Point of View

The novel is narrated in the third-person, switching between the perspectives of Bat, Jean, Matilda, Teena, Syl, and more ensemble characters. Bat is a young West Indian man who moved to London in the 1960s after the government encouraged emigration from Commonwealth countries to fill in their post-war labor shortage. He is unmarried and has no children. Bat embarks on a journey of self-discovery and growth as he begins to dream of becoming a homeowner and sharing with his friends as they all try to get ahead in London society. Bat is, however, fundamentally focused on himself and does not invest the time and discipline needed to save money, resorting to scheming against his friends to fund his summer of fun chasing women.

Jean is a young West Indian woman living with Matilda in the same apartment complex as her brother, Bat. Jean does not...