The Long Song by Andrea Levy

This book, purportedly a story told by the publisher's mother, gives a compelling story about the end of slavery in Jamaica. As the story goes on, you gradually realize that the narrator is telling the story about herself--and that she's not entirely reliable--as her son keeps correcting the story. I really enjoyed reading this book. I particularly thought that the characters were well-drawn--they were all shown as flawed, but real. Of the two books so far that I've read on the short list (this and Parrot and Olivier in America), I would say that while the scope of Carey's book is more ambitious, this one is more satisfying.