Few authors can really pull my heartstrings using romance but man this one was freaking brilliant! “Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indiffer Few authors can really pull my heartstrings using romance but man this one was freaking brilliant! “Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes one blind.”
I can't believe it took me this long to get acquainted with Baldwin's prose... Finished this over the weekend and I'm still staring at the wall dumbfounded that I just experienced one of the most heartfelt love stories and I am not one who typically gravitates towards romance 😅 . Set in Harlem New York we Follow the love story of Fonny and Tish who at the beginning of the narrative are torn apart as we find out Fonny is being falsely accused of a heinous crime and Tish discovers she's pregnant. We dip into their past love affair whilst exploring the crippling effect of the justice system against African Americans, Family relationships, mental illness and so much more. . The writing was mesmerizing, the dialogue brought the characters to life. He tackled topics effortlessly... Current social issues like Black Lives Matter movement are still not tackled, years after this was published, really made me stop and think. Some scenes still replay in my head because even though the narrative sounds bleak it had some heart at the center of the story. I laughed, I was moved and I'm definitely excited to continue this literary love affair with Baldwin. ( Looking out for Giovanni's Room ) . One of my favorite passage
“Being in trouble can have a funny effect on the mind. I don't know if I can explain this. You go through some days and you seem to be hearing people and you seem to be talking to them and you seem to be doing your work, or, at least, your work gets done; but you haven't seen or heard a soul and if someone asked you what you have done that day you'd have to think a while before you could answer. But at the same time, and even on the self-same day-- and this is what is hard to explain--you see people like you never saw them before.” ...more
Deemed "The greatest Ugandan Novel" I can definitely see why it is so highly praised, immediately after I opened the introduction my senses were aliveDeemed "The greatest Ugandan Novel" I can definitely see why it is so highly praised, immediately after I opened the introduction my senses were alive, I was pulled in and engulfed in the multilayered family saga that starts from 1750 following the life of Kintu Kidda and his generation up to modern-day Uganda. Divided into Six sections we see how a curse unleashed on Kintu's family plagues the coming generation. . Makumbi brings something fresh to the "Family Saga genre" in that she doesn't rely on The Colonialist perspective (Africa existed before it was invaded) as expected in most historical fiction set in Africa, she gets down and dirty, unapologetically portrays the harsh realities of being Ugandan in the past as well as in the present. She doesn't dilute the narrative to make foreign readers comfortable she tells is as it is and I was impressed. The stark contrast between Religion & African Tradition played a key part in the characters lives and how most mental illness is portrayed as "curses" in the traditional sense was absolutely fascinating.
The overall feeling of the story is a celebration of African culture, the importance of communities and the value of coming together to overcome the tribulations that life has to offer. I highly recommend you check this one out if you are looking for a book set in Uganda and doesn't dwell heavily on the usual colonialism narrative.
This was a refreshing perspective and my first Ugandan book... I enjoyed some parts and the heaviness of the themes and deep exploration of the Ganda culture. Will definitely report back with a more detailed review :) but I highly recommend it. ...more
“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” The first line in this enchanting classic that follows 17-year-old Cassandra who practices her writing“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” The first line in this enchanting classic that follows 17-year-old Cassandra who practices her writing through her journal, as she tries to capture the essence of her peculiar family who resides in a castle but are ridden with poverty. We follow her as she improves in her skill and experiences complex emotions of love, class, religion and so much more by the end of the book the fourth wall has been shattered and the reader will feel like they are part of her life.
The reading experience felt more intimate, this was due to the main characters strong witty presence that flowed alive with emotions and curiosity. She was vivacious and found solace in her writing, her solitude, and love for her family. She did make very questionable choices but I had to remind myself that she was 17 years old that she needs to make mistakes in order to learn from them. The awareness of their poverty was so refreshing and it did show the family's true colors but they all worked together to make the best out of the little they had. The writing was so-so exquisite, I swear I wanted to drop everything sell my kidneys and buy a castle because the descriptions of sunsets on a warm summer day or the cozy feeling of the rain made me feel nostalgic ( and I have never lived in the English Highlands). The only issue I had was with some characters motives and some parts were too slow for my taste but other than that I think this book is fantastic. Some readers might not enjoy the tone of the book and I totally understand because I'm typically not drawn to these sort of books but I was pleasantly surprised. It goes so much deeper and the characters grow organically throughout....more
This left me breathless Holy Sh*t! I need to gather my thoughts but it was an amazing reading experience
In the past, I have struggled to connect wit This left me breathless Holy Sh*t! I need to gather my thoughts but it was an amazing reading experience
In the past, I have struggled to connect with Kenyan Literature and it didn't help that my English teacher wasn't as enthusiastic about it either. Majority of the books I came across were predominately politically driven and that just didn't suite my contemporary taste. So I took upon myself to try out Dust by Yvonne Adhiambo crossing my fingers that this might be the book that finally reignites my interest in Kenyan Lit. I loved it! Following The Oganda family after the son (Odidi) gets gun downed in the streets of Nairobi we see the reputation of this vile action through the family's grief & memories which opens the door to a dark past pelted with generational secrets that still haunt them in the present. At the same time, a young Englishman arrives at the Ogandas’ house, seeking his missing father; a hardened policeman who has borne witness to unspeakable acts reopens a cold case, and an all-seeing Trader with a murky identity plots an overdue revenge. In scenes stretching from the violent upheaval of contemporary Kenya back through a shocking political assassination in 1969 and the Mau Mau uprisings against British colonial rule in the 1950s, we come to learn the secrets held by this parched landscape, buried deep within the shared past of the family and of a conflicted nation. The lyrical poetic narrative style is so cinematic & intertwined with so much emotion that you will fill every character's pain, happiness, without being directly told. The first couple of pages might seem confusing but give it time to get used to the flow of the writing and you won't stop reading. The politics doesn't overpower the story but lingers in the background which balances the narrative, putting emphasis on the family saga. Lush description of the beautiful Kenyan Landscapes and the local street life are brought to life through the characters eyes, as well as the local slang and deep Kenyan proverbs make the experience feel authentic. It has its dark moments, you will weep at the author explores the injustices that take place through the hands of corrupt leaders and the poor state of living but you will also experience the local everyday life of a Kenyan, Using the public transport matatus, cuisine etc. I highly recommend you give it a try....more
An exceptional novel chronicling the history of the HIV epidemic that paralyzed the world in the 80s. The aftermath, the voices that fought to be hearAn exceptional novel chronicling the history of the HIV epidemic that paralyzed the world in the 80s. The aftermath, the voices that fought to be heard, the loss of families and the continuous efforts to eradicate the stigma and find a cure. Set in New York city we zoom into an apartment building called Christodora where we come across (Milly & Jared) a privileged white couple who have decided to adopt (Mateo) an AIDS orphan and we also meet (Hector) A Gay Puerto Rican man who was a strong voice in the 80s AIDS movement but has succumbed to drug addiction in his later years. We see how their lives intertwine and the huge impact of that one virus can have on a generation.
HIV/AIDS is a very touchy subject lots of people tend to shy away from it and most African countries are still heavily affected because of the stigma. What Tim Murphy does with this narrative is quite powerful he evokes so much emotion through the characters addictions, inner turmoil, identity, sexuality, mortality etc. I had no idea the amount of work that went into pushing for a cure back in the beginning stages. The protests and the huge wave of loss that affected families because the government didn't want to be associated with the name "AIDs" How HIV positive women were set aside because people at the time believed that the virus only affected gay men. It was interesting to see how minorities group came together to push forward the issues and in the end changing history. I really admired Tim Murphy's honesty and being in the frontline as an HIV/AIDS reporter for 20 years I think he tackled this important issue with finesse, reminding us the importance of literature in destigmatization of HIV/ AIDS. I highly recommend this especially for fans of A Little Life, The Goldfinch & The Interestings :) a new favorite. Another book I'm so glad I read before I died... Full review soon ...more
This what I consider a perfect book [image] ... I can't remember the last time I was this engaged with a book... I can definitely see why some reader m This what I consider a perfect book [image] ... I can't remember the last time I was this engaged with a book... I can definitely see why some reader might be put off by this book, the feeling of an enticing plot to keep you turning the pages and the big reveal is very much not part of this book. What makes this book shine and might appeal to a certain audience is the meticulously detailed exploration of the 6 main characters lives who met and formed a strong bond in an artistic summer camp all the way to their college years & middle ages. The introspective writing style really drew me into these characters live and by the end, they became real-life people. Unlike A Little Life over the top brutality of life's shortcomings Wolitzers handles her characters with the realism that makes them aware of their actions, capabilities, flaws, and emotions. she captures the feeling of friendship and how it can be vital in shaping your life choices as well as the idea of being talented and not knowing how to channel it or feeling inferior to your more talented peers. I could literally go on and on about the subtle topics that she weaves into the narrative: HIV/AIDS during the 80s, The Autistic Spectrum, Rape Culture, Child Labour etc. If you are looking for a book that makes you feel like you belong and simplifies complex feelings with Ironically well fleshed out characters then definitely pick this one up....more
Upon revisiting this very special story, a layer of dread coated my rereading since we are currently in the midst of a pandemic. The events of the te Upon revisiting this very special story, a layer of dread coated my rereading since we are currently in the midst of a pandemic. The events of the text felt prophetic from folks being stranded in other counties away from family and the overstocking of tissue paper. Luckily it didn't escalate like the book but it just revealed how fragile our existence is. I'm still in awe at Mandel's storytelling ability, so painfully beautiful.
I am so glad the book gods brought this book in my life... “First we only want to be seen, but once we’re seen, that’s not enough anymore. After that, we want to be remembered.”
It's been two days since I finished this beautiful masterpiece and I am still trying to pinpoint why this was such a successful novel. The story opens with the death of a famous actor as he is performing King Lear on stage and that same night a devastating pandemic arrives ( A Flu) in the city which kickstarts the end of civilization. Throughout the whole book, we come across characters who were in some way linked to the famous actor and we see their lives before the flu, during the flu, and years after civilization has collapsed. We particularly follow The Travelling Symphony a group of actors/performers who travel from town to town performing Shakespeare after civilization has collapsed. I know what your thinking " This sounds so depressing" but the author manages to capture so much beauty and hope amidst all the darkness that the dreadful atmosphere felt comforting. The writing was wriggle and flowed so elegantly, I didn't struggle to get into the text and even the slow part felt necessary. I can definitely see why this might put off some readers it doesn't have so much action for a post-apocalyptic novel.
The traditional norm for most post-apocalyptic text feels more aggressive and plot-driven but this one tackles the more philosophical side and is rooted in so much realism that I was actually terrified. We come across relatable characters who are aware of the situation and they don't know how to turn that "badass switch" on. They long for answers but the truth is that shit happens and they just have to deal with it. One powerful message that stood out for me was the importance of art and how it can offer such relief in a dreadful time because even as everything was basically going to shit the individual characters found comfort in plays, music, books, etc. This is the sort of book that will sneak up on you, make you see the fragility of society, which in turn will make you stop and appreciate the small things around you. I highly recommend this.
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