A review by bookswithhan
We Are All Birds of Uganda by Hafsa Zayyan
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
TW: Racism, Racial Slurs, Hate Crimes, Death
"If you don't understand where you've come from, you'll never really understand who you are or where you're going."
This book has been out for a while and whilst I'm furious I haven't had a copy in my hands sooner, I'm super grateful to have been sent a copy of the paperback which is released today.
We Are All Birds of Uganda is one of the most beautiful, clever and thoughtful debuts I've read. Two storylines woven together with one set in present day London and the other in 1960s Uganda, this generational family story will have you hooked immediately as the characters lives fuse together.
One of the most beautiful parts of the book was the rich history and depiction of life of the South Asian community in Uganda. I felt completely tranported in time and the vivid descriptions of places and characters had me googling Uganda and flights. The depiction of this country was told through such lyrical prose that allowed you to be in awe of the luscious and stunning views and birds.
Some of the topics throughout this are hefty and painful; from racial tensions to militant leaders, interracial love and lost identity, this book captures you and doesn't let you go until the final page. The idea of how our family and ancestors decisions impact our lives and ideas generations later is so interesting and powerful.
Zayyan has created a beautiful and perfect debut that has left me yearning to learn more about this devastating period of history. Historical fiction is this form of alternative characters and the format of love letters will have you hooked and adding Uganda to your travel list. Her writing is not only lyrical and tender, but motivated and powerful and she is a most worthy recipient of the Merky Books New Writers Prize. I can't wait to see what she brings us next.
"If you don't understand where you've come from, you'll never really understand who you are or where you're going."
This book has been out for a while and whilst I'm furious I haven't had a copy in my hands sooner, I'm super grateful to have been sent a copy of the paperback which is released today.
We Are All Birds of Uganda is one of the most beautiful, clever and thoughtful debuts I've read. Two storylines woven together with one set in present day London and the other in 1960s Uganda, this generational family story will have you hooked immediately as the characters lives fuse together.
One of the most beautiful parts of the book was the rich history and depiction of life of the South Asian community in Uganda. I felt completely tranported in time and the vivid descriptions of places and characters had me googling Uganda and flights. The depiction of this country was told through such lyrical prose that allowed you to be in awe of the luscious and stunning views and birds.
Some of the topics throughout this are hefty and painful; from racial tensions to militant leaders, interracial love and lost identity, this book captures you and doesn't let you go until the final page. The idea of how our family and ancestors decisions impact our lives and ideas generations later is so interesting and powerful.
Zayyan has created a beautiful and perfect debut that has left me yearning to learn more about this devastating period of history. Historical fiction is this form of alternative characters and the format of love letters will have you hooked and adding Uganda to your travel list. Her writing is not only lyrical and tender, but motivated and powerful and she is a most worthy recipient of the Merky Books New Writers Prize. I can't wait to see what she brings us next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Hate crime