Reviews

Dreams in a Time of War by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

socorrobaptista's review against another edition

5.0

Eu já conhecia o escritor - havia lido um pequeno ensaio dele durante meu doutorado, mas não imaginava que sua escrita fosse tão profunda, tão contundente. Não estranha que seu nome seja indicado para o prêmio Nobel de Literatura, faz todo sentido. É muito tocante ver como se dão as relações familiares em culturas tão distantes da minha, e é duro perceber como relações coloniais moldam uma vida inteira, e como pactos entre uma mãe e seu filho o permitem "sonhar em tempos de guerra". Amei!!

gpettey19's review

4.0

“I seek refuge in learning.”

So happy I treated myself to this paperback from Ikirezi Bookstore.

anna_pardo's review against another edition

5.0

Boníssim!
Una lectura recomanadíssima, no només per qui l'escriu sinó per tot el que s'aprèn de Kenya. Clama al cel les injustícies comeses en aquest país i la resta d'estats africans, i veure-ho des de la perspectiva d'un nen...esgarrifa.

lsaligmander's review

3.0

This book was well written and informative, but for some reason I had a hard time getting into it / invested in the characters and things that were happening. Wouldn't really recommend unless you have special interest in Kenya during this time period.

meandmymonkey's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

sczerz's review

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

muravyevaa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

3.25

This book is packed with information and it definitely makes it so captivating. However, the style on narration is not exactly my cup of tea which made me pause on the book not in the “I need to pause and think what I just read” way but more in a “I need to take a break from this book for a bit before I find resources for it again”. It is a very reflective read and an important one as it talks about colonialism, civil war, and other related problems from a perspective of the colonised. Only for that it is a must read because it is still rather rare. 

tbim's review

3.0

My background in linguistics came in handy butchering the names of the seemingly endless people mentioned by Nugugi. I tried; African authors just aren't my cup of tea.

kofi_dzogbewu's review

4.0

Such a great read. Totally recommended.

callanisreading's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Ngũgĩ approaches adolescence in the midst of Kenya's struggle for independence. In his memoirs, he details his life-long search for knowledge and the ways colonialism, rebellion, class, religion, and tradition shape the man he will one day become. This moving portrait of a country's beginnings explores a complex history that has left an indelible legacy on Kenya and wa Thiong'o.