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| 0802126480
| 9780802126481
| 0802126480
| 4.10
| 49
| unknown
| Apr 04, 2017
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really liked it
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All of the houses, stone or others, that Israeli bulldozers and-no less Israeli-bombs have and will destroy, rescue from the Israeli national ethos of
All of the houses, stone or others, that Israeli bulldozers and-no less Israeli-bombs have and will destroy, rescue from the Israeli national ethos of return to the homeland the naked essence of our state. And this is how I meant to continue the sentence and write: that essence is the erasure of the other's existence for the sake of our own existence. We make the Palestinian disappear so that we Jews can prosper. But I have changed my mind and am writing: the real essence of our state is an ongoing attempt to erase the existence of the other for the sake of our own existence. An attempt to make the Palestinian disappear so that we Jews can prosper. The houses no longer stand. But the majority of their dwellers and carriers of their memory -down to the second and third and fourth generations- are alive and kicking, alive and resilient. In exile or in refugee camps a walking distance from their demolished homes, in rented apartments, in Palestinian enclaves in the West Bank and in villages inside Israel, whose land has been stolen from them. Displaced, but very much alive, they never cease to belong to The Home. The Israeli attempt at erasure succeeded only in part, hap-pily. But the partiality of that "success" does not halt the conveyor belt moving the state's essence in its repeated act of destruction and attempts to depopulate. Every additional demolition, every takeover of land is another knife plunged, and the unceasing continuity since 1948 only grows heavier. And with every knife, another question mark is raised about the "home-ness" of home and the reasons that I have to remain in it. - Stone Houses by Amira Hass : Freeman’s: The best new writing on home . . To be honest, the short stories by POC writers in this anthology are much stronger in execution. The plots are compelling, and with simple ideas, they carry the stories with excellent writing. I recognized some of the authors and had high expectations, having enjoyed most of their novels. The topics range from war and political persecution to immigrant insecurity and ideological divides. While some non-POC writers also contributed well, some stories seemed to focus on 'first world problems' - superficial for the most part. However, Kerri Arsenault's "Vacationland" stands out for its haunting portrayal of the impact of a paper mill factory on a rural community, highlighting the contradiction of dependence on it for income despite the health risks from its toxic materials. I was unsure about the inclusion of two Israeli authors in the collection, given current events. One story seemed to dehumanize Palestinians which seems to be what Israel has been doing with the complicit of Western Media, while another discussed their connection to land although when they first came to Palestine decades ago as a guests, which raised conflicting feelings and ideas. Most of the poems featured in the collection were the translations of famous poets but unfortunately i am not familiar with them simply because the literary world itself has been Western-centric. Overall, "Home" is a powerful collection where writers explore varied interpretations of what 'home' means—tangible, in memories, in people, or in a fleeting, uncertain existence. I put some of the titles that i think people should read from this collection : 1. Germany and Its Exiles By Herta Müller. 2. All the Home You've Got By Edwidge Danticat. 3. A Land Without Borders By Nir Baram 4. Pages of Fruit By Leila Aboulela 5. Vacationland By Kerri Arsenault 6. Fishermen Always Eat Fish Eyes By Xiaolu Guo 7. The Committed By Viet Thanh Nguyen 8. Stone Houses By Amira Hass. 9. Hope and Home By Rabih Alameddine 10. The curse by Emily Raboteau ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 26, 2024
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Oct 2024
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Oct 01, 2024
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Paperback
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| 0063260387
| 9780063260382
| 0063260387
| 4.37
| 12,611
| Apr 28, 2022
| Sep 19, 2023
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it was amazing
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“Where in Africa?’ My mind was a muddle of words and images: my mama, my brothers, the tree, Sir Richard, Mrs Cuthbert, Bill . . . Perhaps it was simp
“Where in Africa?’ My mind was a muddle of words and images: my mama, my brothers, the tree, Sir Richard, Mrs Cuthbert, Bill . . . Perhaps it was simpler, easier, to just refer to my former life as a string of words and sentences, in the way Sir Richard had spoken on many occasions. A description of the land I grew up in from the mouth of an explorer: the Congo with its vast rainforests and endless rivers. A beauty that could not be replicated anywhere on this earth. Of all the countries from that great continent, none could hold a candle to the majestic Congo. None. ‘I once lived in the Congo,’ I said.” - The Attic Child by Lola Jaye . I'm not sure if I've ever read a book quite like this, chronicling a character's journey spanning nearly a century, but here we are. "The Attic Boy" was recommended by my book buddy for our upcoming discussion next month, and since I didn't have anything else to read at the moment, I decided to give it a try. What a journey Dikembe went through—from losing his identity to becoming Celestine, a refined gentleman fluent in British English. Educated in the upper-class English manner until Mr. Barbington's death, who brought him from Zaire/Congo, the plot unfolded linearly through Dikembe/Celestine's perspective and also explored the contemporary world through his great-granddaughter, Lowra. Fate brought them together, both held captive—one by a child groomer and the other by an abusive stepmother. Initially surprised by its substantial 440-page length, I'm glad Lola Jaye didn't rush the story. The novel skillfully parallels two generations: one struggling fiercely to survive and another drifting aimlessly burdened by trauma. It adeptly discusses King Leopold's history and his devastating impact on Africa, subtly yet leaving a profound impact on those familiar with the topic. The aftermath of colonization, racism, and class differences are intricately woven into the characters' lives. Despite the hardships, the book concludes on a hopeful note, which feels necessary after the ordeals endured by Dikembe/Celestine and Lowra. It's truly one of the best books I've read this year. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 18, 2024
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Sep 25, 2024
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Sep 25, 2024
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Paperback
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| 1250124573
| 9781250124579
| 1250124573
| 3.61
| 4,528
| May 05, 2016
| Feb 07, 2017
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really liked it
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Marriage was a disappointment. Colder than Hortensia had imagined, it was the sad end to her Sunday-school belief in the lore of Noah - that life was
Marriage was a disappointment. Colder than Hortensia had imagined, it was the sad end to her Sunday-school belief in the lore of Noah - that life was best lived in pairs. Instead, marriage had turned out to not be much after all. It was the tedium of little domestic details. It was negotiating the tiresome habits of another. Marriage also made Hortensia suspicious when she met new people. Where was the nastiness in this one? she would think to herself as she handed change to a trader or stood to be measured by a polite seamstress. She'd seen Peter cradle an injured bird so gently that the animal had managed to come to a state of calm. And, in the heat of one of his moods, she'd seen him smash a plate to the floor. Not just any plate, but the gold-leaf-painted Chinese porcelain plate that she'd spent months negotiating for and finally wangled out of a dealer in London. It had been her favourite, with four pheasants and four orchids arranged along the face, flecks of gold dancing between them like magic dust. What happened? This was a common question she asked herself. And then Hortensia would work backwards through their time together, through the string of little and big arguments, offences taken, insults applied. Often the house settled into weeks of corrosive silence. The silence was easier than the booby-trapped mission of attempting conversation. But sometimes the silence wasn't a relief, it was a form of punishment. - The woman next door by Yewande Omotoso . . This literary fiction novel revolves around two elderly women of different races, one white and one black, who live next to each other in the 1950s around the affluent neighbourhood. Both are well-educated and have lost their husbands. While one might expect their shared grief to quickly foster a friendship, their bond develops very slowly. What I found most enjoyable were their individual backstories, which initially seem unrelated to their relationship but ultimately explain their backgrounds and their past. I cheered for these two eccentric seniors. Despite their opposing personalities and backgrounds, each woman's history of regret and heartache endeared them to me, if not to each other. I was intrigued by Marion's grasp of her ingrained racist attitudes and her guilt in perpetuating apartheid (although most of the time, it can be highly unlikely this happened in real life). Hortensia's struggles, on the other hands, were more personal involving her husband’s extramarital affairs which ended with some changes in his will for his ‘daughter’ This book isn't focused on the historical aspects of post-apartheid South Africa, as it only touches on them briefly. Instead, it examines human nature and the essence of racism, revealing the histories that shaped these women when they finally have a heartfelt conversation. I have to applaud the author for skilfully explores the complexities of long-term female friendship. I adored the novel, despite it becoming somewhat simplistic towards the end. For what its worth, it offered a light-hearted, entertaining, and warm exploration of aging and regrets. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 26, 2024
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May 30, 2024
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Jun 04, 2024
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Paperback
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| 0345812107
| 9780345812100
| 0345812107
| 4.26
| 220
| Mar 13, 2018
| Feb 18, 2020
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liked it
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In Rwanda, death is generally not regarded as the end. If the spirits of the dead are dishonored, many believe evil will befall those responsible. The
In Rwanda, death is generally not regarded as the end. If the spirits of the dead are dishonored, many believe evil will befall those responsible. The soldiers would have believed that the intentional disturbing of a corpse was sure to unleash malevolent spirits. They had to tamp down their fears and overcome their cultural prohibitions about the respect due the dead since a program of ethnic cleansing was under way, At twilight's darkest hour, they transported the corpses southeast to Akagera park, a vast wilderness area near the border with Tanzania, far from the scrutiny of the United Nations peacekeepers and the few NGOs still in Kigali. There, they dumped the bodies in pits, and incinerated them with a mixture of gasoline and gas oil. Soon the smell of smoke with death in it issued from the RPF's improvised "ovens." When the genocide broke out, Kagame's forces already controlled a large swath of Byumba, having seized it during the war of invasion that began in late 1990, and they had pushed up to a million Hutus into displacement camps such as Nyacyonga, where disease and hunger were rife. - Getting away with mass murder - In Praise of blood : The Crimes of the Rwandan Patriotic Front by Judi Rever . "In Praise of Blood" presents a controversial perspective on the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The Author, Judi Rever, challenges the narrative of a single genocide primarily targeting the Tutsi minority and proposes the occurrence of two genocides. This theory, known as the Double Genocide Theory, suggests that alongside the well-documented genocide against the Tutsi, a second genocide was perpetrated by the Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) against the Hutu majority. Many actually acknowledged that the concept of a double genocide is not entirely new but for me, it is. The last book i read about Rwanda’s Genocide was written by Joseph Saberanzi titled ‘God sleep in Rwanda’ which pretty much highlight the conventional timeline of what entailed between Hutu Majority and Tutsi Minority. Now that i finished this book, i have more questions than answers to what happened exactly during those time. BUT i also have to highlight that this book was awarded a lot of prize for its credible reporting when it was published. Over the years, people started to find inconsistency and inconclusive evidence presented by her. This includes witness testimonies on the alleged death camps by The RPF. Some forensic anthropologists and scholars also raises questions the feasibility of mass cremations and acid disposal methods described in the book. Some even accused her to be Genocide denier. Just in case you wanted to read this book, i hope my review might help you determine whether it’s worth reading it or not. Now back to the concept of double genocide and how it applied in the Rwanda History. It was previously propagated by Hutu hardliners and genocide perpetrators as a means of deflecting blame from their own atrocities. The author argues that accusations of RPF genocide against the Hutu were used as a smokescreen by the extremist Hutu regime to divert international attention from their own genocide against the Tutsi. She further highlighted that the RPF's alleged genocide against the Hutu was conducted in secrecy. She also establishes the link that Western allies may have been complicit in covering up these atrocities. The fact that it was United States, United Kingdom and Canada is the one that turning blind eye on this is not surprising given the current situation on Gaza. Overall, this book has been eye-opening and illuminating in demonstrating another angle of the bloodiest event in the Rwanda History. This was not an easy read considering how graphic the crime was particularly on what they inflicted on women specifically. I think it’s time to find another book written by the Rwandan that could help shed light on the premise of ‘Kagame is the one orchestrating the whole thing to claim the power’ which heavily denotes by Judi Rever and offered the perspective of civilian when this massacre happened. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 26, 2024
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Mar 2024
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Mar 04, 2024
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Paperback
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| 0140278206
| 9780140278200
| 0140278206
| 3.55
| 1,486
| 1997
| Jan 01, 1999
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really liked it
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The courtroom is a present so intense it is eternity; all that has passed since that Friday night is made one in it, there is nothing conceivable afte
The courtroom is a present so intense it is eternity; all that has passed since that Friday night is made one in it, there is nothing conceivable after it. There are many to bear witness. Not in the empty stand in the well of the court; all around Harald and Claudia. A murder trial, out of the common criminal class, with a privileged son in the professions accused of murder has provided the Sunday papers with a story of a 'love triangle' calling up not only readers' conscious sense but also some shallow-buried prejudices: the milieu is described as a 'commune', 'a pad' where blacks and whites, 'gay and straight', live together, and there have been photographs somehow got hold of—large ones of Natalie James and the reproduction of an itinerant photographer's nightclub group in which Carl Jesper-sen appears with Khulu. All around: the curious, who may or may not be able to identify the parents. Within the whispering, shuffle and creak, they are not obvious among strangers; as for themselves, theirs is a single identity they now have that years of marriage never achieved. There is only this court, this time, this existence, mother/father. - House Gun by Nadine Gordimer . . The House Gun is a psychological novel with a relatively slow pace that begins with a murder case. It portrays the aftermath of the murder committed by the son of a white South African couple in the post-apartheid era. The son is defended by a black lawyer in the criminal court. While this serves as the central focus of the story, Nadine Gordimer skillfully integrates it with the fascinating South African environment, providing details about people's daily lives, such as their food, clothing, and décor. These details add depth to the story, making it feel more authentic. I know many authors attempted this but somehow the novel ended up being so long winded. At least, we knew why she won the nobel prize in literature. The book also highlighted an ambiguity of racial relations in South African Society via the characters in the book. It was hinted subtly given the time which the murder was committed. Alongside the racial politics, the prevalence of violence, symbolized by the presence of guns, serves as a prominent backdrop in the novel. However, it is important to note that The House Gun is not a traditional whodunit, as the reader is already aware that Duncan committed the murder. Instead, the novel delves into the impact this event has on the parents. It explores how their feelings change towards each other and their son, ultimately leading to the breakdown of their marriage and the emergence of self-blame. The writing style of The House Gun can be challenging to navigate. The absence of dialogue markers makes it difficult to follow conversations and events. Gordimer incorporates lengthy philosophical asides and frequent commentaries throughout the narrative, which can be overwhelming for some readers. Despite these challenges, the book offers a visceral and gripping experience. Towards the end, however, it may become somewhat repetitive. We all knew the motives, the intentions and the justifications but to keep circle back to it seems pointless (at least to me). Overall, if you appreciate deep psychological insights into complex characters and the moral dilemmas they face, I would recommend giving The House Gun a read, despite its initial difficulty to engage with. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 27, 2023
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Nov 29, 2023
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Nov 29, 2023
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Paperback
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| 1780749368
| 9781780749365
| 1780749368
| 3.81
| 364
| Aug 09, 2016
| Aug 09, 2016
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really liked it
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Raj swallowed down his building aggression. "Thank you for calling”. He put the phone down and turned to his son, who was standing beside him. "You he
Raj swallowed down his building aggression. "Thank you for calling”. He put the phone down and turned to his son, who was standing beside him. "You heard that?' "Yes. 'You know, the people with the kindest hearts are often the ones who get trampled on the most. That doesn't mean you stop being generous, understood?' Raj gazed down at the phone, thinking of the man and what Pio might have done and his anger slowly broke apart. He said to Jai, 'One day, you will be called upon to do the right thing and nothing else will matter except that you do it. African, Indian, Gorah, it doesn't matter when we are all Kenyans? - Who will catch us as we fall by Iman Verjee . . At some point, the book was brutal. At some point, the book was thought provoking. At some point, the book was was remarkable. At some point, the book was disappointing. I dont really mind the disjointed parts - where we go from the adult version of Leena, Jai and Micheal to their childhood where they played together even at that time the class and racial differences were kept on being drawn by Pooja, Leena and Jai’s mother. Pooja was such irritating and racist through and through till the end (and i am not surprised such character existed in real life). Raj, Leena and Jai’s father is an idealistic figure and have always believe that they are Kenyans, they need to be united as one, and proud to be part of the country. This lessons drove Jai to fight for what is right despite his privileges and grew up in rich family. Leena, on the other hand, was forced to agree with her mother and was forbidden to mingle with ‘Khariya’ - Thus she lived quite a sheltered life until she returned back from overseas after she went there for her studies. I am not Kenyan but i do believe this is derogatory term to refer to African. The book also alternately introduced us to Jeffery, a corrupt police officers who have betrayed his friend that led to his own demise, then took his friend’s wife to alleviate his guilt. Jeffery, then involved in some shady activity to resolve his debt but this is where it got entangled with Jai and Leena’s family. Leena never moved on from that tragedy and ran away from Kenya. I dont want to spoil the ending by writing more so i will stop here. However, once i finished the book i can actually the parallel of Kenyan Society with Malaysian Society. The british colonisation brought over immigrants from China / India and once they left, these immigrants become part of the society. However, despite having been in the country for so long, living side by side - the suspicions, prejudices and insinuations between each other was always there. It was so apparent that they were divided especially during the election. Alot of what i assumed as racial slurs were being integrated in story to show that there’s always ‘we versus them’ / Khariya Versus Muhindi and the idea that this is not their country or they dont belong here. One chapter try to show how deeply divided they are by highlighting after Jeffery saw how wealthy Jai’s family and how big his house is, this is what he said to his friend: As Betty climbed out, Jeffery spoke, staring up at the rise and fall of the impressive home. "It doesn't make you angry?' She paused, one leg still in the car, her eyes craned downward. 'What?' "That this isn't even their country and yet they get to enjoy every part of it while were the ones made to suffer.' Overall, the book offered a realistic story with a glimpse of hope at the end of it. It talked about how broken society can be with unending poverty, fueled by corruption and breach of trust. It demonstrated how a nation progressed without true unity that it can be so volatile that any incidents may spark racial violence. Admittedly, It was depressing but i am glad i finished the book. . . P/S: Can somebody enlightened me why Raj, Pooja, Leena and Jai was categorised as someone belonged in East Asian Community in Kenyan Society? Because from the description and even when i am finished with the book, i can see clearly they belonged to South Asian Community. Is there any reason for specifically in Kenya or is it just a blunder made by the publisher of the book? ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 04, 2023
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Nov 06, 2023
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Nov 05, 2023
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Paperback
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| 190514783X
| 9781905147830
| 190514783X
| 3.93
| 142
| 2000
| Sep 25, 2008
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really liked it
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Mrs Reijdenius sometimes realises how bored I am and invites me downstairs to join her for tea. She is curious about everything! The conversation took
Mrs Reijdenius sometimes realises how bored I am and invites me downstairs to join her for tea. She is curious about everything! The conversation took a strange turn the other day. She thought that I was a slave and said: 'News reaches us here from time to time that slaves are mis-treated, but if you are anything to go by such rumours are untrue.' I didn't understand her and said: 'No, it's quite true, many slaves are subjected to dreadful abuse, lashed for little if any reason and sometimes killed.' But you seem to be prosperous, well dressed, able to read and write, travel to the Netherlands.' I answered indignantly: 'But I am not a slave!' No! she screeched. What are you then? You are black after all!' I was speechless. I looked at the woman and thought to myself: How can I explain such matters to an uninformed Dutch woman? Mrs Reijdenius, the majority of black people in my country are indeed slaves, but I am not one of them. As circumstances would have it, my family was liberated from slavery and my mother had become a free woman before I was born,' I said 'Oh? Is that possible? I see. But you can't change the colour of your skin. Don't people treat you like a slave?' No, I can't change the colour of my skin, and some people prefer to treat me like a slave for that reason. That is precisely why I'm here, I answered curtly, but the woman was unstoppable: 'Oh, so the majority of blacks are indeed slaves. But are the reports about mishandling and abuse genuine or mere gossip?' I lost my temper and barked: 'Slaves they may be, but do you know the reason why? Because white people, especially Hollanders, sail from Amsterdam to Africa where they buy negroes. They then transport them to the colonies where they set them to work on the plantations, like animals.' - Elisabeth’s Diary : The Free Negress Elisabeth by Cynthia Mc Leod . . The story of Elisabeth Samson, The free negress in Suriname was researched and compiled accordingly by Cynthia MC Leod. She went through so many Office of Public Records (OPR) and Old Archive of Suriname to get many references and fact checking on this prominent figure in Surinamese History. While i wondered why the author did not just write non fiction book after she has concluded her research, i am okay that the book was in a historical fiction genre. The author claimed that all characters written in this book were derived from real people in the history and her imagination did not overpowered what she intended to write about Elisabeth. That being said, the book was divided into 4 parts : The Court Case , Elisabeth’s Diary, Elisabeth Samson and Carl Otto Creutz, and The Wedding. The first part narrated how Elisabeth reconciled her identity as a free woman but a Negress nonetheless in Suriname Society. She was raised a Christian, learned how to write and read, has a black slaves that served her and she was adored by her sister(s) and brother in law who was a white man that took up a role of her father as she’s growing up. BUT this alone caused it to get to her head as Elisabeth perceived herself free and equal to her white counterparts, not many would have thought the same. Elisabeth were forced to exile to Holland when Mr. Van Meel claimed Elisabeth of making an offensive remarks towards the governer. The decision that has been set without fair judgment and bias panels were used purposely to put an example that no black people in the society despite being free should criticised white people and must be aware of their status as a second class citizens. The second part, we followed Elisabeth Samson’s journey to Holland. I have to admit that this is my favorite part out of the 4 parts because she is so unapologetically blunt towards an ignorant remarks that she got from dutch people she encountered whether in the parties that she attended or when she went to meet her lawyers to get her exile orders cancelled so that she can return to Suriname. She was resourceful, take no-nonsense and is not ashamed when she knew she had to be opportunist to get what she wanted. The third part, it summarized the life that Elisabeth has with Carl Otto Creutz. She forgo her dream of getting married to Carl , simply because its not possible. Carl is a white man and already married at that point so she settled by being his mistress. She immersed herself in the plantation business, prided herself as one of the benevolent slave masters in Suriname (if you feed them well and provided comfortable shelter, they will not run away) and owned many properties that acquired from her own inheritance. Being a business savvy, she always try to build connection and find any chances to expand and build her establishment. The only thing she got denied of is having her own kids. She tried with Carl several times but it was not meant to be. Last but not least is the Wedding chapter but she was not married to Carl. Carl died before that even happened. Elisabeth tried again the marriage prospect with another white man 20 years younger than her , Christoph Polycarpus Braband. Attracted with the promise that his debt will be cleared and possibility of getting inherited Elisabeth’s property once she died, Braband agreed. Multiple objection by the colonist law and several petitions were sent to object the inter marriage but eventually it did fail to materialize simply because Braband died. To add salt to her wounds, the councillors of the church looked directly at her and said Man proposes, God Disposes. Elisabeth then married legally to Hermanus Daniel Zobre with the hope that she will be invited to the palace and attending other functions as now she is a wife to a white man, she’s a wealthy business woman and she owned several plantations only to find out that she was still being excluded. They invited her husband but not her. The day, she got invited she suffered stomach pain which at the end of the day become the cause of her death. All her properties were divided according to her will which her husband and her sister is the biggest inheritors, but long after she’s gone - research indicated that her wealth’s was now in white hands. Honestly, this book has been an intimate revelation, heart wrenching and eye opening story about Elisabeth Samson - The Free Negress that lived in Suriname during 18th centuries. She was born free , she was never enslaved yet the treatment and discrimination that she encountered were still the same. She was part of the system that justifies slavery in Suriname and be with a man that hunted runaway slaves as a job yet she still treated those who were property a bit better than other slave owners. She survived her ordeals of being undermined, overlooked and outcasted but deep down still longed for an acceptance and inclusion of an upper society in Suriname. Her skills as business owner was validated but it was no use when they could not see past of her skin color. If this is in your TBR, you might want to bump it up to your next read. ...more |
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1
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Oct 24, 2023
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Oct 27, 2023
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Oct 25, 2023
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Paperback
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| 0525945067
| 9780525945062
| 0525945067
| 3.19
| 234
| Jan 01, 1998
| May 01, 1999
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it was ok
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Black people lived in one village, Indians the next. Blacks, Indians. So it went, all along the coast of Guyana to Mahaica. Even if you didn't see peo
Black people lived in one village, Indians the next. Blacks, Indians. So it went, all along the coast of Guyana to Mahaica. Even if you didn't see people, you could tell which village was black, which was coolie. Black villages had co-op shops; Indians hardware and dry goods. Blacks had unpainted houses and clap-hand churches; Indians paint, front gardens, mosques and temples. Was always people liming on the road in a black village. Mothers and children out till ten at night. Not so in an Indian village. But all had Catholic churches and rumshops by the main road. Was difficult to imagine this broken mosque full of Indians praying and living in Tamarind Grove. Seemed to me, the only way a building could get like this was like in war movies when they just dropped those bombs whistling, straight down from planes. Them Riots must'a been like that. The only warring I could remember was what Mums said was a rally. I remember plenty PNC people running down the street with flames in bottles. And even though they were shouting, faces orange, teeth gold - was a strange silence in the black night. That silence made my parents say nothing. Close the windows and hold us. Hearts galloping. - Buxton Spice by Oonya Kempadoo . . Honestly, i am traumatised. I get that sexual awakening is common among teenagers - they are curious and oftentimes, majority parents especially POC back then didn’t really explain well on the subject matter. However, to start with the first chapter of explicit description of masturbation by mentally ill man was utterly uncomfortable for me. And it did not stop there, we have encountered many sexual violence acts - molestation , assaults and even bestiality. Its not my place to say what author can write or cannot write but i have often wondered what are the intentions behind such stories or scenes. I was more interested with what happened in Guyana in the 1970s- whereby the author used it as a backdrop of a novel but it was not explored in details. We can only assumed that Lula, the main character’s parents are dissidents or intellectuals that made them the target of PNC. We also know that there’s a political struggle and controversy civilian unrest but it was mentioned briefly in the passing. The author also highlighted how diverse Guyana is with Indians, Africans , Portuguese , Indigenous people and even mixed races communities although in the said observation, they are not keen in mingling and interacting with one another hence the areas was divided along the race and ethnicity lines. Oonya Kempadoo can write and her prose is beautiful but i just can’t get over the fact that how hyper sexualized it is. The book have a lot of dialogues in Guyanese Creole to demonstrate the authenticity of the story. As to why the title of the book is called ‘Buxton Spice’ - it is a well known Mango in Guyana. Lula always insinuating that the Buxton Spice Mango Tree often know what happened in the community - from the mysterious death that happened to the pastor wife and the government infiltration via PNC random raids and checking in the area but the tree refused to share it with her. Overall, this is my first book of Oonya Kempadoo and probably will be the last one if she maintained the same style on her other books - fragmented, disjointed and no central theme that uniting the writing. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 27, 2023
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Aug 29, 2023
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Aug 29, 2023
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0679751750
| 9780679751755
| 0679751750
| 3.94
| 1,026
| 1992
| Feb 24, 1998
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liked it
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When Monsieur Alcibiade examined what he called the fundamental problem of the "relations between newly founded societies in the colonies and the dist
When Monsieur Alcibiade examined what he called the fundamental problem of the "relations between newly founded societies in the colonies and the distant Mother Fatherland," I began to float in sweet vertigo. His French, his sharp accent, his flowery sentences, worked like a little tune to which I succumbed without even trying to understand or reflect. He said, I think, that the same laws could not possibly apply to all colonies, because their development, differ. ent races, geographic situation, degree of civilization were not uni-form. If Reunion, the Antilles, and Guyana are now mature societies, the work of colonization being nearly complete, New Cale-donia, Senegal, Tonkin are barely emerging from the barbarian straitjacket. Others like Sudan, Madagascar, or the Congo carry barely a hint of light inside their profound night. One therefore should take the evolution of each one into account and legislate ac-cordingly. The colonies' progress toward the social organization of European countries demands time, gentlemen, measure, prudence, in a word, a colonial policy . ..! Everyone approved, and, anxious not to show my inability to understand these beautiful words, I approved more fervently than anyone. - Texaco by Patrick Chamoiseau . . Too disjointed for my liking – If I remember correctly, it possessed 4 voices which is the main narrator, the excerpt that came from the main narrator’s father, the reflection that may or may not belonged to narrator and her father and some outsiders (the author is one of them) that were implicated in the story. Thus, imagined my confusion of trying to catch up with all the details. I usually love translated literature but this time, I believe it was not for me. Despite consisted of 200 years of multigenerational saga (which again, I usually adored) But this time, I was not in for the ride. Those 200 years were comprised in two parts of a book, 1 is The Anunciation and the second one is Around Fort-De-France. The book also has made many references that reflect a particular time: The Age of Straw (1823 – 1902); The Age of Crate Wood (1903 – 1945); The Age of Asbestos (1946 – 1960); and The Age of Concrete (1961 – 1980). The prose is grandiose, and I can see that the translator has done their best to accommodate readers in understanding this masterpiece (including all the relevant footnotes and despite heavily used of Creole French in the original text). Unfortunately, it was challenging for me to follow. I do not know whether my reading mood was just not there or the way it was written was intentionally hard to follow. However, this book has been dubbed as one of the best post-colonial literatures among the others and Patrick Chaomoiseau might got his Nobel prize in literature one day. In the beginning, we were introduced to the main narrator named ‘Marie Sophie-Laborieux’. Her role in the novel was mainly to highlight the family history and focused specifically on the creole people that ended up in Fort-de-France, Martinique and has been living there for many decades. There are too many stories to tell considering that It has many voices in the novel but what stood out the most is the plight of colored people living there trying to maintain their culture and their land heritage. Changes is inevitable as they are considered French territory hence whatever happened in France will have affected them as well. The trace of generation somehow due to the enslavement of their African ancestors is hinted heavily in the writing and after years of liberation, integration and mixing among whites and mixed race, the identity and language of Creole is solidified. Overall, what I believe Patrick Chamoiseau tried to impart in the novel is the impact of colonialism and how the past haunted the current generation, how oppression was done based on race and skin color, colorism among the community that lived in the Fort-de-France and even the stark differences of the class that somewhat demonstrated the reality and history of Martinique to certain extent. To truly enjoy this book, I reckoned familiarity with the history of the French Caribbean is important as well, as is some understanding of Creole language and culture. . P/s : If you are not a fan of Salman Rushdie’s writing , then this is definitely not for you. ...more |
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| 4.16
| 189,529
| Feb 13, 2007
| Feb 13, 2007
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really liked it
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It took several months before I began to relearn how to sleep without the aid of medicine. But even when I was finally able to fall asleep, I would st
It took several months before I began to relearn how to sleep without the aid of medicine. But even when I was finally able to fall asleep, I would start awake less than an hour later. I would dream that a faceless gunman had tied me up and begun to slit my throat with the zigzag edge of his bayonet. I would feel the pain that the knife inflicted as the man sawed my neck. I'd wake up sweating and throwing punches in the air. I would run outside to the middle of the soccer field and rock back and forth, my arms wrapped around my legs. I would try desperately to think about my childhood, but I couldn't. The war memories had formed a barrier that I had to break in order to think about any moment in my life before the war. - A long way gone : Memoirs of a boy soldier by Ishmael Beah . . If i were to compare books about child soldier that i have read, i would say ‘A long way gone : Memoirs of a boy soldier’ is a bit tone down. Not saying it was not good, but i gave me a realistic view how child soldier survived afterall traumatic experiences they have faced, ran from persecution and then end up being one of the executors. There’s no right or wrong side - its a civil wars : everybody always ended up killing each other. Ishmael beah’s memoir was straightforward and did not hold back when it needed to. It began with how he missed his innocent childhood, just a normal happy family doing things then it was flipped upside down when they got to know that rebels forces started their military operation that eventually found its way to his hometown. Little did he knew that the journey he made to his talent show will be the last time he saw his family and hometown. For 10 years , Countless killings started and all kinds of abominable crimes started to occur, that implicated Ishmael Beah as well when he was turned into child soldier by the military forces. When i read the part of how they turned these young kids into their child soldier, i was sick to my stomach. It was unforgivable. Not only these kids were trained to kill and slaughter in cruel manner, they were brainwashed to justify their killings. They were also injected with drugs (cocaine) and were given some sort of white pills to energize them. Once the addiction sets in, these boys were uncontrollable killing toys that were used by these adults in man-made war. After 2 years of enjoying killing and immersed himself in a power of wielding the weapon himself, he was rescued under UNICEF operation. This was intended to repatriate back all of the rescued child soldiers into the community again. This is where i think the book really started ; the denial, the trauma, the abandonment and once the drugs were weaned off - that’s when the reality, regret and helplessness settled in. After all, he is the kid that tried to survive. After futile attempt to escape and rebel against the treatment, Ishmale finally relented and went through with the rehabilitation process. The UNICEF workers managed to find his uncle and connected them back together right after his whole treatment has been completed. The journey to be or rather was forced to be a child soldier is a gruesome and painful journey for Ishmael Beah. He has witnessed so many death and escaped many villagers that intend to kill him before being part of the military force himself. The journey to be repatriated back is rocky but his perseverance is to be admired at the end of the day. Overall, this has been an eye-opening memoir despite the unsatisfactory ending. I wonder why it ended that way as this is a memoir - i wished to know the details on how it ended up in USA and how he get back with his adoptive mother as it has been hinted in one of the chapter. ...more |
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| 140007875X
| 9781400078752
| 140007875X
| 3.64
| 5,313
| Jan 17, 2005
| Apr 11, 2006
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really liked it
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Siobhan was struck by how cold she felt, but it was a constantly moving coldness, sometimes giving way to normal air, as if it was expanding all aroun
Siobhan was struck by how cold she felt, but it was a constantly moving coldness, sometimes giving way to normal air, as if it was expanding all around her. She feared that it might tighten, and she longed to rub her arms, but didn't dare drop them in case she saw Tilly Tilly. She didn't want to see her at all: from the moment that Tilly had come into the room, Shivs had felt a . .. badness. It was the only way to describe it: it was like being sick and hearing rattling in your ears that wasn't really there; it was slow, bottomless, soundless, creeping ... and it wasn't just inside her stomach, but inside her head as well, slowly building in pressure. She'd had to make sure that she wasn't imagining it, she'd needed the security of Jess's touch to ensure that she wasn't alone in the room with this ... thing. This was not another girl. This was not the kind of imaginary friend that you'd mistakenly sit on. She was a cycle of glacial ice. "She's walking around me in a circle," Shivs whispered slowly, trying not to let her arms tremble. She heard Jess let out a little cry of amazement and was seized with a sudden, irrational fear that this thing would stop moving and dart out a sly, fleeting touch that would take her away forever and ever. She almost shouted out, almost. But she didn't she was tougher than that, and anyway, she realised with a breathtaking suddenness, this was not her fear to hold but Jess's. This thing meant to harm Jess, punish her in a bad way, the worst way, maybe. Siobhan was scared that Jess was going to die. She had to tell her. "Jess, this- Jess moved forward towards Siobhan, who was fighting the quivering of her own lips to speak. She wanted to touch her, but Tilly Tilly, still unsmiling, put up a cautionary finger indicating that she should go no nearer. She had now stopped directly in front of Shivs, close enough to touch her. - The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi . . Why was this book is not being marketed or at least labelled as a horror novel? I concurred with Zen Cho’s review in Goodreads - Failing to market it properly is doing such disservice towards this book. Its been a while since i’ve read any horror stories but reading this book felt very creepy and it left that unsettling feeling churning in my stomach. The only comparison i can give is if you have read ‘the girl and the ghost by Hanna Alkaf’ but imagine the ghost is more sinister, wicked and gaslighting the shit out of main character. As for the Main Character, at least Suraya in ‘the girl and the ghost’ knew that once people started to get hurt that ‘Pink - the ghost’ was not a company you should keep around. It was really a jaw dropping moment despite Mrs Patel has been driven to Insanity and admitted to hospital, Her Mother’s computer were being thrashed and even when the ghost accidentally forced her to swap places, Jess / Jessamy still befriending her. The only reason I can guess right away who is Titiola / TillyTilly the moment Jess / Jessamy encountered her. What started as a sweet and innocent friendship turned into a predatory and horrifying relationship. It is important to note that African and Asian usually has a fair of mythology / spirits / folktales whereby we dont play around whenever demon / ghosts were rumored to be wandering away around the area. We maybe superstitious but it is better to be safe than sorry. I wished someone looked out for Jessamy when she decided to venture around the old quarters nearby his grandfather house in Nigeria. Once she returned to England, things started to get really weird. Jessamy has been lone soul and did not have any close friend. She was bullied and being a mixed race child also put her under scrutiny of which identity she belonged to. When Jessamy saw Tillytilly again in England and genuinely believe that Tillytilly believe moved from Nigeria to England, they have become best friends. The problem here is none of Jessamy’s family members and friends can see Tillytilly. This is just a usual tactic of vengeful spirit preying on a weak child knowing that she will be alone , thirst for affection and company and will do everything to be good so that they can be friends. Funny how i was under the impression that Tillytilly was genuine until she started to get crazy jealous with anyone that are friendly with Jess / Jessamy and appeared anytime she likes , disturbing Jess / Jessamy life, - i kept on mumbling to myself asking Jess to tell her mother the truth. This whole thing ‘Kena Rasuk + Ada Benda ikut balik’ was so triggering because ive seen this happened in Malaysia as well. Overall, this is a fantastic book. I love how Helen Oyeyemi paid tribute to her culture in highlighting the belief - the twins God & the sacrifices. She also ventured into the identity domain - what its like being ‘Half/Half’ as what Nigerian called when one of your parents are not from Nigeria. I actually expected half of the book setting to be in Nigeria as i love the scenes of Jess / Jessamy with Her Maternal Grandpa and the portrayal of big family nucleus that was common in African countries but was so rare where she was born and coming from. Of course, another points i would like to raise is clashes of parenting Idea between Jess / Jessamy’s parents (one is European and another is African) - beating / not beating the child, sending the kid to psychologist or insisting that kid is not crazy and all kids act the same at that age and the boundaries between parents and their children. The only thing that stopping me from giving this 5 stars is the ending. I was let down by it. I wanted it to be detailed but i was denied of it. . ...more |
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| 0007531036
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| 3.43
| 461
| Aug 25, 2012
| Jan 30, 2014
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it was ok
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She finds African literature preoccupied with politics in a way she never was. The fact was she accepted the civil war was the only reasonable option
She finds African literature preoccupied with politics in a way she never was. The fact was she accepted the civil war was the only reasonable option for Nigeria, and from then on witnessed a parade of military and civilian rulers: cowards, reformers, sexual deviants and murderous juju disciples. They were like the stars at night to her. She couldn't deny their significance, but she was hardly dazzled by them. There were times she thought she ought to take more interest in what they were doing, but the death toll from the civil war and years of political unrest combined could not add up to the number of casualties from AIDS, so perhaps her concerns over what was happening between chicks and guys were not so misplaced after all. - A bit of difference by Sefi Atta . . Honestly, i was bored. It has a great start - Deola Bello, An International NGO financial executive working in London , Travelling to Abuja and Lagos for work purpose and at the same time, reconnecting with her family members. She has a few eccentric friends - Subu (a passionate yet larger than life christian girl) , Bandele (A snobbish writer who’s insisted that his writing beyond the African literary) and Helen (A Mixed girl that tried so hard to hide that she is privileged). After 80 pages, i still dont know what is the direction of this novel. Then, i passed page 250, i figured i just reading it for the sake of finishing it. Sure, the author did well in portraying ‘what is Nigeria’ via Nigerian Lenses - you can see the honest discussion that Deola has with her friends, acquaintances and even her dysfunctional family members. Be it about tribal laws, the state of economy, Aid versus trade, or even family gossips of whose cheating, whose getting pregnant or whose leaving the country. BUT, that was about 30% from the book. NGO works that Deola currently work with did help in demonstrating how International NGO works to secure the funding and building the connection . Unfortunately, it was also short lived. Sefi Atta could’ve established Wale and Deola relationship but the spark between them went out so quick. After she decided to keep his baby and be with him, i was like ‘Really? Deola, you choose motherhood at the end of the day? . I usually took 2 days to finish 1 book but this alone, taken me 4 days just to finish it. I kept stalling as i am dreading to finish it. Overall, 2 stars from me. Deola is a dull character and the story did not even help to let her shine. I am not sure whether i wanted to read other Sefi Atta’s works. ...more |
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| 4.23
| 45,854
| Jun 23, 2008
| Jan 01, 2009
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liked it
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I wonder why it never came up, throughout the years after the war, that Ikenna Okoro did not die. True, we did sometimes hear stories of men who had b
I wonder why it never came up, throughout the years after the war, that Ikenna Okoro did not die. True, we did sometimes hear stories of men who had been thought dead and who walked into their compounds months, even years, after January 1970; I can only imagine the quantity of sand thrown on broken men by family members suspended between disbelief and hope. But we hardly talked about the war. When we did, it was with an implacable vagueness, as if what mattered were not that we had crouched in muddy bunkers during air raids after which we buried corpses with bits of pink on their charred skin, not that we had eaten cassava peels and watched our children's bellies swell from malnutrition, but that we had survived. It was a tacit agreement among all of us, the survivors of Biafra. Even Ebere and I, who had debated our first child's name, Zik, for months, agreed very quickly on Nkiruka: what is ahead is better. - Ghosts (The Thing Around Your Neck) by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie . . A nigerian stories that needed to be told - Raw, powerful and heart wrenching. A country crafted by the author is filled with bloody past and apparent hardships but at the same time, rich with culture, sometimes filled with contradictions, proud with their nigerian heritage even when they are abroad (specifically in United States). I rated 3 stars not because Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie cannot write, she’s a brilliant writer but some stories were disjointed that i missed the direction of plot and the motive of the characters. Among my favourite stories would be the one that used as the main title of the book which is “The thing around your neck” , follow up with “The arrangers of Marriage”, “A private encounter”, and “on Monday of last week”. I find that stories told in second person can be a hit or miss. For example, i enjoyed “the thing around your neck” - i can connect to the story, i understand the emotional depth poured by the main character but for “Tomorrow is too far”, i am finding myself asking what is the point of this story and why i am not felt invested enough in it. Overall, if you have read Adichie’s work before, you might feel this is underwhelming. As for those who have not started any of her work, this would be great introductory. Although fictional, her stories always attempt to educate us on colonialism, immigration, identity, Politics, Marriage and Nigerian Culture in these 12 stories. ...more |
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| 3.75
| 2,984
| Jan 01, 2000
| 2000
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really liked it
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Lying is not in your nature. Mama and I always brought you up to respect the truth. But you have both been thrown into a situation that has forced you
Lying is not in your nature. Mama and I always brought you up to respect the truth. But you have both been thrown into a situation that has forced you to act secretly. Remember that it was your Uncle Tunde and I who sent you out of the country. No child should have to go through what you two have. But the dishonesty and rottenness of those who have power in our country have now gone very deep. You know how much I hate cheating and doing things underhand. Yet I myself used another man's passport. - The other side of truth by Beverley Naidoo . . There are 2 things that reader need to know before reading this book. The first one is the story of Sade and Femi occurred right after the execution of Nigerian Writer Ken-Saro Wiwa. While this were categorised as fiction, at that time in Nigeria, many writers / journalists were being hunted, killed - simply because of they are critical towards the Nigeria’s Military Regime. The second one, Bevery Naido herself were forced to exile to England after being involved in the Anti Apartheid Movement. Thus, this story were built loosely around the real event and were written by the political refugee herself. It could not get more real than that. The story started with Mr. Folarin Solaja’s wife were being shot and died on the spot. In the early chapter, the story has set up that Mr. Folarin has been the loudest and the most outspoken critics towards the Nigeria government at that time. His wife constantly reminded him that his critics is too extreme but she never stopped him from writing (at least this is what i got from the memory of Sade and Femi of their late mother). Fearing that his kids and his other family members will face the same fate, He decided to leave the country illegally as their passport has been confiscated before. He send the kids first and he will join the journey afterwards. Little did he knew that Sade and Femi will be reported missing, detained by Police, held temporarily as the refugess status were unclear, shifted from one home to another and not to mention the trauma and culture shock of being moved away without any reliable guardian in London. I strongly believe that the story intended to educate us readers what its truly like for the kids to get caught a crossfire for the things that their parents did or the cause that their parents fighting on. While i understand that their father will always stand strong for his principles, i also wondered whether he thought of the repercussion of his action. As what uncle Tunde said to his father : “ Look, Folarin, we all know how brave you are. Braver than most of us. But are you wise? You say our country must have writers to tell the truth. But, tell me, what can you write from the grave? “ Overall, this is an engaging story and definitely not what i expected. My only complaint is there are some part of the story that were not concluded adequately. . ...more |
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Jan 15, 2023
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Jan 16, 2023
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Jan 16, 2023
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| 1555976409
| 9781555976408
| 1555976409
| 3.71
| 547
| May 07, 2013
| May 07, 2013
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really liked it
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Because I said I loved her. I did, at that instant, coming in her. But love does not mean marriage, a baby, forever. Love means you make me happy unti
Because I said I loved her. I did, at that instant, coming in her. But love does not mean marriage, a baby, forever. Love means you make me happy until you don't. - A Nairobi story of comings and goings (Love is power or something like that by A. Igoni Barret) . . Despite ‘Love is power, or something like that’ were use as a title, the story did not grab me at all. Is it blind devotion of a wife towards her husband? Is it corruption among police officers in Nigeria? What is the focus here because i went back and forth trying to figure that out. I have to be honest that I was impatient to finish it and wanted to move on to another story. Like everyone, it is safe to assume the first story featured in the short stories can make or break the collection. If its great, it will hook you right away and the rest is history. If its bad, you may not give a second stories a chance. I am glad that i LOVE the first story titled “the worst thing that happened”. An unlikely friendship that finally formed with 2 old women after years of distrust and misguided assumption they have for each other. Life sometimes do take a strange turn is what i felt when i finished this story. However, i do need to point out that this is uncomfortable read. It reeks sexual explicit content in certain stories - there’s a borderline incest scene , Imbalance power dynamic that directly led to sexual exploitation (teacher and student, House owner and renter) and just simply animalistic love making between lovers (Maybe i am a prude ...more |
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Jan 06, 2023
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Jan 06, 2023
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| 9830687821
| 9789830687827
| 9830687821
| 3.86
| 11,910
| 1960
| 2014
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really liked it
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“The impatient idealist says: 'Give me a place to stand and I shall move the earth.' But such a place does not exist. We all have to stand on the eart
“The impatient idealist says: 'Give me a place to stand and I shall move the earth.' But such a place does not exist. We all have to stand on the earth itself and go with her at her pace.” ― Chinua Achebe, No Longer at Ease . . After i finished reading this book, only then i discover that this is consider as a second book of African Trilogy. The first book is “Things Fall Apart” and the third book is “Arrow of God”. The story for the first 2 books was linked generationally and sharing the same themes for all 3 of them. I wish i would google first before buying it so that i can start with first book. Well, nothing can be done to change that so here is my review for the second book. We followed the journey of Obi Okonkwo, a civil servant in the Nigerian Colonial Government. Him working at a government service is no brainer given that most of the scholars are required to pay back their student loan through their employment. Back in London, He was an ‘english major’ student (or he would prefer people to say is ‘literature’) just made his return to Nigeria in the 1950s. We can see that Obi despised everything that he saw as a standard practice in the administration especially the rampant bribery. Obi also trapped within his own tradition and his parent’s expectations when he met Clara, a Nigerian who trained to be a Nurse in. Obi wanted to marry her. He can sense her hesitation and only then discover that she is an ‘OSU’. While Obi doesn’t really care about it but Obi’s parents and his kinsmen from Umofomia made it clear to him that it cannot happen at all.OSU, in a simplest explanation simply meant outcast caste. Honestly, Obi is not necessarily a likeable character but you can still sympathise with him. We can see how all the pressures get to him - because he was an overseas graduate - he needs to pay back his study loan and because he works in a government sector - he is expected to assist his family finance. On top of that, he was not good in managing his money and it does show in the book. Ego also got him when Clara wanted to help him but he refused saying he could managed. This is the part we saw how it contribute to the downfall of Obi - As the beginning of the story demonstrated how he was being tried in court for taking a bribe and succumb to the corrupt system despite his initial resistance and his outrage against it. Overall, this is the second book i have read by Chinua Achebe and i am in awe. He wrote about the impact of colonialism, the cultural complication such as tribal identity , the clash of religion and value in such a simple story. You can see what he’s trying to say but he did not conclude it for you, you decide it for yourself whether you agree to it or not. Overall, this is easy to read but the fact you can understand why Obi does what he does make it uneasy. I will try to find the other 2 books so that i could complete this trilogy. ...more |
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| 0544003454
| 9780544003453
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| 4.02
| 1,735
| Jan 01, 2012
| Aug 13, 2013
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really liked it
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“Happiness is like water,’ she says. ‘We’re always trying to grab onto it, but it’s always slipping between our fingers”. - Chinelo Okparanta, Happines “Happiness is like water,’ she says. ‘We’re always trying to grab onto it, but it’s always slipping between our fingers”. - Chinelo Okparanta, Happiness, Like Water . . This is one of the best short stories collection i have read this year. This book does live up to its title - hence the stories are mostly depressing, haunting and utterly destroyed you once you finished it. If you dont like to assault your emotion for fun, this is not for you. The themes of the story ultimately is there to highlight the plight of Nigerian women either they lived in Nigeria or has migrated to United States - One who were raised to see motherhood is the achievement, one who were told to obey the husband despite the abuse, one who were told to remain loyal despite the infidelity, one who were told to sacrifice even though they lose the sense of themselves in the process and one who were told that having a fair skin is beautiful and should strive to get it no matter the cost. I have read ‘Under the Udala Trees’ and i can see the recurring themes that Chinelo choose to impart in her stories. I think the stories itself does get better as you proceeded along the way and it destroyed you emotionally in the last one. I was reminded of the scene in the ‘Maid’ series when they told the main character that it takes 7 times for Domestic Abuse Victims to leave their relationship and i think what Chinelo wrote in her stories does show that. My Favorite would definitely America, Grace and Tumours and Butterflies. Story, story! i felt could have been a novel as i felt for a short story , it does not make any sense because it was not well developed. Anyway, i still feel each story offered strong perspective for what its like being a women regardless of any roles that you are either a Daughter, Phd Student, Caretaker or even Teacher. If this in your TBR, bump it up to your next read, if this is not in your TBR, add this book to it (only if you enjoy reading sad stuffs). . . 1. On Ohaeto street - Marriage or Divorce, let her decide! 2. Wahala! - Tone deaf in marriage is a severe problem. 3. Fairness - Does clorox works to lighten the skin color? 4. Story, Story! - Loneliness. 5. Runs Girl - Money or Pride? 6. America - Companionship Vs Ambition. 7. Shelter - Trapped without protection. 8. Grace - Whats religion gotta do with Love? 9. Designs - Childhood lover and Scandal. 10. Tumours and Butterflies - Abusive father, An obedient mother and A daughter who walked away from her parents lives. ...more |
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Dec 06, 2021
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Dec 08, 2021
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Dec 08, 2021
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Paperback
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| 0385679793
| 9780385679794
| 0385679793
| 3.61
| 4,829
| Mar 04, 2014
| Jan 06, 2015
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liked it
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Through them, the story becomes an argument for a better way of seeing, which has always struck me as being one of the novel’s better gifts, something
Through them, the story becomes an argument for a better way of seeing, which has always struck me as being one of the novel’s better gifts, something which it is uniquely poised to do, if only because it demands the reader’s imagination, and by doing so affirms our capacity to live beyond the limited means of our private lives. We read not to encounter the Other, but to see ourselves refracted in a different landscape, in a different time, in shoes and clothes that perhaps bear no resemblance to our own. - Dinaw Mengestu, All Our Names . . I really wanted to love this book but alas i couldn’t. I have read the book that alternating the thoughts of 2 characters but to be honest, it doesn’t work this for this book. While i am intrigued with both characters, Helen and the fake Isaac (or later we will know him as Daniel) - but i find their story is not on the same level. With Isaac chapters, we followed the revolution tale of a country via Isaac whose a political activist- once Uganda has been granted independence from the coloniser (which is British AGAIN these fuckers do love invading others). The power grab is real and the protests/demonstrations sparked across the country particularly among intellectuals. Students are staging the rally and using all of their powers to resist the kleptocracy and dictatorship. On the other chapter, we have Helen , a social activist that has been assigned one political asylum named Isaac under her care. The relationship remain strictly professional until Isaac decided to kiss helen and it evolved into love. Helen pining over Isaac made me uncomfortable probably because i just don’t like her desperation. While i can say Isaac love helen but not in a way Helen love Isaac, it was just for the sake of companionship of living in a foreign country. Thus i kept procrastinating in finishing Helen’s chapter. This could have been great if Helen character is also African American or African Immigrant that came to USA to rebuild the new life. Maybe, we will have 2 coherent story - faced the same problems : Prejudices , discrimination and worse of all, escaped from persecution from their home country. Interestingly from Isaac’s perspective , when he moved to America during 1970s from Uganda - we can see that back home, he was not safe because of military dictatorship but In USA , he was not safe simply because of his skin color. To put it simple, neither country is safe for black people. Violence and death is mentioned especially in Isaac Chapters but it was not described in a gory manner, it was hinted thus the author left it to readers for their own interpretation. It's hard to articulate how I feel about this book, It was well written and sublime but i felt something is missing which unfortunately i cannot pinpoint what it is. Overall, i am not sure whether i would recommend this book for others unless you are a big fan of literary fiction. I personally will try to read his other books. ...more |
Notes are private!
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Oct 23, 2021
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Oct 25, 2021
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Oct 25, 2021
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Paperback
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| 0544003446
| 9780544003446
| 0544003446
| 4.02
| 13,531
| Sep 03, 2015
| Sep 22, 2015
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really liked it
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“I acknowledge to myself that sometimes I am a snail. I move myself by gliding. I contract my muscles and produce a slime of tears. Sometimes you see
“I acknowledge to myself that sometimes I am a snail. I move myself by gliding. I contract my muscles and produce a slime of tears. Sometimes you see the tears and sometimes you don't. It is my tears that allow me to glide”. - Chinelo Okparanta, Under the Udala Trees . . Its bad enough to find yourself in an unhappy marriage, but it is much severe knowing that you are not attracted to a man at all - knowing deep down in your heart while growing up you have always love a woman. However, since you are born in 1960s which means whatever you are going through is recognized as sexual deviants and the worse scenario is you might get killed for it, you decided to hide in plain sight. You married your best friend and ultimately being a mother. Your mother thought you are cured as all her vigorous religious lessons finally paid off and society felt you are a normal woman living a typical housewife life. However, you can never shaken off you true identity and desire. This is exactly what happened to Ijeoma and The book took us to right into the journey via Ijeoma narration. She told us about how her father died, her mother abandoned her at her father’s friend house for one and a half year, her first kiss with Chibundu, her first sexual encounter with Amina, the crimes committed against homosexual community like arson and beaten to death at that time and Ndidi cutting her off once she got married. This book explored the complexity of same sex love / LGBTQIA identity / sexual orientation / religion and the struggle of Ijeoma esepecially in reconciling it altogether. This is utterly evocative book - though the writing is simple and the plot is linear but i was mesmerized by the way the author brought me into Ijeoma life. The backdrop of Ijeoma’s life is at the end of Biafran War causing her father to off himself as he felt deeply sad on what has happened to the state of his own country. I cant help but think that her father already knew that she is homosexual because he kept insisting that no who Ijeoma is, he will always love her. Most parents knew and i would like to believe her father knew. Then, when her mother left her behind, she met Amina. Both struggle to understand the attraction that they have with each other although they did not resist it. Even if their love story happened now, probably the challenge that they encounter would be that Amina is a muslim and a hausa while Ijeoma is a christian and an igbo. Unfortunately, In Biafran War, they are on the oppsite side of the opposite side of the civil war which Ijeoma have to admit if the war didnt happen, she might not met Amina at all. Once Ijeoma returned to her mother after their relationship has been outed by the Forced conversion therapy or lessons is implied - Amina was being left behind at the teacher’s house as the teacher will put her back on the right path while Ijeoma is being picked up by her mother was forced to learn bible especially on the relevant chapters reminding her the sin of homosexuality. Amina betrayed Ijeoma by getting married and moved further North. It was the indication that their relationship has ended. The war has been over for quite sometimes but it is still fresh at some people’s mind at least thats what Ijeoma felt. Her education is disrupted by it and she take over her mother’s business. She met Ndidi whom she referred as Mentholatum Girl before finding out that she is a teacher. Ijeoma fell in love with her and decided to move on from Amina. Unfortunately, Chibundo , Ijeoma’s childhood friend came back into the picture and Ijeoma’s mother has been pushing her to agree to Chibundu’s proposal. Along the way, she said yes to Chibundu and her relationship with Ndidi drifted apart. Ijeoma still feeling incomplete, helpless and lonely despite being married to Chibundu. Overall, highly recommended. I was in love with her story. It feels like a coming of age personal story that highlighted the details of prejudices that come with being a homosexual in Nigeria. This is truly a poignant writing! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 15, 2021
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Oct 17, 2021
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Oct 17, 2021
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Hardcover
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| 0747578958
| 9780747578956
| 0747578958
| 3.90
| 1,780
| Jul 26, 2005
| Oct 01, 2006
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really liked it
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“Rehana herself never heard any of these remarks but she could imagine they were to do with her mother not being Indian, and she heard him ranting abo
“Rehana herself never heard any of these remarks but she could imagine they were to do with her mother not being Indian, and she heard him ranting about the children being chotara. She did not know what the word meant, but she knew it was something ugly. She could see that in the way Indian men looked at her when she was a child, disdaining. Later she understood that the word meant bastard, an improper child of an Indian Man with an African woman”. - Rehana, Desertion by Abdulrazakgurnah . . This is a beautiful writing - poetic and lyrical. prose. However, it is kinda tricky as the story is hard to get into. The narration is shifted from one character to another character with each chapter giving readers an access to their thought process and perception of others. I only started to enjoy the writing when we reached to Rehana chapter. Ultimately this is the multigeneration family sage divided into 3 parts in this book. The first part of the story in the early days of colonial era in East Africa and you can see the colonialist perspective portrayed by Frederick and Burton towards the country they currently resides in. Their conversation on implying that the european settlement is required to bring civilization for the natives in Mombasa is seriously infuriating. The white supremacy mentality is demonstrated in some of the chapters featuring the conversation of these british officials. The major theme seems to be a forbidden love across these 3 parts but there are other themes like discrimination, racism and the colonialist pov in justifying their land occupation. Overall, i will recommend this if you have time to read it slowly, let yourself immersed in the story as the plot is not the main strength of this book. This book won me over with how evocative the writing is. This is my first book of Tanzanian Author and i will definitely looking out for more books from him. Rehana’s narration on her skin color and identity reminded me of one documentary that i watched when Indian woman and Black South African man decided to get married, they knew it wont be easy for their family to accept the union. Despite having almost the same brown and black shade as the skin color, Interracial marriage is pretty much being frowned upon even though we are already lived in the year of 2021. Hence, you can imagine Rehana predicament when the setting of the story is around 1890-ish, when she has to reconcile her identity as both Indian and African at the same time. The story is simple - Rehana’s brother, Hassanali saved a stranger while he is on the way to the mosque. This stranger turned out to be Martin Pearce, an english traveler who is fluent in Arabic and Swahili. Once martin has recovered, he decided to go back to Hassanali to thank him in a person. Martin then fell in love with Rehana and their relationship blooming over many letters exhanged between them. The second part followed the journey of Farida, Rashid and Amin. Rashid describing his growing up being overshadowed by Amin and somewhat being recognised by others as a troubled child. However, the focus is shifted to Jamila, (the granddaughter of Rehana and Martin Pearce although it was not mentioned right away) as Amin loves her, a woman who is much older than him. For me, i was more interested with Farida as her tale was being narrated via her mother’s pov whose profession is a teacher but failed to inculcate the value of education in her own daughter. Farida’s mother was frustrated as she remembered that she herself has defied her parents so that she can get an education and eventually become a teacher but Farida, her own daughter doomed to fail in school and enjoyed doing house chores like washing, cooking and cleaning. Second part also pointed out the time setting for it as European imperialism still gripping African Map at this time, whereby African continent was divided into 4 as occupied by these colonizers - British, Belgian, French and Portuguese. Part 3 is where all these disjointed chapters make sense and it ties the story altogether. . ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 2021
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Oct 03, 2021
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Oct 03, 2021
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Paperback
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my rating |
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| 4.10
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really liked it
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Oct 2024
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Oct 01, 2024
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| 4.37
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it was amazing
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Sep 25, 2024
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Sep 25, 2024
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| 3.61
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really liked it
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May 30, 2024
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Jun 04, 2024
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| 4.26
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liked it
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Mar 2024
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Mar 04, 2024
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| 3.55
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really liked it
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Nov 29, 2023
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Nov 29, 2023
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| 3.81
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really liked it
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Nov 06, 2023
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Nov 05, 2023
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| 3.93
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really liked it
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Oct 27, 2023
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Oct 25, 2023
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| 3.19
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it was ok
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Aug 29, 2023
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Aug 29, 2023
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| 3.94
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liked it
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Jun 24, 2023
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Jun 29, 2023
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| 4.16
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really liked it
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Apr 19, 2023
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Apr 19, 2023
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| 3.64
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really liked it
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Apr 05, 2023
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Apr 05, 2023
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| 3.43
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it was ok
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Mar 03, 2023
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Mar 03, 2023
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| 4.23
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liked it
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Feb 05, 2023
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Feb 11, 2023
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| 3.75
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really liked it
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Jan 16, 2023
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Jan 16, 2023
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| 3.71
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really liked it
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Jan 06, 2023
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Jan 06, 2023
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| 3.86
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really liked it
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Dec 30, 2021
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Dec 29, 2021
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| 4.02
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really liked it
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Dec 08, 2021
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Dec 08, 2021
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| 3.61
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liked it
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Oct 25, 2021
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Oct 25, 2021
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| 4.02
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really liked it
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Oct 17, 2021
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Oct 17, 2021
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| 3.90
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really liked it
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Oct 03, 2021
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Oct 03, 2021
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