Monique Roffey
Explore the life and literary career of Monique Roffey (born 1965), the Trinidadian-British novelist, essayist, and creative writing lecturer whose works combine magical realism, Caribbean identity, and social critique.
Introduction
Monique Roffey (born 1965) is a Trinidadian-born British writer whose work spans novels, essays, memoir, and literary journalism. She is celebrated for weaving together Caribbean landscapes, mythology, gender, colonial legacies, and personal identity in striking narrative forms. Her novel The Mermaid of Black Conch won the Costa Book of the Year in 2020, and she has become one of the prominent voices in contemporary Caribbean-British literature.
Early Life and Education
Roffey was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and later moved to the United Kingdom, holding dual Trinidadian and British nationality.
Her early schooling took place in Trinidad (St. Andrew’s School in Maraval) and in England (including St. George’s College, Weybridge) before she went on to university studies.
She earned a BA in English and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia (1987) and later completed an MA and PhD in Creative Writing at Lancaster University.
Career, Teaching & Activism
Roffey has balanced creative writing, academia, and advocacy. According to her official site, she has published eight books (a memoir and seven novels), along with essays, short fiction, and literary journalism.
She is a Professor of Contemporary Fiction at Manchester Metropolitan University, teaching in the MA novel route creative writing program.
Beyond teaching, she has been active in literary communities in Trinidad, founding the St James Writers’ Room in 2014 and organizing writing workshops and retreats collaborating with Caribbean writers.
Roffey is also known for her environmental activism and was a co-founder of Writers Rebel (part of the Extinction Rebellion movement) as a literary activist voice.
She holds the title FRSL (Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature).
Major Works & Themes
Novels & Memoir
Roffey’s published works include (among others):
-
Sun Dog (2002) — her debut novel, exploring identity, transformations, magical realism
-
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle (2009) — a story of European ex-colonials in Trinidad and creolisation
-
Archipelago (2012) — a novel addressing climate change, Caribbean identity, trauma and redemption
-
House of Ashes (2014) — fiction set around the 1990 attempted coup in Trinidad
-
The Tryst (2017) — a fable of desire, marriage, myth, and taboo
-
The Mermaid of Black Conch (2020) — a mythic novel about a mermaid and a fisherman, combining folklore and politics
-
Passiontide (2024) — her more recent work tackling themes of gender violence, colonialism, and religion
-
Memoir: With the Kisses of His Mouth (2011) — a candid exploration of midlife, sexuality, identity and liberation.
Awards & Honors
-
Archipelago won the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature (2013)
-
The Mermaid of Black Conch won Costa Novel Award and Costa Book of the Year in 2020.
-
It was also shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize, longlisted for Rathbones / Folio and Orwell Prize among others.
Themes & Style
Roffey’s work often explores alienation, otherness, Caribbean identity, sexuality, myth and folklore, and the intersection of personal and cultural histories.
Her narratives frequently blend magical realism, mythical elements, biography, and autobiography.
She addresses power, memory, gender, colonial legacies, environmental crisis, and the Caribbean’s complex social dynamics.
Personality & Influence
Roffey is known for her boldness in probing taboo themes, her lyrical prose, and her capacity to shift between intimate interior worlds and grand political landscapes.
She acts as a bridge between Caribbean and British literary spheres—rooted in Trinidadian cultural memory, yet engaging global literary discourse.
Her activism, especially around environmental rights and climate justice, aligns with her narrative concern for land, sea, and the future.
She mentors emerging writers in Trinidad and organizes creative spaces, fostering literary growth in places often marginalized from mainstream publishing centers.
Selected Quote
While direct quotations by Roffey are less widely circulated in anthologies, in interviews she has spoken powerfully about identity, writing, and place. For instance, in WritersMosaic, she said:
“I think we’ve had enough of this historic, hysterical Freudian woman. I have every respect for Rhys, but we need new, different types of characters coming out of the region.”
This quote reflects her desire to break from stereotypical narratives and push literature toward fresh, complex voices.