The tales of the Caribbean can be rather hit or miss.

It didn't seem as if we had spent sufficient time with each character to truly understand them.

However, I did value learning more about the history of the nations, their connections to piracy, and the subsequent exploitative agricultural practices.

Unlike some readers, I was less worried about Michener's creation of the island All Saints.

Perhaps if more time had been dedicated to developing the characters, the story would have had a greater impact.

Nevertheless, the historical aspects provided an interesting backdrop and added depth to the overall narrative.

Despite its flaws, the book still managed to offer some insights into the complex and fascinating world of the Caribbean.

It makes one wonder about the real people and events that inspired Michener's fictionalized accounts.

Overall, it was an okay read, but it left me craving a more in-depth exploration of both the characters and the history.

As always with a Michener novel, it is a wonderful read that significantly expands my knowledge of places I know very little about.

While it is true that in some parts it did drag a little due to the excessive detail that Michener is sometimes prone to provide, overall I found the individual island stories and characters extremely compelling.

Before reading this book, all I really knew about the Caribbean Islands was that people love vacationing there. I was completely ignorant of their rich histories, diverse populations, and the numerous struggles they have faced.

I have always been in awe of Michener's remarkable ability to seamlessly weave fictional with historical characters. Often, I am pleasantly surprised to discover which characters are real and which ones are imagined.

This is my 7th Michener novel, and I am already eagerly looking forward to reading number 8. I am confident that it will once again take me on an exciting journey of discovery and exploration.

Michener is a master at penning these expansive epics. His historically-based fiction spans centuries, deftly connecting characters through their descendants. It not only tells engaging stories but also serves as a profound treatise on racism, making it a truly fascinating read.

I have to admit that I liked his Hawaii a great deal more. Hawaii seemed to have a tighter narrative and a stronger sense of connection among its elements. In contrast, The Caribbean is a vast and sprawling expanse to cover, and at times, the connections between the various storylines took an inordinately long time to materialize. I was also not overly fond of the last chapter. It felt like a rushed attempt to forge further connections, lacking the depth and nuance that the rest of the book had managed to achieve.

Nevertheless, despite these minor drawbacks, this is still a great book from a brilliant writer. Michener's ability to bring history to life and explore complex themes through his fictional characters is truly remarkable.

Didn't bother to finish this, but it was fun.

The blending of fact and fiction in this work is quite interesting. It seems that Michener has a unique way of presenting stories with sweeping narrative gestures, which is apparently a hallmark of his writing style and is certainly entertaining.

This book was essentially a great starting place for me, like a Wikipedia of sorts. I was introduced to a lot of history that I had never thought about before.

However, Michener's obsession with cricket can be a bit of a drawback. Even in real life, cricket can be a bit of a snooze, and in a novel, it doesn't add much excitement.

The prose in this book is a little floppy, and the narrative structure is often predictable.

The first chapter about the native peoples of the Caribbean is rather laughable. But to my surprise, I found this aspect pleasantly not racist.

Overall, while this book has its flaws, it still has some redeeming qualities that make it worth reading.