A review by barnstormingbooks
So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The final prompt on this odd and expanding reading challenge brought me to Senegal with Ba’s short novel (published in English in 1980). In this #BiteSizedRead structured as a very long letter. Ba lets the readers into the minds and homes of a Muslim woman attending the funeral of the husband who left her. Through the letter the protagonist compares her failed marriage to that of the friend she is addressing the letter. Both were women who worked to have it all, and both were rewarded with husbands that chose polegamy. The letters move from lofty thoughts of a woman’s place in larger society to the hurt of being set aside, to the power of realizing her power. This book was fascinating and so, so human.