A review by bookish_abena
Say You Re One of Them, by Uwem Akpan
Summary: Uwem Akpan takes readers on a journey across Africa through the eyes of children. Each story in this collection pays tribute to the wisdom and resilience of children even in the face of agonizing circumstances.
Review:
There are 5 short stories in this collection – An Ex mas Feast, Fattening for Gabon, What language is that, Luxurious Hearses & My parents’ bedroom. Each story explored prominent issues children in Africa face such as poverty, education, religious differences, war and child trafficking among others. After the first story, I had to go back and check out some of the details such as the ages of the children – it felt so unreal. It felt like the narrators were adults instead of children. It felt like a hush reality for any child to go through. Some of the events are horrifying and I had to take a break to catch my breath. For a moment, it made me very appreciative the childhood I had. Truth is that some of the events portrayed are not new to me. Some children in some parts of Africa go through worse circumstances – they have no access to basics such as food, shelter, clean water, education and healthcare. Although the stories are fictitious, the situations depict the reality in some parts of Africa.
Another thing I loved about the book is the origin of stories. The book takes the reader to different places and through different experiences. The reader experiences life in Kenya, Rwanda, Benin, Gabon, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Also, the use of each country’s language shows the authenticity of the stories – there’s a bit of French & Pidgin. Telling tales using language such as Uwem Akpan did makes each story relatable and unique.
The emotions conveyed in the book are heavy, vivid and horrifying. I don’t think these tales will disappear from my mind anytime soon. Also, some of the stories were dragged. It could have been simple and short. Some parts of the dialogue were unnecessary. My favourite story is the last and final hit – “My Parents’ Bedroom”
Review:
There are 5 short stories in this collection – An Ex mas Feast, Fattening for Gabon, What language is that, Luxurious Hearses & My parents’ bedroom. Each story explored prominent issues children in Africa face such as poverty, education, religious differences, war and child trafficking among others. After the first story, I had to go back and check out some of the details such as the ages of the children – it felt so unreal. It felt like the narrators were adults instead of children. It felt like a hush reality for any child to go through. Some of the events are horrifying and I had to take a break to catch my breath. For a moment, it made me very appreciative the childhood I had. Truth is that some of the events portrayed are not new to me. Some children in some parts of Africa go through worse circumstances – they have no access to basics such as food, shelter, clean water, education and healthcare. Although the stories are fictitious, the situations depict the reality in some parts of Africa.
Another thing I loved about the book is the origin of stories. The book takes the reader to different places and through different experiences. The reader experiences life in Kenya, Rwanda, Benin, Gabon, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Also, the use of each country’s language shows the authenticity of the stories – there’s a bit of French & Pidgin. Telling tales using language such as Uwem Akpan did makes each story relatable and unique.
The emotions conveyed in the book are heavy, vivid and horrifying. I don’t think these tales will disappear from my mind anytime soon. Also, some of the stories were dragged. It could have been simple and short. Some parts of the dialogue were unnecessary. My favourite story is the last and final hit – “My Parents’ Bedroom”