Reviews

The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu

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verafey's review against another edition

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

3.5

Wasn’t a big fan of the writingstyle. Was a bit too much YA straightforward and letting no room for interpretation to me. The way Tendai Huchu tried to be mysterious and kept hinting on a big plottwist was really obvious and not very original, in my opinion. Saw the plottwist coming from the beginning and I was not shocked at all when the secret was finally revealed. BUT I must say that the story itself WAS very original, interesting and moving. The look into everyday Zimbabwean life was very insightful and well executed. Also grew to really empathize with the characters and was really personally invested. Ended up even shedding a few tears at the end.

fidoe's review against another edition

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3.0

Week 47 Book 44
The hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu
Rating: 3/5

A novel set in Harare, Zimbabwe about a single mom struggling to make ends meet as a hairstylist. A new male hairstylist joins her salon & changes her life. She seems to have a perfect life, but for 1 secret! An engaging read, my first book set in Zimbabwe, great to learn about the culture and the food. Explores concepts of gender, sexuality and society. Do read.

ckundim99's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

This is a short read, but still, I'll need time to recover from this book. Maybe this is because I'm a black Zimbabwean in Harare. If you're black and need a break from fiction centred around black trauma, skip this one.

The storyline in itself is not wildly shocking, but I don't think it's meant to be. This book feels like a fictionalised documentation of the state of Zimbabwe full of archetypes, instead of nuanced characters. I don't think this is a novel that's necessarily meant to grip your attention or surprise you in any way.

If you're looking to be entertained for entertainment's sake, read something else. If you're looking to understand Zimbabwe, this is one story of many, many, many.

sunnie's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-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

bookisheniolak's review

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4.0

I read this book within 3 hours. This was a thrilling read. The cover was also so gorgeous.

simplybeeda's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

amishi1712's review

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3.0

I found Huchu’s book on the perfect weekend—a weekend spent (mostly) without electricity—and, of course, it was the perfect companion. Although the plot reveals itself before one reaches the end, the themes are engaging and pressing and the writing, beautiful. Huchu shows how Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, treats a single mother and a young and rich but (spoiler alert) gay man. In following them, the reader finds herself in Zimbabwe’s infamous kombi rides, facing the challenges of rising inflation and crumbling infrastructure, and ultimately, wondering about the effects of colonialism and dictatorship on contemporary Zimbabwe. I wish, though, that we could read more from Dumisani’s perspective as well, and get a more nuanced and layered ending.