Reviews

I read Anthills of the Savannah for a buddy read organised by @bernie.lombardi. Thanks Bernie. It is set in the fictional African country of Kangan and looks at the actions of the President who has assumed power via a military coup. The story unfolds mostly from the perspectives of Chris, head of the information ministry, Ikem, editor of a key newspaper, and Beatrice, a senior government official who is also Chris’s girlfriend. Chris and Ikem have known Sam, the President, since childhood and were educated together in England.

Some parts of this story were depressingly familiar - unelected head of state ignoring the valid concerns of poorer residents of the country, distrusting even those in their inner circle, and asserting their authority and power through intimidation and brutality. However, there was also positivity and hope - characters who stood up for democracy and freedom, who tried to guide the President, who were committed to working for the best interests of their country and willing to risk themselves for the safety of others and the greater good. The naming ceremony for Elewa and Ikem’s daughter, and the name chosen for her definitely ended the novel on a hopeful note.

The post-colonial journey for many African countries has not been as smooth or easy as may have been hoped and envisioned. This novel explores many themes that I expected - power, corruption, the irrationality of a despot - as well as some that I didn’t such as women’s role in society (lots of great girl power here) and the importance of storytelling. It took a little while to settle in to the story possibly due to the shifting point of view. However, once the pieces started coming together and the the tension started ramping up I was hooked. I wanted to find out what happened and struggled to keep to the buddy read schedule. I enjoyed the reading experience and think the book did a good job of highlighting some important issues. I would like to have seen and heard more of Sam directly, to get more of a feel for why he made the decisions he did. I’d also note that the book is 35 years old and is told through a different lens than a more contemporary book might be.

Content Warnings

bernie_lombardi's review

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dark funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

eunicek82's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious slow-paced

4.5

Excellent look at politics. The author is able to really illustrate how big ideas and structures affect the individuals in a nation.

cocoawolf29's review against another edition

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3.0

The book starts out a bit confusingly, but as it progresses it turns into a fair story. As a required reading for my politics class, it will be a great help understanding African politics.

100onbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

Ikem, Ikem, Ikem.
I loved this book. The women were real, the men too.
The tale so vivid, the language like a Naija film I did not want to end.

Read it (again).

matthwecam's review

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challenging informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

hannahballard's review

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challenging reflective slow-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

3.75

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