The World's Literature in Europe discussion

I finally finished reading Serpent in Paradise by Dea Birkett. It is about a journalist's trip to Pitcairn Island, published in 1997. Pitcairn Island is populated mostly with descendents of the mutineers (ie: Mutiny on the Bounty) - five or six generations later. The language is a mixture of Polynesian and reformed English. Almost everyone is Seventh Day Adventist. Everyone knows everything about everyone, as the island is only 1x2 miles and incredibly isolated; when she wrote the book there were only 37 islanders.

Not long after the book was published, the first allegation of rape and other sexual abuse was made to the authorities in New Zealand. My review talks mostly about the book but also links to a pretty good overview of that entire story, a ten year legal battle that involved half the men on the island. You have to wonder what isolation does for power dynamics and law enforcement! I think Birkett hints at some of these things but focuses more on her own experience.

I read this as part of my Oceanic reading and really learned a lot. Pitcairn is pretty unique in its history, makeup, and social dynamics. The book isn't necessarily very compelling at the beginning but I felt I had learned a lot by the end.

These days, the government of Pitcairn is trying to lure people to settle there. Considering that you have to get permission even to visit (and they turn down most requests), it will not be an easy thing. In the mean time, their population is aging out (or spending time in jail!)

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I finally finished reading Serpent in Paradise by Dea Birkett. It is about a journalist's trip to Pitcairn Island, published in 1997. Pitcairn Island is populated mostly with descende..."

My, what a surprise. I'd no idea about Pitcairn Island. Very interesting piece of history, Jenny.