A review by oriannajoi
A Grain of Wheat, by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
5.0
Set in the time of British-ruled Kenya, A Grain of Wheat was such a fascinating story. Ngugi's genius is that he draws out a wide range of colonial/postcolonial experiences through his characters.
Between Mugo, Kihika, Gikonyo, Mumbi, and Karanja, we see different responses to the whiteman's rule from the leader of the Mau Mau to the whiteman's underling. I loved the variety of characters and underlying themes; there are so many things to think about from a postcolonial lens, and as for historical fiction goes, this is one of my recent favorites.
Between Mugo, Kihika, Gikonyo, Mumbi, and Karanja, we see different responses to the whiteman's rule from the leader of the Mau Mau to the whiteman's underling. I loved the variety of characters and underlying themes; there are so many things to think about from a postcolonial lens, and as for historical fiction goes, this is one of my recent favorites.