anikaas's review
3.0
3.3 stars
Set in a fictional African town, it’s a story of a village dying of pollution by the big oil company who has ruined their lives and runs everything. Somehow the writing didn’t quite click for me and didn’t live up to how great Behold the Dreamers was.
Set in a fictional African town, it’s a story of a village dying of pollution by the big oil company who has ruined their lives and runs everything. Somehow the writing didn’t quite click for me and didn’t live up to how great Behold the Dreamers was.
sonireads's review
4.0
In the fictional African village of Kosawa, people are getting sick and living in fear after Pexton, an American Oil Company begins drilling for oil. The pipeline spills have made it so that no food can be grown and people are dying from drinking poisoned water. Promises of clean-up and reparation are made but never followed through. The people of Kosawa decide to fight back, knowing it may take decades and come at a steep price.
This book shows the crossroads between colonialism and capitalism. The need for profit over everything, especially in a third world country where palms can be greased and loyalties can be bought. This story is told from the perspective of a generation of children who grow up during Paxton's drilling, and the family of a girl named Thula who becomes a revolutionary.
This book was beautifully written, providing an inside look on what can happen when nobody is watching or paying attention. In the Western world, we generally live in ignorance of the suffering of our brothers and sisters in third world countries whose lands and labour are exploited for our benefit, so that we can have goods cheaper and faster. Thank you to Mbue for sharing the story of the people who would otherwise not have a voice.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
This book shows the crossroads between colonialism and capitalism. The need for profit over everything, especially in a third world country where palms can be greased and loyalties can be bought. This story is told from the perspective of a generation of children who grow up during Paxton's drilling, and the family of a girl named Thula who becomes a revolutionary.
This book was beautifully written, providing an inside look on what can happen when nobody is watching or paying attention. In the Western world, we generally live in ignorance of the suffering of our brothers and sisters in third world countries whose lands and labour are exploited for our benefit, so that we can have goods cheaper and faster. Thank you to Mbue for sharing the story of the people who would otherwise not have a voice.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
leahsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a tough read, but completely worth it. It shifts perspectives between various villagers as they face the devastation of their village by a greedy and wealthy oil company based in America.
It talks about not just corporate greed, but colonialism, exploitation, and the difficulties in establishing a post-colonial government, all from the perspective of the people who are most oppressed by all of this - poor villagers. They rely on the land for subsistence, but when the oil begins to poison the land, the water, and the people living on it, it creates a storm of emotion.
Children die, and the parents want to fix the issue. It leads to conflict between the villagers and the oil company, as well as conflict within groups of people in the village, and issues with the government, who doesn't care for its people the way they should.
While it's set in a fictional village, one of the older characters is able to recall how the people were exploited for rubber, and how they continue to be exploited with no clear way to fix the situation.
The audiobook is told from the POV of various characters, allowing us to see how various people were directly affected, and how it changed the course of their lives. It was a surprisingly fast and interesting read, and while I can't say that this book is exactly enjoyable, it was definitely engrossing. It was intriguing to see how each of the characters reacted so differently, and how the events in this tiny village changed the trajectory of their entire lives.
It also makes me think of what the true cost of these natural resources really is. I don't know about you, but I tend to take a lot of things for granted, and don't really think of how lucky I am to have clean water, healthy food, and to live on land that isn't poisoned. However, it also made me consider the way that all of our resources aren't free - and the people who typically pay the cost are those who benefit the least from this and have little to no access to the resources that come from their land.
It talks about not just corporate greed, but colonialism, exploitation, and the difficulties in establishing a post-colonial government, all from the perspective of the people who are most oppressed by all of this - poor villagers. They rely on the land for subsistence, but when the oil begins to poison the land, the water, and the people living on it, it creates a storm of emotion.
Children die, and the parents want to fix the issue. It leads to conflict between the villagers and the oil company, as well as conflict within groups of people in the village, and issues with the government, who doesn't care for its people the way they should.
While it's set in a fictional village, one of the older characters is able to recall how the people were exploited for rubber, and how they continue to be exploited with no clear way to fix the situation.
The audiobook is told from the POV of various characters, allowing us to see how various people were directly affected, and how it changed the course of their lives. It was a surprisingly fast and interesting read, and while I can't say that this book is exactly enjoyable, it was definitely engrossing. It was intriguing to see how each of the characters reacted so differently, and how the events in this tiny village changed the trajectory of their entire lives.
It also makes me think of what the true cost of these natural resources really is. I don't know about you, but I tend to take a lot of things for granted, and don't really think of how lucky I am to have clean water, healthy food, and to live on land that isn't poisoned. However, it also made me consider the way that all of our resources aren't free - and the people who typically pay the cost are those who benefit the least from this and have little to no access to the resources that come from their land.
kpeps's review
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
maggiemccoy13's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
3.75
maddierose_m's review
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was beautiful. EASY five stars. I hope this gorgeous book becomes required reading. It is a beautiful but sad description of the impacts of America and Europe on African cultures. It demands reflection and honesty. I HIGHLY recommend this book to any and everyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Racism
audreysova's review
5.0
I loved this! I appreciated how it was told from multiple perspectives, how it addressed the impacts of American industry, power dynamics, remnants of colonialism, climate change, fighting for a different kind of freedom, and so much more. It's one of those fictional stories that could just as easily be ripped from the headlines...only there are rarely enough headlines capturing the devastation that unfolds. Thula was a beautiful character to center around, a woman who never gave up on the dream of freeing her town and her people--even when it was the path of most resistance.
nfoutty's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Police brutality, Colonisation, Grief, Murder, Child death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, War, and Violence
Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Infertility, Sexual content, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Incest, Torture, Trafficking, Death of parent, Classism, Kidnapping, and Homophobia
Minor: Alcohol and Abandonment