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A review by sssnoo
The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
There is no other book like this book - in a good way. I picked this book to represent Zambia in my around the world reading challenge and it was perfect. This is a big multigenerational saga that manages to portray the complex intertwining of peoples, culture, and history that created modern Zambia. The sense of place, be it rural or urban, is exquisitely wrought. The interludes between sections - from the POV of the mosquito - are like nothing I’ve read before. They are perfect.
I learned a vast amount about Zambia through reading this novel, and that was the point. My favorite tidbit? The Afronauts.
This all said, The Old Drift is not an easy read- at times I wished I was reading it as part of a course as I think I would have gotten even more from the narrative. The book mashes up different literary styles and for the most part is works, but I could have done without much of the magical realism - especially the hair. I just didn’t get it, but that’s me and magical realism. Fortunately it’s not a dominant feature of the novel.
I switched between a print copy of the book and audible. The family tree diagram in the print book was essential - I would have been lost many times without it. The audio narration was fantastic though and it enhanced my experience with the book. The range of accents were generally excellent and there were many.
Bottom line? For an ATW challenge this is THE book for Zambia. It’s also just majestic literature so I highly recommend reading it.
I learned a vast amount about Zambia through reading this novel, and that was the point. My favorite tidbit? The Afronauts.
This all said, The Old Drift is not an easy read- at times I wished I was reading it as part of a course as I think I would have gotten even more from the narrative. The book mashes up different literary styles and for the most part is works, but I could have done without much of the magical realism - especially the hair. I just didn’t get it, but that’s me and magical realism. Fortunately it’s not a dominant feature of the novel.
I switched between a print copy of the book and audible. The family tree diagram in the print book was essential - I would have been lost many times without it. The audio narration was fantastic though and it enhanced my experience with the book. The range of accents were generally excellent and there were many.
Bottom line? For an ATW challenge this is THE book for Zambia. It’s also just majestic literature so I highly recommend reading it.