Debut novel for the single-monikered Varaidzo whose writing has appeared in anthologies and who has a background as a Digital and Arts & Culture Editor. This is a dual narrative novel set in Bath and London at the time of the 2012 Olympics and in the mid 1930s.
Itai arrives in Bath to a flat he inherited from his father. He did not know that his Dad had a place in Bath and further secrets are revealed when he discovers a box of cassette tapes. The voice on the tapes is Rita, who has her tale to tell, in a transcribed narrative about Black British experience in the 1930s. What links this woman from the past to this twenty-something Rastafarian and how is Itai’s experience in a place which feels very alien to him as a Londoner mirrored by Rita’s seventy plus years before?
Itai’s position in this new location is initially precarious as he is viewed with hostility by drug dealers in case he, a young black man from London, takes over their patch. This led me to expect something edgier than the novel turned out to be. It settles into a tale of family, friendship and searching to belong, it feels very commercial and there’s a good sense of history of those still under-represented. I never knew Hailie Selassie was exiled in Bath following conflict with Italy in Ethiopia and it is his presence which draws some of the characters to the city in the 1930s strand.
Characterisation is memorable in both narratives. I developed a strong soft spot for young Josh who lives in the same flats as Itai, a future Olympic hopeful whose lack of funding leads him to selling weed to his neighbour. The 1930s strand is rich in music and dance with Rita as part of the Hot Chocolates dance troupe and Ezekiel, a trumpeter, who is the source of Itai’s deceased father’s research as an ethnomusicologist. There’s a really useful bibliography at the end of titles the author used for research. I’ve already highlighted a few to follow up on which shows that her fiction has certainly captivated my attention.
The title lest you think it’s a reference to a male nanny caring for an infant reflects the nicknames of Rita (The Baby) and her half-sister Emmanuella.
This is another strong debut in a year of strong debuts. I hope this one will get the attention it deserves.
Manny And The Baby is published on 11th April by Sphere Books in the UK. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

This is a dazzling debut from Varaidzo, an exquisite exploration of what it is to be black in the past and in more contemporary times, an astutely erudite outpouring thrumming with vibrancy, warmth, passion, heart, and tenderness, that illuminates the complexity and lives of the characters divided by time, yet the connections emerge, with so much remaining constant. A grieving and unsettled Londoner, Itai, has lost his father, an ethnomusicology scholar, shocked when he learns he has inherited a home in Bath, what possible link could his father have with this city? There he comes across tapes that open up and inform him of the life of his father, a past and a family history he knew nothing of.

We are immersed in the lives of a smart, determined Manny, and her younger 16 year old sister, Rita, aka Baby, chasing their dreams of writing and dancing in the 1930s with energy and verve, hoping to overcome the prevailing limitations of race and gender, wanting so much more than was on offer. We travel with them, the developments in their personal lives, hand in hand with that of the charismatic trumpeter and mimic, Ezekial Brown. Incorporated throughout are the events of the period, the culture, arts, music, literary circles, exuberant political discussions, creative hustling, sweaty dancing, vaudeville acts, salacious, smoky Soho jazz clubs and the chaos of swapped identities. Hanging over the trio with their painful impact are the police raids, the growing fascism and the threat of war, and a Ethiopian King, Selassie, moves to Bath, all bringing with them the tides of change that follow, grief and losses, one after another, the secrets between them, the promised land slipping further away.

The author shows how good intentions can exacerbate situations, and the cyclical nature of history as Itai retraces the same steps, recalibrating and forging a stronger understanding of his late father as he learns of his missing past, simultaneously establishing a fortuitous relationship with a young Josh. This is an extraordinary debut read that captivates and engages, beautifully written, with its memorable characters and their relationships, legacies, of how times change and yet nothing changes. Simply fabulous! This will appeal to a wide range of readers, particularly those fascinated by black lives and history. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I liked the premise of this novel and usually quite enjoy a back-and-forth in time narrative, however this one fell a bit flat for me. I really liked the contemporary storyline with Itai discovering more about his father's past and building a friendship with Josh, the young athlete hoping to make it into the 2016 Olympics. I found it harder to keep track of Rita's (The Baby) story, which starts in 1930s Soho and takes her to Bath. I think that's because the two narratives felt contemporary, I didn't get the sense of being 'placed' in the past, which I found meant I wasn't connected to her, Manny or Ezekiel.

I had requested the ARC because it is partly set in Bath, which is one of my favourite places to visit at any time of the year. I didn't get anything that connected me to the city, there are a few mentions of the Royal Crescent and the Roman Baths but the backdrop to the storyline could have been anywhere. I wonder whether I could have got more from a narrative that gave the story's perspective from all the characters (particularly Ezekiel) rather than just Rita, Itai and Josh.

It was an enjoyable read but I think it was trying to cover a bit too much and ended up being a bit thin in places.

Thanks to Netgalley and Scribe for the ARC.

Reading this as an Advanced Copy was such an honour. Being able to indulge in this world before everyone around me soaks it in too. Before it’s on the front page of every bookseller newsletter and in every window on the high street. They say don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but this one is a perfect fit.
The kindness for debut releases is not needed here. Varaidzo’s words paint vivid pictures and despite the book being short in length, I found myself taking a while to read it. Every word fees important, just as they are in the book itself. Every setting comes to mind like a movie scene, with the lives of these characters begging to be adapted.
This has definitely started a long love affair with a new favourite author and I look forward to it getting every bit of praise it deserves.
Big thank you to Scribe and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early.

loved this book. It was a story within a story. Coming of age. Secrets.
It dealt with a number of issues from loss and how it can leave you until your mind can deal with it. And family issues and generational histories.
I prefer Rita's story, but liked the way the book was set. I found myself reading it really slowly because I did not want to miss a word.

Varaidzo's debut novel, Manny and the Baby, is a fascinating, beautiful thing. There are layers of story here - Itai and Josh in contemporary Bath, and 1930s jazz-age London, whose story is told through tapes Itai's father made before he passed which tell the story of Rita "The Baby" and Manny.

It is an engrossing tale, evocative, and superbly written. She recreates the smoky clubs of London brilliantly; I could hear the jazz. I had to check if really was a debut. I will certainly be keeping my eye out for what Varaidzo does next.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

Loved everything about this book. The time settings, characters, music and dance. I found the book to be very engaging and atmospheric as if I was really there at times. I read this in two sittings I really couldn't put it down. I loved the writing and story with deep believable characters. I also liked the contrast flicking between pre war London and more present 2012 of the Olympics as a background setting - the contrast where the world is falling apart as opposed to all nations coming together. I also liked the characters background stories, of black history and how it often felt how they didn't belong anywhere and how home is sometimes about who you're with rather than where you are. I will be recommending and looking out for more from this author