gugsnbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This book was an absolute pleasure to read.
A collection of short stories that are not only only complete in themselves but have links and are interconnected throughout all the stories in the book, this book was interesting, rich and nuanced. Every story had it's own voice and style which kept me engaged.
It's always refreshing to have an authentic and layered approach to, in particular, Zimbabwean stories - where the tendency is usually to be shallow and one-sided. Gappah, achieves the perfect balance.
I highly recommend this book!
A collection of short stories that are not only only complete in themselves but have links and are interconnected throughout all the stories in the book, this book was interesting, rich and nuanced. Every story had it's own voice and style which kept me engaged.
It's always refreshing to have an authentic and layered approach to, in particular, Zimbabwean stories - where the tendency is usually to be shallow and one-sided. Gappah, achieves the perfect balance.
I highly recommend this book!
shonatiger's review
4.0
Quite enjoyed it when the individual stories began to be tied together. Before that, struggled a bit. A good read!
jenno's review against another edition
This took me a long time to read and it's not the books fault.
I just have a hard time reading short stories and feel like they either just pass me by without me paying any attention or wanting more out of a story. Some stories have stuck with me and I found Gappah's writing to be good. I enjoyed being in Harare for most of this book even though the topics changed a lot.
Something flew over my head but I'm still really glad I read it.
I just have a hard time reading short stories and feel like they either just pass me by without me paying any attention or wanting more out of a story. Some stories have stuck with me and I found Gappah's writing to be good. I enjoyed being in Harare for most of this book even though the topics changed a lot.
Something flew over my head but I'm still really glad I read it.
samsam123's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories set in contemporary Zimbabwe. This was the first work I have read by Petina Gappah, and after reading it I went and bought her other works, In particular, I liked the first half of the book dealing with capital crimes. I think my favourite story was the first one in the collection called "The Dropper". The second half of the collection held my attention less so than the first, and I would have been happy with just the first section. What is especially nice about this collection is that all the stories circulate around the issue of crime and morality, and the stories subtly build on each other ias characters from one story suddenly passing through another, which lends to a picture of the vibrancy of the street Rotten Row, and the pervasiveness of justice and injustice. Although at times bitterly sad, this work is also quite funny. If you like short stories that are dark yet funny, this is a great collection to pick up.
sipho_md's review
4.0
An enjoyable collection of short stories all dealing with crime, in some form or fashion.
Most of the stories are set in Harare and are particularly charming because of the familiarity of the names and places. Gappah also does a masterful job of intertwining some of these accounts together.
This is definitely worth a read, especially if you're a Zimbabwean who grew up in Harare.
Most of the stories are set in Harare and are particularly charming because of the familiarity of the names and places. Gappah also does a masterful job of intertwining some of these accounts together.
This is definitely worth a read, especially if you're a Zimbabwean who grew up in Harare.
annitikkala's review
4.0
A great, fresh find! For someone not closely familiar with the culture of Zimbabwe and its local languages, following the stories may seem difficult at first, but this trouble is soon forgotten. The themes of crime and justice are universal, as are the humane characters Gappah describes: they love, they cheat, they laugh and they mourn. Although the topic is rough and the inequality and corruption present in the stories at points extremely frustrating, this book made me laugh more than any other in awhile! Recommended to anyone looking for a new perspective and at the same time a world that is very much familiar.
enyanyo's review
4.0
[a:Petina Gappah|2796270|Petina Gappah|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1454446570p2/2796270.jpg]'s series of vignettes is a highly entertaining albeit heartbreaking portrayal of the lives of (fictional) everyday Zimbabweans. I loved how she uses a unique voice for each story and how previously seen characters kept popping up in new stories. There is a sad comic quality to this collection, which I found haunting.
thoughtsonbooks's review
2.0
I do not really know what to say about this book- it is not a bad book by a long stretch - but it definitely was not the book for me. I have been reading this book on and off for about two months now and never even felt compelled to add it to my currently reading shelf.
I have said before that I sometimes struggle with short story collections and with this one I definitely struggled. The whole experience was a bit overwhelming and I found myself always stopping after one story and not feeling like continuing. The stories all felt vey incomplete - and often like they were just working towards that final sentence, that punchline. But stories that rely on a punchline to have any impact do not work for me. I want my short stories to feel complete and for the characterisation to be on point - even in the limited time afforded by the medium. This means that I am maybe a lot more critical when it comes to short stories than I would be for full-length novels, so take my rating with a grain of salt.
I enjoyed reading about a place so unlike my own and I am really glad to have had the opportunity to read a book I would otherwise never have heard about. I am always eager to read outside my comfort zone and in this regard the book delivered. I could picture the Zimbabwe Petina Gappah describes perfectly and I think I would enjoy a novel written by her a lot more - her descriptions were interesting and wryly funny in places; in a setting where she could spend more time with her characters I might be able to empathise a lot more.
___
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd. in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
I have said before that I sometimes struggle with short story collections and with this one I definitely struggled. The whole experience was a bit overwhelming and I found myself always stopping after one story and not feeling like continuing. The stories all felt vey incomplete - and often like they were just working towards that final sentence, that punchline. But stories that rely on a punchline to have any impact do not work for me. I want my short stories to feel complete and for the characterisation to be on point - even in the limited time afforded by the medium. This means that I am maybe a lot more critical when it comes to short stories than I would be for full-length novels, so take my rating with a grain of salt.
I enjoyed reading about a place so unlike my own and I am really glad to have had the opportunity to read a book I would otherwise never have heard about. I am always eager to read outside my comfort zone and in this regard the book delivered. I could picture the Zimbabwe Petina Gappah describes perfectly and I think I would enjoy a novel written by her a lot more - her descriptions were interesting and wryly funny in places; in a setting where she could spend more time with her characters I might be able to empathise a lot more.
___
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd. in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
abbieproctor's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0