cgreenstein's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Recent Zimbabwean history as told through the eyes of a narrator whose increasingly predatory search for belonging serves as a metaphor for the nation and its different ethnic groups.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Rape, and Domestic abuse
binstonbirchill's review against another edition
5.0
It took me a little while (probably 70 pages) to get comfortable with the surroundings and characters but once settled in I felt like the storytelling grew and grew. Undoubtedly it was there the whole time and I just took a bit to get up to speed. The story jumps back and forth in time through the eyes of our young protagonist who is searching for his identity, clearly a stand in for the nation as a whole. The connection between past and present is everywhere, from the familial violence to lost loved ones, to betrayals and tragedy. I came by this through This Mournable Body and I feel that both are intense and well worth a read, probably not back to bad though as both are rather devastating to read.
quinnjuliac's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I’m glad I stuck with this book although the first 1/3 of it was challenging. The narrator is very unreliable and the tale is quite meandering, but throughout the book it becomes clear what is being intentionally concealed from vs revealed to the reader. The book gave really vivid insight into the range of traumas the people of Zimbabwe have experienced over the last 50 years and how their traumas impact their relationships and families and are passed on through generations. I kind of had to resolve to stick with this book as it wasn’t clear where it was going to go for a lot of the time. In summary I’m glad I read it. Holy content warning!! Watch out if you struggle with violence or genocide.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Child death, Grief, Alcohol, Violence, Death, Colonisation, and Animal cruelty
helsa's review
challenging
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
joenglish's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
shonatiger's review against another edition
5.0
Some really amazing writing! Read it in one day :)
I appreciate that there is a fair amount of subtext in this book, that I may get because I grew up in that part of Zimbabwe. For that reason, I'm extremely impressed with how this story was written, and with its complexity. Also, while the traumatic parts are very difficult to read, they are handled in a straightforward (almost clinical) way.
At her launch in Harare, someone asked her about Dambudzo Marechera's influence on her writing, and she acknowledged that. I see that, too.
So, not a perfect book (- does such a thing exist??), and not one to "like" - it's too challenging for that. But really very well done, and again - amazing writing.
I appreciate that there is a fair amount of subtext in this book, that I may get because I grew up in that part of Zimbabwe. For that reason, I'm extremely impressed with how this story was written, and with its complexity. Also, while the traumatic parts are very difficult to read, they are handled in a straightforward (almost clinical) way.
At her launch in Harare, someone asked her about Dambudzo Marechera's influence on her writing, and she acknowledged that. I see that, too.
So, not a perfect book (- does such a thing exist??), and not one to "like" - it's too challenging for that. But really very well done, and again - amazing writing.
filawless's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.5
Rating this book is difficult. I'm so conflicted by it. I disliked the format of how the story was told and aspects of the book made me very uncomfortable (although I do acknowledge that the time the story was set makes the scenes painted in the book necessary) but is that the sign of a well written book?
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
4.0
Visit the locations in the novel
A history of a country and the people who live its story. Hurt, pain, fear and freedom.
It’s an impressively detailed and thought-provoking read for a debut novel. There’s a clear sense that the author has lived parts of this story and has researched the rest from unique sources. It’s the story of a family of sorts who live through a country on the edge. About to fall, it manages to fight through the traps of colonalism only to find itself torn by the post-war confusion, violence and free for all that results.
One of the characters, Zamani, is the outsider of the family in the story. He is a lodger living with a family who gradually begins to worm his way further into their home and friends. The police have arrested one of that family – Bukhosi – at a rally so his absence allows Zamani to further get his feet under the table. It’s not an easy family to be in however, as the man, Abed, likes the drink a little too much. However, it does enable the tales and the talking to flow more freely.
And so the stories begin to come – of the rallies, the white rule, Mugabe’s Rise to power and more. There’s a lot of history here. Perhaps too much at times as it does sometimes weigh down the reading of the story. Characters seem flattened by it.
It’s an impressive feat to write a mix of fact and fiction in this way. I know little of Zimbabwe’s story through the many battles, struggles, labour camps and violent clashes. The Gukurahundi Massacres were particularly upsetting to read about. I did collect a list of names and struggles throughout my reading to help look things up I might have glossed over or not understood. There wasn’t a glossary or list of terms to help with the history timeline or words dotted through the text.
I feel this is a book I should have liked more. It was interesting, informative and epic in scale but a little too ambitious for me. It’s a story that needed to be told, but a shorter and more concise novel would have helped bring the story and the characters to life.
History buffs will love it!