Parched Earth

by Elieshi Lema

This is an extraordinary first novel by a Tanzanian women writer. The central character, Doreen, tells her story in the first person narrative. Born into a women headed household in a rural area, her inner life and development mirror her life's passage: education, career, the town, marriage and motherhood. Whilst not didactic nor impinging on beautifully crafted writing, the novel deals with gender politics from a local level rather than a western oriented feminist stance. Both fatalism and seperatism are rejected and the book is imbued with insights and touchstones about the female condition.

Genres: Tanzania, The World, African Literature, Fiction

232 pages, Paperback

First published December 29, 2001

Reviews

[Sam Dennis]

"...More than a love story..."

[Mckinley]

Love and romance are closely enter twined with society, family and one's position in both.
I enjoyed the language and found the descriptions of a lifestyle different from my own very interesting. I marked it as a favorite for those reasons since I found the story lonely, sad and even somewhat depressing.

[Machieng Chan]

This is a very fantastic novel which the writer creatively narrate making readers feel like interacting with true love conversation.

[Africa BookChallenge]

The latest entry for The Africa Book Challenge, Parched Earth: A Love Story by Elieshi Lema for Tanzania is now available.

Click on the URL on the profile page to learn more about this sensitive portrayal of a young woman's struggle to define her role in her domestic life.

[Maryirene Wawira]

Relatable.... Mmmmh read it before marriage... And think about it now after marriage..

[Sandra]

What a beautiful love story, the writing is sublime as well

[Faith]

I lo

[Carol Odhiambo]

I want to read thd book

[Farha Mukhashin]

I enjoyed reading this book, but let’s start with the cover. As someone who often picks books based on their aesthetically pleasing covers, I probably wouldn’t have chosen this one if it weren’t for the challenge. The cover was faded and worn, even though it was a brand new book, and the author’s name was only half-written. But, trying not to judge a book by its cover, I decided to dive in anyway.

The story follows Doreen, a middle-aged school teacher, as she reflects on her life. The writing often takes a poetic tone and can feel a bit too informative at times, but Elieshi blends it beautifully, making it work. This book, as its subtitle suggests, is a love story—not just a romantic one, but one that explores the love between a mother and daughter, siblings, a person and society, and a woman and her freedom. It’s a love story that touches on the various relationships in life through the lens of a woman.

I especially appreciated the lessons about womanhood from an African perspective. I didn’t see it as overtly feminist, but it highlighted the challenges women face in their communities just by being women. While I enjoyed the story, it wasn’t one that kept me on the edge of my seat—it was more of an easy read with a smooth flow.

However, the ending was a bit of a letdown. It raised more questions than it answered and felt disconnected from the rest of the book. The story took a turn toward the monotonous, and by the end, it seemed like the plot had become borderline ridiculous. The potential for Doreen’s character to go on a memorable journey wasn’t fully realized, and instead, she ended up feeling somewhat underwhelming.

That said, I would recommend the book for the valuable lessons it imparts, but I can’t say it was entirely worth it because of the disappointing ending.

[Brian]

This is the story of Doreen Seko and her family. This young woman is a Tanzanian schoolteacher from a nontraditional family. Doreen’s mother is a woman who has raised her children without a husband, which is rare in the society depicted. Doreen meets Martin, a young accountant. The couple fall in love and marry. Unfortunately, Martin is pulled into sexist behavior and mistreatment of women that is prevalent in his society.

The book is filled with feminist themes and even has some discussion of radical feminist theory. I found that the book suffered a little as theory was shoehorned into the plot a bit awkwardly, but this was a minor flaw.

The characters are well fleshed out. The story is interesting, and Lema’s writing is often poetic.

This is a great read for those interested in African literature, feminist themes, or great family drama propelled by complex characters.

[Isdory Msemwa]

TO BE A GOOD THINKER IS MY DREAM

[RAYMOND PANCRAS]

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK