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ericaomi7's review against another edition
1.0
I really wanted to like this book. I have read 2 other books by this author and really enjoyed them, especially The Icarus Girl. I was also excited about the Santeria/Orisha themes. However, I was very disappointed with this book. First, as a Santeria practitioner, I found several errors. 1) Maja calls her grandmother a babalawo. This word translates to 'father of secrets', and a woman would never be referred to as such. If a woman is initiated as a priest of Ifa she would be called an Iyanifa (though in Cuba many say women can't become priests of Ifa. I think what she meant to say was that her grandmother was an olorisha or iyalorisha. 2) There was a scene where she was describing the Orisha Oya, but said her name was Iya, which means mother. 3) she referred to a woman as a santero when it should have been santera (gendered). These are basic linguistic and cultural things that she should have taken care to get right. Then, when it comes to the content of the book, the two parallel stories of Yemaya Saramagua and Maja seemed totally disconnected. I kept waiting for them to come together in some way and they never did. There was no action to the plot; it was all about what was going on in Maja's mind. I kept waiting for the story to unfold and it never seemed to fully.
elenavarg's review against another edition
3.0
This one has to be my least favorite of Oyeyemi’s novels. The story ends abrubtly and it’s too confusing for my simple mind. Oyeyemi’s writing is still beautiful, though.
wigstown's review against another edition
3.0
Most of me felt like a voyeur listening in on a very private conversation. The whispers are about two girls growing up displaced, in a world not their own (but not mine either). The parallel tales seldom seem to cross. The magic of those first pages, Yemaya in her somewherehouse with its two doors (one into London and one into Lagos, is seldom replicated. Maja can't replicate. She seems too wrapped up in herself. I liked it when her son punched through the pages, but he seldom did.
sapphirereve's review against another edition
5.0
In a way, this story is a coming of age. The main character, Maja (a black Cuban), spends the novel trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs among groups of family and friends who are multicultural, multiethnic, and multiracial. There are two stories that are happening at the same time and that intersect in subtle ways. There definitely is a lot to consider when reading this story, but I found it fascinating if not complicated. As someone who knows little about Yoruba, Cuba, or Santeria--which play heavily in this narrative--it took a bit of research to understand what was going on in the spiritual realm of the novel as well as the physical. If you want to put in some work, then I suggest giving this a thorough read. Then again, maybe you know more than I do or don't feel the need for all the extra information; however, if you're looking for something a bit less psychological, spiritual, or mythical, this probably isn't the book for you.
eleddy's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
Beautifully written but I have no idea what happened or why
mshelen's review against another edition
4.0
My first review using the GR's app on my phone!
This novel is complex but poetic and beautiful. I love Helen Oyeyemi, she's a magnificent and brilliant writer who brings her powerful characters alive.
This novel is complex but poetic and beautiful. I love Helen Oyeyemi, she's a magnificent and brilliant writer who brings her powerful characters alive.
obsidian_blue's review against another edition
3.0
I was left with mostly confusion about this one. I think that Oyeyemi is a good writer, but since the timelines kept jumping around with Maja's remembrances I could never be sure of things. Towards the end of the book things got more simplified with Maja focusing on her pregnancy, her relationship with Aaron, and her poisoned one with her friend Amy Eleni. The book just abruptly ends leaving you with a severe case of what just happened. At least it left me with that.
I loved hearing about the African Cuban experience in Cuba as well as in London after Maja's family immigrates to Britain. However, Oyeyemi breaks up Maja's narrative by also including her mother's involvement with Santeria and also an Orisha named Yemaya Saramagua (an Orisha is a minor God in Santeria and Nigeria). house” between Cuba and Lagos. Orishas are the human form of the spirits (called Irunmoles) sent by Olorun. The Irunmọlẹ are meant to guide creation and particularly humanity on how to live and succeed on Earth Ayé. I spent most of the book confused anytime we left Maja for glimpses/looks at Yemaya Saramangua. I also spent a lot of time with Google and Wikipedia looking things up.
I realized after doing some research that Yemaya I think is also known as Yemoja who is an Orisha and the mother of all Orishas, having given birth to the 14 Yoruba gods and goddesses. She is often syncretized with either Our Lady of Regla in the Afro-Cuban or seen as various other Virgin Mary figures of the Catholic Church. Yemoja is motherly and strongly protective, and cares deeply for all her children, comforting them and cleansing them of sorrow. She is said to be able to cure infertility in women, and cowrie shells represent her wealth. So I can see why this is the Orisha that ping pongs between chapters of us readers following Maja through her first pregnancy.
I didn't really care for Maja though. She was a confusing character and I don't really know what she wanted. Throughout the book she talks of her son and having ownership of him more than the father of the baby. However, at times she doesn't seem to be interested in things related to her pregnancy (eating well or visiting the doctor). She seems fixated on returning to Cuba and I just don't know what she was looking to find there. I am not an immigrant, so I am sure that I am missing something from this book that others would be able to get a fix on. To me it just seemed her character was confused from beginning to end. And I honestly couldn't get a fix on other characters.
Maja's brother Tomas who is known throughout as the London baby (since he was not born in Cuba like Maja was) reads as half a person in this book. Tomas is not seen as Cuban since he is African and he is not seen as African since he is also Cuban. Tomas is not home sick for Cuba like Maja proclaims to be, but just wants to be somewhere that he belongs.
Maja's relationship with Aaron was also confusing. We know that Aaron is white, but was born and raised in Ghana. So he feels as if he can explain what it is to be black to Maja's father at times or take exception for not really getting what it is to be black/Ghanian. Just by the color of his skin, Aaron is privileged and doesn't really get it. We see this again and again throughout the book. Especially when he mentors three of Amy Eleni's students. I don't get her attraction to him since she doesn't seem to like him much.
Maja's messed up friendship with Amy Eleni was confusing to me too. Amy Eleni was not a good friend. She talks about Maja's pregnancy like it's not happening or seems to hope she miscarries at times. Amy Eleni has been friends with Maja since they were young, but her mother (Maja's) hasn't trusted her since she is white. And Amy Eleni also seems to have feelings for Maja that she is ignoring.
The writing was lyrical and beautiful. I just wish I could get a good sense of rhythm will reading. I think the chapters alternating from Maja and back again after a look at Yemaya Saramagua didn't really work for me at all. I started to skim most of Yemaya's chapters after a while since I kept having to look up words or people named.
The ending of the book was abrupt with us not knowing what Maja is going to do next.
I loved hearing about the African Cuban experience in Cuba as well as in London after Maja's family immigrates to Britain. However, Oyeyemi breaks up Maja's narrative by also including her mother's involvement with Santeria and also an Orisha named Yemaya Saramagua (an Orisha is a minor God in Santeria and Nigeria). house” between Cuba and Lagos. Orishas are the human form of the spirits (called Irunmoles) sent by Olorun. The Irunmọlẹ are meant to guide creation and particularly humanity on how to live and succeed on Earth Ayé. I spent most of the book confused anytime we left Maja for glimpses/looks at Yemaya Saramangua. I also spent a lot of time with Google and Wikipedia looking things up.
I realized after doing some research that Yemaya I think is also known as Yemoja who is an Orisha and the mother of all Orishas, having given birth to the 14 Yoruba gods and goddesses. She is often syncretized with either Our Lady of Regla in the Afro-Cuban or seen as various other Virgin Mary figures of the Catholic Church. Yemoja is motherly and strongly protective, and cares deeply for all her children, comforting them and cleansing them of sorrow. She is said to be able to cure infertility in women, and cowrie shells represent her wealth. So I can see why this is the Orisha that ping pongs between chapters of us readers following Maja through her first pregnancy.
I didn't really care for Maja though. She was a confusing character and I don't really know what she wanted. Throughout the book she talks of her son and having ownership of him more than the father of the baby. However, at times she doesn't seem to be interested in things related to her pregnancy (eating well or visiting the doctor). She seems fixated on returning to Cuba and I just don't know what she was looking to find there. I am not an immigrant, so I am sure that I am missing something from this book that others would be able to get a fix on. To me it just seemed her character was confused from beginning to end. And I honestly couldn't get a fix on other characters.
Maja's brother Tomas who is known throughout as the London baby (since he was not born in Cuba like Maja was) reads as half a person in this book. Tomas is not seen as Cuban since he is African and he is not seen as African since he is also Cuban. Tomas is not home sick for Cuba like Maja proclaims to be, but just wants to be somewhere that he belongs.
Maja's relationship with Aaron was also confusing. We know that Aaron is white, but was born and raised in Ghana. So he feels as if he can explain what it is to be black to Maja's father at times or take exception for not really getting what it is to be black/Ghanian. Just by the color of his skin, Aaron is privileged and doesn't really get it. We see this again and again throughout the book. Especially when he mentors three of Amy Eleni's students. I don't get her attraction to him since she doesn't seem to like him much.
Maja's messed up friendship with Amy Eleni was confusing to me too. Amy Eleni was not a good friend. She talks about Maja's pregnancy like it's not happening or seems to hope she miscarries at times. Amy Eleni has been friends with Maja since they were young, but her mother (Maja's) hasn't trusted her since she is white. And Amy Eleni also seems to have feelings for Maja that she is ignoring.
The writing was lyrical and beautiful. I just wish I could get a good sense of rhythm will reading. I think the chapters alternating from Maja and back again after a look at Yemaya Saramagua didn't really work for me at all. I started to skim most of Yemaya's chapters after a while since I kept having to look up words or people named.
The ending of the book was abrupt with us not knowing what Maja is going to do next.
oliviatheron's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
marocuya's review against another edition
3.0
I just noticed it took me a little over a month to finish this book, yet it felt like it took me at least three months to finish such a short novel. I really had to push myself to continue to the end.
There are two stories going on, Maja's and Aya's. I grew fond of Maja and her family, I related so much to her so called "hysterics" that I feel I can finally place a label on the madness that I sometimes feel dwelling inside. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for Aya. It was confusing, halfway through the book was when I actually noticed their was another story happening... This kind of pushes me to re-read the story again. It's a short read so it wouldn't set me out of my way.
There are two stories going on, Maja's and Aya's. I grew fond of Maja and her family, I related so much to her so called "hysterics" that I feel I can finally place a label on the madness that I sometimes feel dwelling inside. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for Aya. It was confusing, halfway through the book was when I actually noticed their was another story happening... This kind of pushes me to re-read the story again. It's a short read so it wouldn't set me out of my way.