Reviews

Scatterlings by Rešoketšwe Manenzhe

trippalli's review against another edition

2.5

I got a bit lost in the changing time perspectives but it's a sad and reflective story based in history . I was quite invested in the survivors story at first but I got distracted and disinterested as the story continued, which I goes reflects as poorly on me as the book.. But I wasn't in a good place to appreciate a slow and sad historic fiction right now, which was disappointing as I was really intrigued by the story overview.

kristen_howe's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No

3.0

nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I read this book over the span of nearly six months, which is an incredibly long time to be reading such a short novel. Indeed, I kept putting it down and feeling no real pull to pick it back up. However, each time I did return to it, I found that I had surprisingly strong recall of the events and stories that had preceded the current reading session, which is almost certainly a testament to Manenzhe’s skillful, poetic writing and character building. 

Indeed, I was pulled into the construction of mythology and the stark differences among Alisa and her depression, Abram and his disappointment, and Dido and her curiosity. Each of these three characters and their perspectives brought a greater depth to the story as it explored racism, history, mental health, marriage, mythology, and parenthood. The integration of South African mythology and the impact of sexual morality laws in this period was deft and intriguing, but I lost track of a lot of the stories and names as I was reading.

uvahoogirl's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

kalyfornian's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad

4.0

creepycrawlie's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

nicolejlevy's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

margardenlady's review

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Powerful debut novel about a single family's disruption by the Immorality laws passed in 1920s South Africa. We meet Abram and Alisa, who have met and married and settled in South Africa near the end of WWI, each has the opportunity to tell his/her story, and as in all family matters, it is the effect on the children that is most poignant. The writing was lyrical, sensitive and pulled me right along throughout the book. Manenzhe will be a writer to watch in coming years.

jdorety's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

zoenelson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Grief, Slavery, Racism, and Mental illness