Reviews

Beautifully written story full of engaging, well-drawn characters.

I loved getting to know the people, their motivations and their desires. Recurring themes and motifs were clear and well-handled.

I enjoyed the complexity of Thato and Mahlatse, who are two people from different generations who were holding the family together.

I liked Molefi and Emile, because their story was important and relevant -- and because I love when a book gives secondary characters rich lives.

A remarkable debut from an impressive young Black woman.

sonnymirrors's review

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4.0

Invisible Strings by Naledi Mashishi

Invisible Strings is a book by Naledi Mashishi published by BlackBirdBooks in 2021. It is a story of a little girl named Thato who becomes entangled in the chaos of the past and the present. At a young age, she develops supernatural powers that allow her to do incredible things such as seeing into the past, healing by touch and finding missing objects. The narrative, then, follows Thato, in the custody of her insecure parent - Kgethi, as she navigates her supernatural powers and all the attendant attractions: the great exploitations of the present - by envious adults including opportunists and corrupt pastors like Solomon who have an unquenchable thirst for power and a greed unequaled - and the great responsibility to heal others and to heal even the enduring familial trauma(s) of the past.

Mashishi's writing is beautiful and effortless. She seamlessly weaves together into a coherent narrative a critique of the abuse of power by religious leaders; a highlight of the poverty and economic desperation that makes so many vulnerable to abuse and manipulation; questions about healing and justice, the enduring legacies of apartheid and the lingering trauma upon families of its victims; an illustration of the anxieties and struggles of unplanned pregnancy and/or parenthood; and great commentary on spirituality and the responsibility/burdens it often comes with. The themes dealt with in this book are deeply resonant. The multiple layers of the story are handled meticulously and developed at an excellent pace culminating in a solid narrative - easy and at times heavy, but overall refreshing to read.

The fantastic and realistic elements meeting is the most exciting part of the book. Mashishi describes Thato's powers in vivid and rich detail. The showing of the powers working across time and space, through Thato and people and objects, the traveling, the visions, the worlds, the colours, the voices, the stories, all this makes for a beautiful and intimate and involving imaginative experience. Mashishi uses imagery and symbols - drawing some inspiration from African spirituality and understandings - to capture the magical elements and highlight the significance of Thato's powers. She does this in a way that offers great resonance and even connection to the reader, especially the (South) African reader familiar with the imagery and symbolism of African spirituality, black magic and/or superstition. This aspect of the book is deeply engaging and exciting.

The author develops the characters in the book so well. Thato's development was enjoyable. Perhaps for this reason I thought (wrongly) early on in the book that she would be my favorite. This was not the case. I found that I had only deep sympathy for her, and was frustrated by the abusive situations she found herself in (because of failures by adults) and the burden I perceived her to be carrying. I was only okay about her at the end. Otherwise, nothing more was felt. But Molefe. Though not the main character, he stayed with me throughout the book and even after I had finished reading it. The queer character in the book was written with so much grace and realism. In his reality, from his life, may be drawn the less that sometimes the acceptance one yearns for may not come in the way one expects it to and other times it may never come at all. Despite this, life can be full(filling). Mashishi offers something real here, something hopeful. This makes Molefe a fave, for me, a character to remember.

Invisible Strings is incredibly resonant and wonderfully told - offering an exciting meeting of fantastic and realistic elements any reader would love. Naledi Mashishi is a great storyteller and Invisible Strings is her first novel. I would love to read more of her work.

Rating: 4/5