An Impossible Return: A Novel

Combines a quite sweet romance across the class divide with burning anger for the atrocity on Diego Garcia. Some of the historical details will dig into your soul

The author and the translation capture the reader with descriptions of life in beautiful Diego Garcia, with engaging characters full of emotion. The story would stand by itself, but to realise that their fate is illustrating the fate of Chagossians, tossed tragically aside in the politics of the 60s, caught between the machinations of the UK government, Mauritius’ claim for independence, and the US need for an airbase, weighs the value of the novel. Look it up. As recently as 2022, it goes on.

'An Impossible Return' by Caroline Laurent is a moving account of Chagossians expulsion from their homeland on Diego Garcia, their poverty-stricken exile on Mauritius and their fight to return. It is also a revealing condemnation of UK government policies then and now, characterised as they are by racism, dishonesty and plain inhumanity

I loved the telling of this story. The strength of the characters and the fact that it's a true story yet compelling in the way that you feel what the people felt.Deeply moved

I found this book very slow to get in to, having a lot of characters thrown at you very early, so a lot of relationships to try and grasp. The dates jump a bit which is frustrating, however this book opens your eyes to a part of British history that is not widely known, despite so much of the conclusion of this piece of history being so recent

What an amazing story. I knew nothing of the plight of the inhabitants of Diego Garcia and their fight for justice against all the odds. Their heart wrenching struggle has been woven into a wonderful story that is full of emotion and description alongside strong and rounded characters.

Exquisitely written, thanks in part to the professional translation, the characters are very real and in turn draw us into their plight. The insights are rare and superb. I am glad this book came to my attention. A must-read before you die, highlighting all that is wrong with the British attitude.

I picked this up as one of the prime first reads, the story details the British colonization of Chagos islands in the 60’s from the perspective of Marie and Gabriel. This is beautifully written and harrowing and details another element of British history not taught in schools- fantastic and absorbing read :)