Abeng by Michelle Cliff follows Clare Savage, a 12-year-old bi-racial girl in 1958 Jamaica, as she navigates her complex heritage amidst the island's colonial history and cultural tensions. Through family histories, vignettes, and historical facts, Clare uncovers the brutal legacy of British rule, societal divisions, and her precarious position between former colonizers and their former slaves. The novel addresses human rights violations, such as slavery, systemic racism, and discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Michelle Cliff's Abeng is praised for its vivid portrayal of Jamaican culture and complex exploration of identity and colonialism. Reviewers commend its lyrical prose and rich historical context, though some find the narrative structure challenging and the pacing uneven. Overall, it's seen as an insightful, if occasionally dense, work that prompts deeper reflection on heritage and self-discovery.

Readers who enjoy Abeng by Michelle Cliff are typically interested in postcolonial literature, Caribbean culture, and identity exploration. Comparable to fans of Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John and Edwidge Danticat's Breath, Eyes, Memory, this audience appreciates richly woven narratives about personal and cultural histories.

Contemplative / Mysterious / Bittersweet / Emotional / Challenging

- Abeng is Michelle Cliff's first novel, published in 1984, and it intricately weaves Jamaican history and folklore into the protagonist's coming-of-age narrative.
- The title Abeng takes its name from the word for a horn used to call people to secret meetings, symbolizing communication and resistance in Jamaican Maroon culture.
- Michelle Cliff, who authored Abeng, was known for exploring themes of identity and post-colonial history, mirroring elements of her own Jamaican heritage.

**Clare Savage**  
A 12-year-old girl from a mixed-race family living in Kingston, who navigates complex questions of identity and belonging in a segregated Jamaican society. 

**Boy Savage**  
Clare's father, an intelligent man from an impoverished aristocratic English background, who imparts his views on history and civilization while struggling with his own beliefs and lifestyle choices.

**Kitty Freeman Savage**  
Clare's mother, who comes from a poor mixed family and shares a distant relationship with her daughters, particularly in expressing cultural heritage and intimacy.

**Miss Mattie**  
Clare's maternal grandmother, a mixed-race woman with a challenging past, who is emotionally distant except with her Black father and harbors biases against her own family.

**Jennie Savage**  
Clare's younger sister, a dark-skinned girl favored by their mother, which leads to Clare's feelings of jealousy and fear of losing maternal affection.

**Zoe**  
Clare's closest friend, a self-aware, dark-skinned girl whose life contrasts sharply with Clare's, highlighting societal and familial disparities.

**Miss Ruthie**  
Zoe's mother, a single woman who provides for her family by selling food and maintains a close, open relationship with her daughters.

**Beatrice Phillips**  
An elderly, rich white woman who is bitter and racist, taking out her disdain for Jamaica on her servant and harboring strict utilitarian views.

**Winifred Stevens**  
Beatrice's sister, considered insane due to her eccentric behavior, who has a personal history entangled with racial and familial taboos.

**The Justice**  
Clare’s great-great-grandfather, an English puisne justice in Jamaica turned plantation owner, known for his oppressive acts and concealed interracial dynamics.

**Nanny**  
A legendary figure from Jamaica’s past, known for her leadership of the Windward Maroons and her mystical abilities, serving as a beacon of resistance.

**Percy Lewis**  
A local schoolteacher with roots in the Harlem Renaissance, who becomes disillusioned with Black nationalism and supports the status quo in his educational approach.

Michelle Cliff

Adult

Novel

Clare Savage

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

Before You Read

Explore Abeng reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

Before You Read Abeng | SuperSummary

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore Abeng and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

Abeng

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read Abeng?

Reading Age

Book Details