Reviews

Soweto, Under the Apricot Tree by Niq Mhlongo

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lynnaeday's review

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dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

andrewsutton's review

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adventurous emotional funny informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

cathyn's review

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funny informative fast-paced

4.0

This collection asks the question, if the apricot trees of Soweto could talk, what stories would they tell? And I've come away from this book thinking, I guess they would tell depressing stories. Bleak vignettes with very little hope or silver linings. Beautiful cover, but I'm bummed out by its contents.

lindiwe's review

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

1.5

If the apricot trees of Soweto could talk, what stories would they tell? This short story collection captures the township, Soweto in a slice of life writing style and we are presented stories of a girl who meets a swindler, zamazamas, witchcraft, politics and satire being central to the stories. I did not like the short stories or the writing style. it was very simple and I felt like some of the short stories felt short. I felt some of these stories were rumors I have heard before. I felt like the author really had a misogynistic view towards women because of the way they are described in some of the short stories. I enjoyed the short story called Turbulence and felt very familiar.

xh_reads's review against another edition

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funny reflective sad medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

chimkenugz's review

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adventurous lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

God I don't even know where to start. Initially I thought some of the stories were lovely, I really enjoyed the one about the cat and the one that took place at the funeral.
However, the manner in which women were described through multiple of the stories turned me so off, to the point where I struggled to get through the book through the last 5 stories.
I was really disappointed actually.