anetq's review against another edition
4.0
Racism is flourishing in Botswana; between both races and tribes - and the lowest of the low is the Masarwa (in itself a derogatory term) - the bushmen. And in the small village of Dilepe people get upset when the new teacher with the perfect grades, Margaret Cadmore, show up and proclaim that she is Masarwa, not colored (meaning the daughter of a white man and a black mother). And she acts strange as she raised in English style by a white missionary, plagued by the other children for being Masarwa.
But racism is not the only theme: It is also the story of scheming in the village as two men battle it out the woman they love - and all bets are off: Magic dreams, art, intuition, spying and jealousy all play out in a long game.
It is a great book about love and life - including the down sides of both, and a surprising amount of supernatural (but not superstition) in the dry, dry country of the Kalahari desert.
But racism is not the only theme: It is also the story of scheming in the village as two men battle it out the woman they love - and all bets are off: Magic dreams, art, intuition, spying and jealousy all play out in a long game.
It is a great book about love and life - including the down sides of both, and a surprising amount of supernatural (but not superstition) in the dry, dry country of the Kalahari desert.
anniesmanybooks's review against another edition
5.0
A brilliant novella by Bessie Head, portraying how the arrival of an unassuming female San/Basarwa (Kalahari Bushman) teacher wreaks havoc in a Botswana village by stirring up racism and hatred among students and teachers, destroying friendships, and breaking hearts. So short, and yet so complex and unsettling. A book to read, ponder and re-read.
renegadecosmos's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
4.75
jalee66123's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
cainwaogu's review against another edition
4.0
This is probably the most subversive "romance" I have ever read. None of the characters are good people and none of their actions are altruistic. Love does not inspire characters to transcend their situations and prejudices but enables them to make some sad and selfish decisions. This is one of the few works were you get depictions of men and women's rapture and the violence that can accompany it.
Interestingly, the story features the common trope of two wealthy chiefs competing for the love one woman pariah but Head presents it in such an honest way. She shows how both rich suitors use their wealth and access to manipulate and pressure her into submission. Although the narrative was a bit disjointed at times I truly appreciate the ideas the author presents.
Interestingly, the story features the common trope of two wealthy chiefs competing for the love one woman pariah but Head presents it in such an honest way. She shows how both rich suitors use their wealth and access to manipulate and pressure her into submission. Although the narrative was a bit disjointed at times I truly appreciate the ideas the author presents.
raulbime's review against another edition
4.0
I'm always fascinated with small books, by small I mean volume, that contain so much in them and Maru is one such book.
Maru, set in rural Botswana, is the tale of an orphaned girl Margaret, who belonging to the Masarwa tribe, a tribe mistreated, enslaved and considered subhuman, experiences life, love and art even at the face of discrimination.
There's a quote from the book that really struck home:
"How universal was the language of oppression! They had said of the Masarwa what every white man had said of every black man: 'They can't think for themselves. They don't know anything.' The matter never rested there. The stronger man caught hold of the weaker man and made a circus animal out of him, reducing him to a state of misery and subjection and non-humanity."
The capacity for human beings to oppress those they find different from them is limitless as it is stupid. And Bessie Head writes with an elegant hand.
Maru, set in rural Botswana, is the tale of an orphaned girl Margaret, who belonging to the Masarwa tribe, a tribe mistreated, enslaved and considered subhuman, experiences life, love and art even at the face of discrimination.
There's a quote from the book that really struck home:
"How universal was the language of oppression! They had said of the Masarwa what every white man had said of every black man: 'They can't think for themselves. They don't know anything.' The matter never rested there. The stronger man caught hold of the weaker man and made a circus animal out of him, reducing him to a state of misery and subjection and non-humanity."
The capacity for human beings to oppress those they find different from them is limitless as it is stupid. And Bessie Head writes with an elegant hand.
lilaceous's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
characters - .5⭐️
plot - ⭐️
engaging to read - ⭐️
would recommend - ⭐️
would read again - ⭐️
eery in the best way.
one thing that took me out of the story a bit was what i perceived to be a lack of motivation behind the characters’ extreme actions. it almost doesn’t make sense why the characters do what they do. outside of that, beautiful and engaging storytelling.
eery in the best way.
one thing that took me out of the story a bit was what i perceived to be a lack of motivation behind the characters’ extreme actions. it almost doesn’t make sense why the characters do what they do. outside of that, beautiful and engaging storytelling.
fandomsandfiction's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
in conclusion, men are trash.
EDIT: the more we analyse this book in class, the more I grow to dislike it, so much so that I've removed a star. The book itself is not badly written. I've just never hated all the characters in a single book this much before. 😐
EDIT: the more we analyse this book in class, the more I grow to dislike it, so much so that I've removed a star. The book itself is not badly written. I've just never hated all the characters in a single book this much before. 😐
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship
misspalah's review against another edition
4.0
When no one wanted to bury a dead body, they called the missionaries; not that the missionaries really liked to be involved with mankind, but that they had been known to go into queer places because of their occupation. They would do that but they did not often like you to walk into their yard. They preferred to talk to you outside the fence.
- Bessie Head, Maru
.
.
Honestly, i enjoyed When Rain Clouds Gather better than this book. It is probably due to my high expectation given that most people recommend this book as her best work among other books. I just couldn’t get past of how utterly selfish and jerk both of the male characters, Maru and Moleka. There’s No redeemable quality whatsoever in these 2 men. Hence, seeing that Margaret Cadmore ended up marrying Maru is something that i wished it wouldn’t happen. I enjoyed the dynamic between shared between Margaret Cadmore and Dilekedi, they are not best friend but they are not stranger either - but fate brought them together as they are pawns in the game played by Maru and Moleka. While the plot was not intriguing at least to me but the subject matter that Bessie Head brought it up in the book is somehow similar with caste. Just like in India, there are dalits/untouchable caste, in this book they have somewhat similar known as the Masarwa / the outcast tribe. They are not considered as human being and most of the time were referred to ‘it’. The insult that usually hurled at them is ‘Bushmen’ which has similar connotation with ‘the N word’. Hence, the story began with Margaret Cadmore which hailed from Masarwa Tribe but were adopted by a white missionary’s wife. She enjoyed the privilege but knew deep down that she was never one of them. Her adopted mother make sure to remind her of that once in a while. When Margaret becomes a teacher and sent to teach at Dilepe Village, her status as a Masarwa become a big issue. Again, Bessie Head explored Prejudice, Caste, Tribal distinction and Discrimination right off the bat with this novel. Due to these themes alone, i add 1 star as originally i feel this is 3 stars at best. I am still glad i read this.
- Bessie Head, Maru
.
.
Honestly, i enjoyed When Rain Clouds Gather better than this book. It is probably due to my high expectation given that most people recommend this book as her best work among other books. I just couldn’t get past of how utterly selfish and jerk both of the male characters, Maru and Moleka. There’s No redeemable quality whatsoever in these 2 men. Hence, seeing that Margaret Cadmore ended up marrying Maru is something that i wished it wouldn’t happen. I enjoyed the dynamic between shared between Margaret Cadmore and Dilekedi, they are not best friend but they are not stranger either - but fate brought them together as they are pawns in the game played by Maru and Moleka. While the plot was not intriguing at least to me but the subject matter that Bessie Head brought it up in the book is somehow similar with caste. Just like in India, there are dalits/untouchable caste, in this book they have somewhat similar known as the Masarwa / the outcast tribe. They are not considered as human being and most of the time were referred to ‘it’. The insult that usually hurled at them is ‘Bushmen’ which has similar connotation with ‘the N word’. Hence, the story began with Margaret Cadmore which hailed from Masarwa Tribe but were adopted by a white missionary’s wife. She enjoyed the privilege but knew deep down that she was never one of them. Her adopted mother make sure to remind her of that once in a while. When Margaret becomes a teacher and sent to teach at Dilepe Village, her status as a Masarwa become a big issue. Again, Bessie Head explored Prejudice, Caste, Tribal distinction and Discrimination right off the bat with this novel. Due to these themes alone, i add 1 star as originally i feel this is 3 stars at best. I am still glad i read this.
niheed's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5