The Other Hand by Chris Cleave is a thought provoking, and rather philosophical novel entwined with complicated relationships.

After reading the blurb and quotes on the back of the novel, I was somewhat dubious about this book as they were far too over the top for the novel, and, once I finished the book, I stood by my first thoughts. However, I did actually find myself quite gripped my this novel, even though I think it is more of a holiday novel.

The two female protagonists, Little Bee and Sarah take it in turns to narrate each chapter. Sometimes the distinct separation between the two women is lost, and the author appears to want to draw strong parallels between them. On the surface, this seems impossible as Little Bee is a teenage girl from Nigeria who has fled her country after her family were brutally murdered victims as a result of an oil war, and she is now an illegal immigrant. Sarah, "on the other hand", is a young married woman, the editor of a popular culture magazine and a mother; their worlds could not be further apart.

 However, the similarities that Cleave draws upon are the human feelings such as putting someone else first and freedom. Sarah claims the reason for her affair is for freedom. Her freedom is for time away from her husband, a mental freedom. Little Bee's freedom is a necessity of fleeing a dangerous country where if she was to return to, she would be killed. Their desire for freedom cannot be assessed on the same scale.

It becomes easy to forget that Little Bee is actually so young. She has learnt the "Queen's English" as she believes it will save her once she is released from the detention centre. Her philosophical thinking also becomes the basis of the novel which is revealed when Sarah and her husband Andrew meet on a beach in Nigeria. Andrew's inability to put a stranger before himself is the catalyst that sets the philosophical outlook Little Bee retains for the rest of the novel, which in places is endearing and others extremely touching.

Cleave's writing style is sarcastic and most characters become cynical about life, but it is something the reader can relate to and retains the seriousness of the situation. The mysterious beginning and setting is intriguing, and unfolds well, yet when the mystery is revealed Cleaver slightly loses his grasp of the plot and it loses its way and becomes somewhat weak, especially towards the end of his novel. The mystery created was not too intense for the situation, but was aided with short punch sentences that creates suspense in the right places.

This is a novel about the decision to give your life, in more than one meaning, to save another. Bee's final decision summarises the novel beautifully, "I first thought, of course I must save him, whatever it costs me, because he is a human being. And then I though, of course I must save myself, because I am a human being too".