A review by dlberglund
Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
5.0
Kintu was a fantastic, epic novel of generations of a Ugandan family clan. The first section introduces us to Kintu himself, an important man within his region in 1700s Uganda. His family and their saga become the basis of a legend that grows over the centuries and connects his descendants, bringing us up to 2004. The stories and setting are rich, the characters interesting and flawed, their journeys both believable and historic. Events and politics of Uganda's recent past are addressed in different ways through the narratives of several of these descendants. It truly feels like the great Ugandan novel.
Sweeping sagas of multiple generations or lines of a family are typically not my favorite books. This one is perhaps the most notable exception. It was fresh and lushly written without being overdone. I am sure this is my favorite book of Uganda, written by a Ugandan, that I have ever read.
My advice, especially for those who are unfamiliar with Ugandan names: find a way to take notes or keep track of the characters and their names and relations. The book is almost 450 pages long, and it is a novel, not a book of stories. There are many characters, many stories to tell, and many ways that they carry their history with them. You'll regret it if you lost track of early characters.
Sweeping sagas of multiple generations or lines of a family are typically not my favorite books. This one is perhaps the most notable exception. It was fresh and lushly written without being overdone. I am sure this is my favorite book of Uganda, written by a Ugandan, that I have ever read.
My advice, especially for those who are unfamiliar with Ugandan names: find a way to take notes or keep track of the characters and their names and relations. The book is almost 450 pages long, and it is a novel, not a book of stories. There are many characters, many stories to tell, and many ways that they carry their history with them. You'll regret it if you lost track of early characters.