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A Foot in Both Camps-bookcover

By: Arrabella Williams

A Foot in Both Camps

Pages: 118 Ratings: 5.0
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Susie is a four-year-old determined child born in the UK, whose parents have come to the UK from the Caribbean during the Windrush years in the late 1950s to help with rebuilding the country after the Second World War. A battle of wills ensues between the diminutive, wiry and strong-willed Susie and her overbearing and towering father who commands obedience from not only Susie and her siblings, but also her mother.

Although tender in years, Susie develops a stoicism which is remarkable for her age, and risks being ostracised from her family with her steely determination to stand up to her father. She is faced with negotiating the juxtaposition of conflict between two opposing cultures, which creates an internal tug of war and cultural confusion. Her identity is challenged, with Susie questioning where she really belongs. With the odds stacked against her, we see a strength of spirit which shines through and never diminishes. Even in the face of adversity, she pushes herself towards what looks like an uncertain future, determined to succeed come what may.


Arrabella had a dogged determination in her formative years to succeed in life. Her favourite academic subject was English literature. She was also very successful on track and field, representing her school and athletics club. Her ambitions were put on hold abruptly through personal family trauma. She never gave up on her goals, gaining an LLB degree and master’s in law at university as a mature student. She has held down several professional roles in the legal profession and the police constabulary. She works as a mentor, supporting international students. Arrabella has a ‘can do’ approach and uses every obstacle that she’s faced in life as a challenge to turn into a positive outcome. Her hobbies include, writing, gardening, walking, antiques, and meeting new people.

Customer Reviews
5.0
2 reviews
2 reviews
  • Wendy

    A Well written work by this brilliant new authoress. I found myself transported like an observer . The descriptive chapters bring tjis book to life. Gripping, at times brutally honest it tackles a point in history covered from a child's perspective. It brings to life issues that are relateable today as well as then. From racism and poverty to the realities of mysogeny and brutal physical abuse we witness it through the eyes of a determined young lady growing up and coming to terms with an identity split between her parents homeland and the country of her birth. A must read!

  • Julia Wilson

    A Foot In Both Camps by Arrabella Williams is a heart-wrenching YA novel suitable for ages ten years and over.
    The novel follows Susie, a young girl with Jamaican heritage but born in Britain. Her parents were part of the Windrush generation. We see her struggles as she has a foot in both camps – her father clings to his Jamaican roots whereas her mother tries to assimilate the family into the local community – first in Northampton and then in Birmingham.
    Susie’s household is ruled by her father who is a cruel man, beating his children and his wife as he believes it is the Jamaican way. My heart went out to Susie. She is a little girl with a big personality who deserves to be loved.
    I had much empathy for Susie and found her easy to identify with – I also grew up in Birmingham, learn to read with the Ladybird scheme of Peter and Jane, and watched Captain Scarlet and Thunderbirds. I was also in a class of 40 with wooden desks and inkwells. For me, A Foot In Both Camps was very much a walk down memory lane.
    I enjoyed the book but it was heartbreaking at times. It is a book that everyone should read in order to see just how hard it was for some to assimilate into Britain in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Sometimes it was prejudice and sometimes it was clinging to culture.
    A Foot In Both Camps was an incredibly powerful read.
    I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable reviews was not required. All opinions are my own.

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