Review: “No Small Thing” by Orlaine McDonald – A Poignant Mother-Daughter Tale

Orlaine McDonald’s debut novel takes us through a turbulent year in the life of a working-class Black family living on a south London estate. Livia is shocked when her estranged daughter, Mickey, arrives unexpectedly at her doorstep with her 10-year-old granddaughter, Summer.

Livia has intentionally distanced herself from her past. Fifteen years earlier, she abandoned her loving partner, Jimmy, and their daughter. Mickey, deeply affected by her mother’s departure, started failing in school and became pregnant at 17.

Now, Mickey is neglecting her hyperactive daughter, Summer, who struggles in primary school, potentially dealing with undiagnosed ADHD. They lack friends and a support network. Livia reflects, “Perhaps it’s genetic. Perhaps there is something in the makeup of our biology, some mutation of cell, some scent we give off that turns other women away, some marker that we are predisposed for destruction.”

The narrative isn’t limited to these three female perspectives. Their neighbor, Earl, who has his own struggles, adds another layer to the story. Livia’s mother, Meriam, also speaks from beyond the grave, offering her own insights. However, it’s Livia, the most fully-realized character, who appears to hold the key to their fractured existence. She describes her adolescent belief that “sex equalled escape and freedom” and the “fear of being trapped walks its way like ants over my skin.” She grappled with the challenges of motherhood and living with a white man. “For Jimmy’s family, my Blackness was something they would tolerate as long as I lived by their rules and strictures, which were opaque and constantly shifting,” she reveals.

McDonald’s novel, “No Small Thing,” is a nuanced portrayal of trauma passed down through generations. It illustrates how limited options cause McDonald’s female characters to repeat the same mistakes. With a background in arts education for youth, McDonald deeply understands the impact of poverty on young lives, capturing how it stifles expression and wreaks havoc on the vulnerable. Though the story is stark, it is also invigorating and hints at the possibility of redemption.

No Small Thing by Orlaine McDonald is published by Serpent’s Tail and is priced at £16.99.

Source: The Guardian, The Observer