A review by cheydaytaysaway
Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan
4.0
The idea of giving this collection a star rating seems bizarre and inappropriate, as most everything feels after reading this book. I am a bit struck dumb, conflicted, unsure what to do, which I think is what art is supposed to do. Enjoyment has nothing to do with this book, but that isn't to say it isn't worth undertaking, because somehow still, as emotionally numbed as I feel I am still glad to have read it. Or if not glad, something akin to it.
Of all the stories in this collection, I think I was most impressed upon by "Luxurious Hearses." It seems very much to succeed in creating (as the inside flap describes) a "microcosm" of Africa that speeds along almost like a stage play. The drama unfolds so naturally and the flashbacks are woven in with so much grace, it feels like getting a truer glimpse into the complicated and heartbreaking lives of refugees. This book is not easy, by any means, but it is important. So, so important. It is difficult to get used to the horror, and really, you never do; it almost feels over the top, like shock value in the first story. When it begins to sink in that this isn't the case at all, it becomes incredibly painful, and bleak. But that's what makes it such a good read; there is real heart, real confusion, real childlike wonder at the core of every story. These stories are so hard to swallow, but worth it.
Of all the stories in this collection, I think I was most impressed upon by "Luxurious Hearses." It seems very much to succeed in creating (as the inside flap describes) a "microcosm" of Africa that speeds along almost like a stage play. The drama unfolds so naturally and the flashbacks are woven in with so much grace, it feels like getting a truer glimpse into the complicated and heartbreaking lives of refugees. This book is not easy, by any means, but it is important. So, so important. It is difficult to get used to the horror, and really, you never do; it almost feels over the top, like shock value in the first story. When it begins to sink in that this isn't the case at all, it becomes incredibly painful, and bleak. But that's what makes it such a good read; there is real heart, real confusion, real childlike wonder at the core of every story. These stories are so hard to swallow, but worth it.