbean even when it reveals the frightening power held over the island by storms, religion and Mother Woman.
The sentiments shared through Cherrimina’s voice are universal and demonstrate how uneven the path of healing is. Lofters also explores sexuality – how it frightened Cherrimina as a young girl, how it almost cost Dove her life, and how even twenty two years after her departure, Cherrimina feels punished for the choices she has made in life.
Sophistries of Summer Days is excellent storytelling; the novel invites you back into the past to relay a tale of a different world. A world bursting with both heartache and promise, ready to shape the one we live in now.
I write about love, lust, struggle, survival, fickle things, dreams and the stars. And anything in between. You can read more of my writing at My Screaming Twenties
I released my debut collection of poetry and prose in May 2019, Between the Trees which is available to buy, below. I am currently working on my second collection.
Between the Trees:
Go Dog Go Café 