The 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature awarded to poet Derek Walcott, along with the resurgence of interest in C. L. R. James' critical and theoretical writings during the mid-1980s, has significantly heightened the visibility of West Indian literature. This increased attention has underscored the pivotal developments in West Indian fiction that began in the 1960s, with writers like Wilson Harris, Roy Heath, George Lamming, and V. S. Naipaul at the forefront. These novelists not only illuminate the intricately woven cultural and historical tapestry of the former British West Indies but also confront white audiences with the enduring legacies of colonialism. Within this dynamic literary landscape, the novel Cambridge must be critically assessed.

Unlike in the United States, where the Caribbean island communities are relatively small and less influential in shaping a distinct literary identity within African American culture, Caribbean literature holds significant sway in England. This influence is poignantly captured in Cambridge through the character of Emily, who embodies the complex values of the British motherland. Caryl Phillips, part of a generation of black writers raised and educated in England, yet profoundly connected to their Caribbean roots, exemplifies this cultural duality. By retelling imperial narratives from the perspective of the colonized, Phillips engages in cultural reclamation—a process with profound implications, including the potential reevaluation of the novel's role and future in English literature.

In addition to its artistic prowess, Cambridge serves as a compelling contribution to the intellectual and cultural transformations at the heart of contemporary literary discourse. The work not only enriches the conversation about empire and identity but also challenges and inspires reevaluations of story-telling and representation in a post-colonial context.