Reviews

The Heart of Redness, by Zakes Mda

peskimo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

vanlyn87's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

odddodd's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Features the contemporary complications of a historical incident in colonial South Africa. Readers interested in indigenous traditions, tensions related to economic development, and South African social history will find it compelling. Mda also uses a vibrant style to shift between past and present.

elmarie_bassage's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Wonderfully written with beautiful prose. 

merixien's review against another edition

3.0

Kitapta, aynı kabile içindeki inanç çatışması ve “beyaz adam” tarafından gelen işgal, bölge halkının gücü eline alamaması için yönetim kadrolarına uygulanan baskı ve kontrolü elde tutma derdi, bozulmamış kıyıların işgalcilerin eğlence anlayışına göre harap edilme savaşı gibi güncel konuları gerçekten dikkatinizi kitapta tutuyor. Ancak kitapta çok fazla geçmişe dönüş var ve bir noktadan sonra ben bu geri dönüşlerden, devamlı farklı isimleri okumaktan yoruldum.

teahorse's review against another edition

adventurous informative reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Well composed; female characters were not respected by the male characters, which I expected but was disappointed by regardless. A fascinating examination of amaXhosa history. Well-timed switching between POVs. 

gschwabauer's review against another edition

2.0

A strange book. I read it in less than 24 hours for an English course, and it was surprisingly engaging. A lot of the past/present parallels were cleverly constructed, and the wry overtones gave the narration personality.

I wish we could have spent a lot less time on Camagu's creepy obsession with women, and definitely less time romanticizing his obsession with the final woman. The characters feel very human, but it's hard to like any of them. Most of them seem deeply selfish, Believers and Unbelievers alike. Deserves a 3.5 for quality, but it gets two subjective stars from me just because I probably would not have finished it without being required to do so.

candy_pandacorn's review against another edition

challenging dark informative medium-paced

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

3.0

daphnerieke's review against another edition

4.0

4,5 sterren.
Nieuw en oud, geloof en ongeloof, traditie en vooruitgang: dit epos van Mda plaatst het in prachtig perspectief.

ida_s's review against another edition

4.0

Excellent structure and plotting. The back story on the events that led to the cattle killing was really interesting. I also liked that the present doesn’t solve every problem - there is still tension and unresolved conflicts at the end of the novel. The characters are complex and interesting. I did find that the narrative style kept me at an ironic distance from the characters at times, which was funny, but did pull me out of the story a little.