As a reader of historical fiction I enjoyed this story. The story is narrated from the pov of Kau, an African Pygmy, who was enslaved for 5 years befor...moreAs a reader of historical fiction I enjoyed this story. The story is narrated from the pov of Kau, an African Pygmy, who was enslaved for 5 years before he has a chance to escape. The book starts in Africa before Kau was captured so you understand who he is based on his life experiences and his culture. I thought that the book did a good job of capturing the essence of Kau and the his way of life and that his journey was about him finding a place in America where he could re-capture of bit of his old way of living. The pays attention and describes in detail the land/location/place so you feel like you are there in the times after the War of 1812 in the south as Americans, British, Spanish and Native Americans try to mold thhis area to their way of thinking.(less)
I rate this book at 3.5 I think students and readers of feminist studies/literature will enjoy this story. For me the author achieved her purpose of sho...moreI rate this book at 3.5 I think students and readers of feminist studies/literature will enjoy this story. For me the author achieved her purpose of showing the effects of cultures who oppress women to fit into the roles the males in power assign to them. Also, shows how woman are conditioned into this submissive role and help ensure that other woman stay in this role. While the story takes place in Egypt - this is an universal approach to the oppresive of women and could/does take place in many societies today. Unfortunately, the conditions described in this book still exist in some cultures today - many years after this book was first published.(less)
This book gave me a feel of Djibouti, a country whose name is appearing more frequently in the news. These are more like vignettes than actual short s...moreThis book gave me a feel of Djibouti, a country whose name is appearing more frequently in the news. These are more like vignettes than actual short stories in the traditional sense. You get the feel of the landscape, the effect of colonalism and what has happened since the colonials left.(less)
I was torn on my rating for this book and so wished that Good Reads would like .5 or to add "+" to a number. This was a 3.6 read for me. I liked the pr...moreI was torn on my rating for this book and so wished that Good Reads would like .5 or to add "+" to a number. This was a 3.6 read for me. I liked the premise of the story and the handling of difficult issues. This book will definitely have you thinking about the legacy we are leaving for others and about diversity of thought and ideas. I thought the book started off slow and was mre YA in nature that an adult read. The story does pick up in the last half and moves at a quick pace to the conclusion that has been predicted. But, it is the journey to this conclusion that will keep you reading. I will read more by this author. (less)
All the reviews I read basically said the same thing: - it is not a perfect book - but definitely glad they read the book - not an easy book to get thro...moreAll the reviews I read basically said the same thing: - it is not a perfect book - but definitely glad they read the book - not an easy book to get through - an interesting approach to looking at black history - it was a lyrical novel
The book did pick up once I got through the first time period - it did start to flow better for me. There were parts were I was fully engaged and others that I thought dragged on. There was a character or two that I really enjoyed reading about - but many were just flat to me. The actual historical events were well woven into the story and helped to show how "ordinary" survived through these events and managed day to day.
So by the time I finished - like the other reviewers mentioned I was glad that I had stuck with the story. It also made me realize how much music is integrated into my family history and how music and dance has been with me since a baby and this a way of passing down our culture.
I thought that the stories between the mothers and the daughters was well done - and how each internalized and reacted to the effects of slavery and racism. Each of the women had something to cry about - but sort to figure how best to have something to sing about.
But the story really came to together for me when really a quote from one of the authors - Ifa Bayeza - "In most sub-Saharan African languages, soun dis paramount. Spelling is not important. The sound holds the truth. When in doubt, read aloud. It is a story meant to be spoken and sung as well as read."
I agree that this story would have been enjoyable if I had "listened" to the story instead of reading it - so would recommend this as an audio book. (less)
This is the first novel by Lola Shoneyin. i was interested in reading this book because the author has published poetry in the past and in my experien...moreThis is the first novel by Lola Shoneyin. i was interested in reading this book because the author has published poetry in the past and in my experience this actually prepares writers for telling their stories in a succient manner, and her father-in-law is Wole Soyinka, so I figured she has access to good literary resources to make sure that she wrote a worthy book. But, I did think that initial storyline sounded a little predictable - a man who has three wives takes an educated fourth wife that is not well accepted. But I was so wrong as the story was very thing but predictable. The husband and each of the wives has a turn in telling their story - the story is in the present and also goes back in time to help give the full picture but you are never confused on who is talking and if you are in the present or past. Each character is fully developed and there were many unexpected twists and turns to this story that I could not put the book down until the end. It shows the clash of the old vs the new culture and at the end you will start to wonder what is the old tradition v the new one. This does not read like a debut novel but like a more mature writer. (less)
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