
from The Polished Hoe by Austin Clarke--
My name is Mary. People in this Village call me Mary-Mathilda. Or, Tilda, for short. To my mother I was Mary-girl. My names I am christen with are Mary Gertrude Mathilda, but I don't use Gertrude, because my maid has the same name.
Whenever a book opens with a character introducing herself, it's usually indicative of a mystery and/or epic tale of their life. I think this is both. It could be a hit or miss. While not far into this read, I love Clarke's writing style but the pace is questionable.

from Drop by Mat Johnson--
Because if I got up there they would boo or laugh or throw rocks at my head. Because I wasn't made for the pedestal, I was unsuitable for display. No crowd would ever accept Chris Jones held up above them.
This sums up the disillusion and angst of the novel's protagonist.