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Dance of the Jakaranda
Set in the shadow of Kenya's independence from Great Britain, Dance of the Jakaranda reimagines the special circumstances that brought black, brown and white men together to lay the railroad that heralded the birth of the nation.
The novel traces the lives and loves of three men--preacher Richard Turnbull, the colonial administrator Ian McDonald, and Indian technician Babu Salim--whose lives intersect when they are implicated in the controversial birth of a child. Years later, when Babu's grandson Rajan--who ekes out a living by singing Babu's epic tales of the railway's construction--accidentally kisses a mysterious stranger in a dark nightclub, the encounter provides the spark to illuminate the three men's shared, murky past.
With its riveting multiracial, multicultural cast and diverse literary allusions, Dance of the Jakaranda could well be a story of globalization. Yet the novel is firmly anchored in the African oral storytelling tradition, its language a dreamy, exalted, and earthy mix that creates new thresholds of identity, providing a fresh metaphor for race in contemporary Africa.
The novel traces the lives and loves of three men--preacher Richard Turnbull, the colonial administrator Ian McDonald, and Indian technician Babu Salim--whose lives intersect when they are implicated in the controversial birth of a child. Years later, when Babu's grandson Rajan--who ekes out a living by singing Babu's epic tales of the railway's construction--accidentally kisses a mysterious stranger in a dark nightclub, the encounter provides the spark to illuminate the three men's shared, murky past.
With its riveting multiracial, multicultural cast and diverse literary allusions, Dance of the Jakaranda could well be a story of globalization. Yet the novel is firmly anchored in the African oral storytelling tradition, its language a dreamy, exalted, and earthy mix that creates new thresholds of identity, providing a fresh metaphor for race in contemporary Africa.
342 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2017
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2544 people want to read
About the author
Peter Kimani
12 books46 followersPETER KIMANI is a leading Kenyan journalist and author of, most recently, Dance of the Jakaranda, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. The novel was nominated for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in the US and long-listed for the inaugural Big Book Awards in the UK. He has taught at Amherst College and the University of Houston and is presently based at Aga Khan University’s Graduate School of Media and Communications. Nairobi Noir is his latest work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
April 21, 2017
This book tells something of the history of the land that was to become Kenya and how that country came to gain its independence from Great Britain. It is historical fiction laced with cultural insight into the three societies that struggled with each other and finally combined to form something new and unique. We have the native African culture, the English culture, and the Indian culture. Each in its own way contributed to the making of Kenya.
This is also the story of three men and how their personal histories became tangled together. Richard Turnbull was a preacher from England whose mission was to convert the indigenous population to Christianity. Ian McDonald was the British colonial administrator sent to oversee the construction of a railway from Mombasa to the coast. Babu Salim was a technician from Punjab who worked as a surveyor and assisted in the construction of the railway. The lives of the three intersected around the turn of the the twentieth century and for the next sixty plus years those lives are woven together in a loose tapestry, the connecting thread of which is the controversial birth of the granddaughter of a local African chief.
The birth is controversial because the mother, the chief's daughter, was not married and the father of the child was not known. Initially, Babu Salim was thought to be the culprit, but when the baby emerged from her mother's loins with bright blue eyes, the chief absolved Babu and looked elsewhere for the father. The mystery of the little girl's parentage remains until near the end of the tale.
The child is adopted and raised by Richard Turnbull. Meanwhile, Ian McDonald proceeds with the construction of his railway, riding roughshod over the rights and the lands of the locals in the process. Babu, who had absconded after being accused of fathering the child, finds a different path in life, and his wife, Fatima, who had stayed on the coast where they had landed in their journey from Punjab, made her own success as a small businesswoman.
Many years later, Babu's beloved grandson, Rajan, makes his living as a singer at the Jakaranda Hotel. (The Jakaranda was originally built as a house for Ian McDonald. He planned to welcome his wife, Sally, from England and impress her with its magnificent structure. Sally, though, took one look and turned around and went back to England.) Rajan is a local favorite who sings the stories that Babu has told him about his epic adventures in building the great railway. Then one night in the darkened hallway of the nightclub Rajan is kissed by a mysterious woman. It is an incident that will once again tie the lives of those three old men from sixty years before together and begin to illuminate their shared history and heritage.
This is an extremely diverting and well-crafted story. Moreover, it is written with great humor, occasionally laugh-out-loud humor, but more often the sly grin and chuckle kind. In addition to weaving the plot-line so expertly and with such grace and wit, Peter Kimani writes in a clear and understated style which makes the very complex story that he is telling easy to follow. Relating the tale of colonial rule and its fallout could have been a much grimmer story - and no doubt there is a grim story to be told - but Kimani manages to present that hurtful past in a straightforward manner that does not shortchange it but makes it simply one element of a greater whole. It is a subtle and multilayered story that takes us on a long journey through time and place and right into the hearts and minds of his characters of all races and colors.
On a personal note, I was delighted to discover, while reading the acknowledgements and the writer's biography at the end, that Peter Kimani is a product of the University of Houston, my younger daughter's alma mater and current employer. He earned his doctorate from their acclaimed Creative Writing Program in 2014 and acknowledges their help, along with that of many others, in writing this book. UH should be proud of Mr. Kimani and I'm sure they are.
This is Kimani's third book. I hope there will be many, many more.
This is also the story of three men and how their personal histories became tangled together. Richard Turnbull was a preacher from England whose mission was to convert the indigenous population to Christianity. Ian McDonald was the British colonial administrator sent to oversee the construction of a railway from Mombasa to the coast. Babu Salim was a technician from Punjab who worked as a surveyor and assisted in the construction of the railway. The lives of the three intersected around the turn of the the twentieth century and for the next sixty plus years those lives are woven together in a loose tapestry, the connecting thread of which is the controversial birth of the granddaughter of a local African chief.
The birth is controversial because the mother, the chief's daughter, was not married and the father of the child was not known. Initially, Babu Salim was thought to be the culprit, but when the baby emerged from her mother's loins with bright blue eyes, the chief absolved Babu and looked elsewhere for the father. The mystery of the little girl's parentage remains until near the end of the tale.
The child is adopted and raised by Richard Turnbull. Meanwhile, Ian McDonald proceeds with the construction of his railway, riding roughshod over the rights and the lands of the locals in the process. Babu, who had absconded after being accused of fathering the child, finds a different path in life, and his wife, Fatima, who had stayed on the coast where they had landed in their journey from Punjab, made her own success as a small businesswoman.
Many years later, Babu's beloved grandson, Rajan, makes his living as a singer at the Jakaranda Hotel. (The Jakaranda was originally built as a house for Ian McDonald. He planned to welcome his wife, Sally, from England and impress her with its magnificent structure. Sally, though, took one look and turned around and went back to England.) Rajan is a local favorite who sings the stories that Babu has told him about his epic adventures in building the great railway. Then one night in the darkened hallway of the nightclub Rajan is kissed by a mysterious woman. It is an incident that will once again tie the lives of those three old men from sixty years before together and begin to illuminate their shared history and heritage.
This is an extremely diverting and well-crafted story. Moreover, it is written with great humor, occasionally laugh-out-loud humor, but more often the sly grin and chuckle kind. In addition to weaving the plot-line so expertly and with such grace and wit, Peter Kimani writes in a clear and understated style which makes the very complex story that he is telling easy to follow. Relating the tale of colonial rule and its fallout could have been a much grimmer story - and no doubt there is a grim story to be told - but Kimani manages to present that hurtful past in a straightforward manner that does not shortchange it but makes it simply one element of a greater whole. It is a subtle and multilayered story that takes us on a long journey through time and place and right into the hearts and minds of his characters of all races and colors.
On a personal note, I was delighted to discover, while reading the acknowledgements and the writer's biography at the end, that Peter Kimani is a product of the University of Houston, my younger daughter's alma mater and current employer. He earned his doctorate from their acclaimed Creative Writing Program in 2014 and acknowledges their help, along with that of many others, in writing this book. UH should be proud of Mr. Kimani and I'm sure they are.
This is Kimani's third book. I hope there will be many, many more.
February 12, 2017
This story is extraordinarily well-crafted. It's like a spiral whose circles wind tightly from the previous circle, coming back to pick up a piece of the narrative then moving onward before winding back again.
The Dance of the Jakaranda is the dance of the people who come to the British East Africa Protectorate to build a railroad, and their interaction with the people who already inhabit the land. The stories of the characters, British, Indian and African, intertwine in unexpected ways. It takes two generations for the story to be resolved (or is it resolved?), and for the secrets to become known.
Through the people, we see the birth of the new country that becomes Kenya.
The Dance of the Jakaranda is the dance of the people who come to the British East Africa Protectorate to build a railroad, and their interaction with the people who already inhabit the land. The stories of the characters, British, Indian and African, intertwine in unexpected ways. It takes two generations for the story to be resolved (or is it resolved?), and for the secrets to become known.
Through the people, we see the birth of the new country that becomes Kenya.
February 7, 2017
In 1901, a train chugs along Kenya’s Rift Valley on the newly laid tracks from Mombasa to Port Victoria. Seated in the first-class cabin, conversing amiably, are Ian McDonald (“Master”), the railway superintendent, and Reverend Turnbull. As the train passes through a township, Master recalls that this was where they’d left their technician Babu, the Indian “f— bastard,” and Turnbull acknowledges that he is now raising that man’s allegedly illegitimate daughter. Master receives land near Lake Nakuru and builds a mansion especially for his wife, but she refuses to reside there. Following its operation as a farm and a hunting lodge, it’s turned into the Jakaranda Hotel. In 1963, Babu’s grandson, Rajan, makes his living singing in the hotel’s dance band. One evening, during a dance at the Jakaranda, a power outage occurs, and a mysterious girl kisses Rajan and disappears. He cannot forget the taste of her lavender-flavored lips and, searching for her, he learns about something from the shadowy past.
Peter Kimani, an acclaimed writer and poet, has brilliantly constructed this novel’s plot by weaving parallel storylines about McDonald, Turnbull, and Babu, which intersect years later with Rajan’s story. Kenya’s pre- and post-colonial era, interracial relationships, and railroad building provide an appealing backdrop for his chronicle. Kimani’s lyrical prose, such as portraying the train as “a massive snakelike creature,” and his breathtaking descriptions of “God’s country” bring the beauty of the land before our eyes. The literary allusions also help to smooth the racially charged scenes. However, the novel is told mostly in the African storytelling tradition, and some readers might find the narrative excessively descriptive, although the expertly written dialogue and natives’ observations can make the story lively. This is an important novel to come out of Africa, and it does much to assist in our understanding of that region.
This review first appeared in the Historical Novels Review Issue 79 (February 2017)
Peter Kimani, an acclaimed writer and poet, has brilliantly constructed this novel’s plot by weaving parallel storylines about McDonald, Turnbull, and Babu, which intersect years later with Rajan’s story. Kenya’s pre- and post-colonial era, interracial relationships, and railroad building provide an appealing backdrop for his chronicle. Kimani’s lyrical prose, such as portraying the train as “a massive snakelike creature,” and his breathtaking descriptions of “God’s country” bring the beauty of the land before our eyes. The literary allusions also help to smooth the racially charged scenes. However, the novel is told mostly in the African storytelling tradition, and some readers might find the narrative excessively descriptive, although the expertly written dialogue and natives’ observations can make the story lively. This is an important novel to come out of Africa, and it does much to assist in our understanding of that region.
This review first appeared in the Historical Novels Review Issue 79 (February 2017)
April 5, 2024
A nice read
February 6, 2017
Most great novels center around an engaging narrative that works on one, maybe two levels. But in a true master work, on par with say Shakespeare or Marquez, the narrative works on multiple levels: emotional, political, familial, spiritual. If executed — and executed well — the resulting work will last generations and resonate with readers across the globe.
A tall order to be sure. But author Peter Kimani does just that in his American debut, “Dance of the Jakaranda.”
This is not hyperbole: it’s a masterpiece.
The novel is essentially the story of two men, Ian McDonald from England and Babu Salim from Punjab, who both travel to the British East Africa Protectorate (now known as Kenya) in the 1890s to construct the nation’s first railway. McDonald, a white man known as Master, is determined to complete his colonial service mission and construct the railroad, despite environmental and cultural destruction. Babu, a newly married railway technician, survives a perilous journey across the Indian Ocean only to suffer further hardship as a member of the racially divided railway construction team.
More than a reimagination of the creation of “the lunatic express,” “Dance of the Jakaranda” is also examination of how history is constructed “in a land where myth and history often intersect.” Kimani does this by shifting narratives and, at times, delivery methods: McDonald’s storyline includes formal letters written to and from members of the British service, while Babu and the workers’ narratives include oral histories delivered both by a butcher and a drummer.
These shifts are executed as smoothly as an experienced engineer shifting from one track to another. Because Kimani sees each narrative a lifetime through — from the turn of the century to Kenya’s independence in 1963 — readers see and understand the long-term impact of colonial rule on a nation, a city, a family, and an individual.
By carefully weaving together experiences from black, white and brown men, Kimani delivers a fascinating, multilayered portrait of a land in the throes of great change.
I write weekly book reviews for The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, IA. Read more of my reviews at laurafarmerreviews.com
A tall order to be sure. But author Peter Kimani does just that in his American debut, “Dance of the Jakaranda.”
This is not hyperbole: it’s a masterpiece.
The novel is essentially the story of two men, Ian McDonald from England and Babu Salim from Punjab, who both travel to the British East Africa Protectorate (now known as Kenya) in the 1890s to construct the nation’s first railway. McDonald, a white man known as Master, is determined to complete his colonial service mission and construct the railroad, despite environmental and cultural destruction. Babu, a newly married railway technician, survives a perilous journey across the Indian Ocean only to suffer further hardship as a member of the racially divided railway construction team.
More than a reimagination of the creation of “the lunatic express,” “Dance of the Jakaranda” is also examination of how history is constructed “in a land where myth and history often intersect.” Kimani does this by shifting narratives and, at times, delivery methods: McDonald’s storyline includes formal letters written to and from members of the British service, while Babu and the workers’ narratives include oral histories delivered both by a butcher and a drummer.
These shifts are executed as smoothly as an experienced engineer shifting from one track to another. Because Kimani sees each narrative a lifetime through — from the turn of the century to Kenya’s independence in 1963 — readers see and understand the long-term impact of colonial rule on a nation, a city, a family, and an individual.
By carefully weaving together experiences from black, white and brown men, Kimani delivers a fascinating, multilayered portrait of a land in the throes of great change.
I write weekly book reviews for The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, IA. Read more of my reviews at laurafarmerreviews.com
October 15, 2017
Although there are a few section where the author clearly brings to light the experience of indentured labor and the role of the British in building the railway in Kenya, the majority of the book is not worth the read. The characters did not have depth, and often resorted to unnatural dialog and verbalizing their emotions in order to carry forward the plot. It seems like the author might be trying to be funny, ironic, or satirical at points, but it comes off as poorly written.
One thing that bothered me throughout the book was that women seemed to be an afterthought. None of the main male characters, including Babu, who is supposed to be a kind and generally good person, show any regret around mistreating women, and none of the female characters have a meaningful voice. I wouldn't recommend this book.
One thing that bothered me throughout the book was that women seemed to be an afterthought. None of the main male characters, including Babu, who is supposed to be a kind and generally good person, show any regret around mistreating women, and none of the female characters have a meaningful voice. I wouldn't recommend this book.
May 5, 2025
A hilarious historical fiction on Kenya during colonialism and post independence. It was refreshing to read local literature and identify with so much. Most interesting was the background information on post colonial Kenya and the part played by Africans, Indian & Caucasian ethnicities in building of the historical railway as well the uniqueness of each groups personal issues.
John-Sibi Okumu does a stellar job narrating this so if you’re gonna pick this up I highly recommend the audio book
John-Sibi Okumu does a stellar job narrating this so if you’re gonna pick this up I highly recommend the audio book
April 26, 2017
This had so much potential but ended up really confusing. It might just be because I read it over a much longer time period than usual, but I lost track of the stories and the time periods all too often. I really valued the glimpse of historical Kenya and race relations.
July 8, 2024
Rep: Kenyan Indian mc, biracial Kenyan mc, Kenyan & Indian side characters
May 20, 2018
(3.5/5 stars) would have been 4 stars, but...
I didn't immediately warm up to the book when I started it. Telling the story of Rev. Turnbull, a missionary, McDonald, supervisor of the KE-UG railway construction, and Babu, a migrant worker from Punjab (present territory having been divided between India and Pakistan), through their role in the building of a railway and the mystery of who is the actual father to an impregnated Maa girl, the story takes place through some of the seminal moments if Kenyan history. In some cases, inventing fictional characters that serve as surrogates for what actually took place.
What initially put me off was the rather flowery writing style, and some weird inconsistencies (e.g. planes and polyethene bags appearing before they were actually invented. Not to mention Babu's grandson who can't speak Punjabi but can speak Kikuyu fluently). But by the end of the Book, I had come to really like it. The last half deals with events that took place just before and shortly after independence. Aspects of Kenyan history that you will not find in history books. So much so that at some points, the narrative changes into actual history lessons. Whilst informative and necessary (especially to those not familiar with Kenya's history), they sometimes do take away from the narrative flow. I especially liked the indirect reference to Pio Gama Pinto and I do share the same sentiments... what if?
Whilst overall it is a really good book, it just had too many weaknesses to muster more than 3.5 stars from me.
However, please do go and get a copy of the book. It is a fascinating story, and the book itself is an easy light read, and you will learn loads!! Especially about our not very good treatment of the 43rd tribe.
I didn't immediately warm up to the book when I started it. Telling the story of Rev. Turnbull, a missionary, McDonald, supervisor of the KE-UG railway construction, and Babu, a migrant worker from Punjab (present territory having been divided between India and Pakistan), through their role in the building of a railway and the mystery of who is the actual father to an impregnated Maa girl, the story takes place through some of the seminal moments if Kenyan history. In some cases, inventing fictional characters that serve as surrogates for what actually took place.
What initially put me off was the rather flowery writing style, and some weird inconsistencies (e.g. planes and polyethene bags appearing before they were actually invented. Not to mention Babu's grandson who can't speak Punjabi but can speak Kikuyu fluently). But by the end of the Book, I had come to really like it. The last half deals with events that took place just before and shortly after independence. Aspects of Kenyan history that you will not find in history books. So much so that at some points, the narrative changes into actual history lessons. Whilst informative and necessary (especially to those not familiar with Kenya's history), they sometimes do take away from the narrative flow. I especially liked the indirect reference to Pio Gama Pinto and I do share the same sentiments... what if?
Whilst overall it is a really good book, it just had too many weaknesses to muster more than 3.5 stars from me.
However, please do go and get a copy of the book. It is a fascinating story, and the book itself is an easy light read, and you will learn loads!! Especially about our not very good treatment of the 43rd tribe.
October 6, 2025
So my mum was born right here in Nairobi, Kenya in 1950 and I came to realize recently I’ve read no novels from the country. The continent, really! Now I did just finish and enjoy ‘Weep Not, Child’ by Ngũgĩ wa Thing’o and this month I fell into this evocative and plot-twisting 2017 award-winning historical fiction novel from Peter Kimani. The book opens in 1901 as the natives see the railroad cross the country for the first time—“a monstrous, snakelike creature whose black head, erect like a cobra’s, pulled rusty brown boxes and slithered down the savanna, coughing spasmodically as it emitted blue-black smoke.” What a visual! Peter Kimani is a professor at Aga Khan University in Nairobi and got his PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Houston after spending time at the University of Iowa. This book folds stories of three men—Reverend Richard Turnbull, Scottish engineer Ian McDonald, and Indian clerk Babu Salim—into a contemporary tale of Babu’s grandson generations later. The plot skips forwards and backwards which makes it a merry-go-roundy reading experience but sometimes it’s good to be in the company of a book that makes you dizzy. Because, regardless, you're there. And in this case you're amongst the dazzling sights and sounds of pre- and post-colonial Kenya which is just a fascinating place to be.
July 25, 2025
Set before and during Kenya’s Independence from Great Britain, this novel follows the lives of three men, two British and one Indian as the railway is built from Mombasa on the coast all the way to the shores of Lake Victoria. A second timeline happens with the Indian man’s grandson, Rajan, during the transfer of power from the British to the fledgling Kenyan government during the 1960’s. The themes of the novel include tribalism, colonialism, African self-determination, and generational trauma and consequences.
This book was as close to my own family’s story as I have ever read, and I loved reading a book set in a place I know so well, in a history that surrounded me as a child. However, it was frustrating to me too - the back and forth of viewpoints, the missing plot details, the unlikely or inconsistent timelines, the difficulty in establishing what was historical fact and what was total fiction. I was also annoyed with unlikeable scoundrel main characters, no Black main character, and caricature female characters. It made for a great book club discussion.
it is a powerful, well-written epic tale of three intertwined fates over many decades in an emerging nation, by a celebrated own-voices author. It shows the consequences of our actions to the second and third generation, and casts a scathing indictment on colonialism.
Fun side note, the Swahili song that inspired my daughter’s name is sung by one of the characters!
This book was as close to my own family’s story as I have ever read, and I loved reading a book set in a place I know so well, in a history that surrounded me as a child. However, it was frustrating to me too - the back and forth of viewpoints, the missing plot details, the unlikely or inconsistent timelines, the difficulty in establishing what was historical fact and what was total fiction. I was also annoyed with unlikeable scoundrel main characters, no Black main character, and caricature female characters. It made for a great book club discussion.
it is a powerful, well-written epic tale of three intertwined fates over many decades in an emerging nation, by a celebrated own-voices author. It shows the consequences of our actions to the second and third generation, and casts a scathing indictment on colonialism.
Fun side note, the Swahili song that inspired my daughter’s name is sung by one of the characters!
May 12, 2019
This book was a walk down memory lane and history for me. From sayings/proverbs I grew up with, to stories and characters I grew up hearing about... to actual historical events. The historical setting was rich and got me thinking about all the untold stories that followed the construction of the railway and the communities near and around it.
At times, the story sounded implausible and was slow, but overall, I really enjoyed this book.
At times, the story sounded implausible and was slow, but overall, I really enjoyed this book.
September 24, 2020
تنطلق الرواية من نقطة لتنتهي إليها فيستوضح القارئ الأسرار التي اكتنفت السرد بطوله، الكثير من القصص عن تاريخ كينيا، والعديد من الثقافات كذلك: الهندية والبريطانية والإفريقية، من خلالهم جميعًا نتعرّف على ميلاد هذه الدولة.
August 30, 2018
When I started reading this book, I wanted to love it so badly for the simple reason that it is Kenyan and patriot that I am, I started loving before reading and right off the bat, went into it with a biased view. As I immersed myself into it, however, I did more than just love it, I learnt a whole lot about my country, her genesis, her beautiful complicated history; and how we came to be a beautiful mix of Africans and Indians and Brits.
Its 1901, Ian McDonald ‘Master’ is here in the British East Africa Protectorate (Kenya) on service to the King of England, overseeing the laying of the Railway line from the Mombasa Coast to Port Elizabeth (present day, Kisumu). There is Reverend Turnbull, a Christian missionary on a mission to convert these African heathens to Christianity and Babu Salim, an Indian technician who arrived on a boat from India to aid in the construction of the railway. And then there are the African locals whose forefathers warned of the long winded snake (metaphor for the railway line) that would destroy everything in its wake. These men’s personal histories become entangled and their lives intersect and are inextricably woven together for another 60 years and through generations from the start of the 20th century to Independence in 1963.
As a lover of history, I found this narrative very engaging. Kimani manages to present our history in such a digestible way. I resonated with the language used in the book, almost as if I was sitting with my peers having a conversation – the expressions used in the book are exactly as I would use them in my conversations. The language was easy and the prose beautifully written.
I also loved that although this was a re-imagination of the railway line construction, it bore stark similarities to real people and events. Ian McDonald and his unrequited love story being quite similar to the tales of Lord Egerton, President Jomo Kenyatta, ‘Big Man’ personified as himself and the young lady who went to bed a princess and woke up as the Queen of England whilst on a vacation in Kenya with her husband. It was all so rich and engrossing.
The books delves briefly into post-colonial Kenya and it got me thinking about how we, as a country, may have gotten it wrong from the start. With corruption, selfish interests, land grabbing, destruction of the eco-system and a ‘grab all you can NOW’ mentality dominating the early years of independence. Gives you quite a lot to think about. This is a well-balanced book. An important book. Thank you Kimani.
Its 1901, Ian McDonald ‘Master’ is here in the British East Africa Protectorate (Kenya) on service to the King of England, overseeing the laying of the Railway line from the Mombasa Coast to Port Elizabeth (present day, Kisumu). There is Reverend Turnbull, a Christian missionary on a mission to convert these African heathens to Christianity and Babu Salim, an Indian technician who arrived on a boat from India to aid in the construction of the railway. And then there are the African locals whose forefathers warned of the long winded snake (metaphor for the railway line) that would destroy everything in its wake. These men’s personal histories become entangled and their lives intersect and are inextricably woven together for another 60 years and through generations from the start of the 20th century to Independence in 1963.
As a lover of history, I found this narrative very engaging. Kimani manages to present our history in such a digestible way. I resonated with the language used in the book, almost as if I was sitting with my peers having a conversation – the expressions used in the book are exactly as I would use them in my conversations. The language was easy and the prose beautifully written.
I also loved that although this was a re-imagination of the railway line construction, it bore stark similarities to real people and events. Ian McDonald and his unrequited love story being quite similar to the tales of Lord Egerton, President Jomo Kenyatta, ‘Big Man’ personified as himself and the young lady who went to bed a princess and woke up as the Queen of England whilst on a vacation in Kenya with her husband. It was all so rich and engrossing.
The books delves briefly into post-colonial Kenya and it got me thinking about how we, as a country, may have gotten it wrong from the start. With corruption, selfish interests, land grabbing, destruction of the eco-system and a ‘grab all you can NOW’ mentality dominating the early years of independence. Gives you quite a lot to think about. This is a well-balanced book. An important book. Thank you Kimani.
April 13, 2017
A well told and crafted historical novel with a dose of humor. This novel bounces around in time, using a few narrative techniques which makes this a pleasant and enjoyable dance. Essentially the novel is rooted in the lives of three main characters, Ian McDonald the colonial master administrator, Richard Turnbull, the Christian missionary preacher and Babu the Indian surveyor. Each of their stories unfold from 1900 to 1963 in Kenya as their lives intersect as all three are in Kenya to play a role in the building of the rail line in Kenya in 1897- 1900. The chronicles are uniquely weaved together until all the secrets are revealed by the end of the novel. What’s especially clever is not knowing there are certain mysteries needing revelation that are paramount to this smart tale.
By exploring the journeys of these three, the reader will be exposed to a bit of Kenya history, the attitudes of colonial masters, the thoughts of how the natives of Kenya viewed colonialism and the delight that independence brought to
Kenya and the effect on those who had been in Kenya before independence like the Indians. He uses certain characters to act as griots, filling in parts of the story. Babu in conversations with his grandson fleshes out much of his own story, with some truths left unexplored to the end.
It's all a very interesting and at times exciting dance and how the lives of these three men intersect in this different kind of prose is well worth the investment.
By exploring the journeys of these three, the reader will be exposed to a bit of Kenya history, the attitudes of colonial masters, the thoughts of how the natives of Kenya viewed colonialism and the delight that independence brought to
Kenya and the effect on those who had been in Kenya before independence like the Indians. He uses certain characters to act as griots, filling in parts of the story. Babu in conversations with his grandson fleshes out much of his own story, with some truths left unexplored to the end.
It's all a very interesting and at times exciting dance and how the lives of these three men intersect in this different kind of prose is well worth the investment.
December 11, 2017
Gorgeously written and splendidly read, this debut historical novel should have worked better for me, and the fault is probably mine. I might have enjoyed it more--and become more immersed in story and characters--had I read it all at once, rather than in bits and pieces over about a month. That said, it is an interesting look at Kenyan history and independence, the role played by Indians over the past century, and the fall of British colonialism there. Kimani personalizes the conflicts primarily through the points of view of the English "Master" who built the railroad that opened up the country, preacher Richard Turnbull (another Brit), and Babu, an immigrant from India who worked on the railroad and whose story is tied up in the history. Pacing is measured, as it often is in historical fiction, and the reading matches the cadence of the speakers and adds to the sense of place; authentic, well-drawn characters; story line set at the turn of the 20th century and then the 1960s with flashbacks, layered, prejudice against Africans and Indians by British and against Indians by Africans; lovely historical details setting this in time and place, especially about the railroad; multiple perspectives complicate style, lyrical and thoughtful prose; bittersweet, gritty tone. Reviews talk about clever references and humor which I seem to have missed entirely. My loss.
September 23, 2016
I received an ARC of this novel from Eidelweiss, and I really wanted to like it, but I couldn't get into it. I feel bad about being the only rating on this page, but this book was like pulling teeth for me to read.
June 8, 2017
Interesting story but the flowery language was time consuming to wade through. I wanted more of the story and the people. All came together at the end which was nicely woven through historical pieces.
March 12, 2025
Maybe one of the most beautifully crafted books I’ve read in years. I bought it almost randomly at a bookstore on the last day of my short visit to Kenya, and I feel deeply moved to have the opportunity to revisit the memories and academic insights this country offered me—now through literature.
This story is amazingly well-structured. By following the development of each character as a guiding thread for what became Kenya’s “national identity,” it explores in a raw yet unpretentious and colloquial way how colonization violently imposed a new way of life —introducing private property, new hierarchies, and European ideals of development — while simultaneously attempting to erase and devalue traditional values, such as communal lands. It also highlights how colonial rule reinforced a “nature above people” mindset as a means of domination. The way these heavy themes are naturally woven into the novel’s flow makes the reading experience incredibly engaging.
By focusing on the different experiences of British, Natives, and Indian characters through generations, the book intertwines personal struggles with racial tensions, broader societal shifts and collective thinking over time.
It also addresses how discrimination persisted even within the independence (and freedom) movement, how discriminatory laws affected different communities, and how Kenyan identity evolved (and included new groups, that no longer found themselves welcomed nor belonging to their original lands - as Punjabis) over the generations.
Although this is a work of fiction, it cleverly and accessibly reflects significant historical events in the country’s history.
I wish I had read it before going to Kenya, but I’m glad to extend my experience “there“ in some way.
Highlights (quotes):
•”There is something curious about human’s desire to unburden themselves to complete strangers. Perhaps it’s because strangers, like a stream, flow on which their journeys by daybreak, minimizing any prospect for what has been shared used against them. Or it could be that strangers make no judgment at all” (p. 74)
•”…since everything in his life had been organized according to his color. He was a brown man in a black world which had been placed under white rule all his life.” (p. 24)
•“You came to our country and told us to close our eyes to pray. When we opened our eyes, our land was gone. The Bible in your hand had been replaced by a gun.” (p. 271)
• “We come in peace,” Nyundo said, grinning. “Isn’t that what your people said when they first set foot here?”
McDonald still said nothing, reeling from the shock that the man he had long presumed dead was alive and well. “Get off my land”, he finally growled, still downcast.
“This is not your land,” Nyundo replied firmly. “Not an inch of our earth belongs to the white man.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you couldn’t put the land in your pocket and bring it back with you. You found it here.”
McDonald was quiet again.
“I was here, from the very beginning” […] “I kept asking myself: what would make a man leave his land of birth, go to another man’s land, and impose his way of life on them? And as if that’s not enough, destroy their culture? I lost my voice. People thought I was joking, but I had been too hurt to speak. So I let my drum speak for me…” (p. 284).
•“But there were hardly sensible choices for people who had nothing to eat. The British had taken the people’s land, of which McDonald had kept a thousand acres. What had been previously communal sources of fresh water and fish was now in private hands, and trespassers were threatened with persecution. On top of that, McDonald had fashioned his own lodge as a private ranch for wild animals and hunting was prohibited. So communities that had for centuries depended on the land to feed and clothe themselves could neither own the land nor what it could produce, nor even tread on its surface. Even locals’ movement was confined to where a passbook, the kipande, issued by other white men, determined where one could venture and work. The vast majority of the population had nothing to loose, other than their chains.” (p. 274)
• “When bullets begin to flower […] Africans shall reap the bitter fruit that the white man has sowed in our midst…” (p. 287).
This story is amazingly well-structured. By following the development of each character as a guiding thread for what became Kenya’s “national identity,” it explores in a raw yet unpretentious and colloquial way how colonization violently imposed a new way of life —introducing private property, new hierarchies, and European ideals of development — while simultaneously attempting to erase and devalue traditional values, such as communal lands. It also highlights how colonial rule reinforced a “nature above people” mindset as a means of domination. The way these heavy themes are naturally woven into the novel’s flow makes the reading experience incredibly engaging.
By focusing on the different experiences of British, Natives, and Indian characters through generations, the book intertwines personal struggles with racial tensions, broader societal shifts and collective thinking over time.
It also addresses how discrimination persisted even within the independence (and freedom) movement, how discriminatory laws affected different communities, and how Kenyan identity evolved (and included new groups, that no longer found themselves welcomed nor belonging to their original lands - as Punjabis) over the generations.
Although this is a work of fiction, it cleverly and accessibly reflects significant historical events in the country’s history.
I wish I had read it before going to Kenya, but I’m glad to extend my experience “there“ in some way.
Highlights (quotes):
•”There is something curious about human’s desire to unburden themselves to complete strangers. Perhaps it’s because strangers, like a stream, flow on which their journeys by daybreak, minimizing any prospect for what has been shared used against them. Or it could be that strangers make no judgment at all” (p. 74)
•”…since everything in his life had been organized according to his color. He was a brown man in a black world which had been placed under white rule all his life.” (p. 24)
•“You came to our country and told us to close our eyes to pray. When we opened our eyes, our land was gone. The Bible in your hand had been replaced by a gun.” (p. 271)
• “We come in peace,” Nyundo said, grinning. “Isn’t that what your people said when they first set foot here?”
McDonald still said nothing, reeling from the shock that the man he had long presumed dead was alive and well. “Get off my land”, he finally growled, still downcast.
“This is not your land,” Nyundo replied firmly. “Not an inch of our earth belongs to the white man.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you couldn’t put the land in your pocket and bring it back with you. You found it here.”
McDonald was quiet again.
“I was here, from the very beginning” […] “I kept asking myself: what would make a man leave his land of birth, go to another man’s land, and impose his way of life on them? And as if that’s not enough, destroy their culture? I lost my voice. People thought I was joking, but I had been too hurt to speak. So I let my drum speak for me…” (p. 284).
•“But there were hardly sensible choices for people who had nothing to eat. The British had taken the people’s land, of which McDonald had kept a thousand acres. What had been previously communal sources of fresh water and fish was now in private hands, and trespassers were threatened with persecution. On top of that, McDonald had fashioned his own lodge as a private ranch for wild animals and hunting was prohibited. So communities that had for centuries depended on the land to feed and clothe themselves could neither own the land nor what it could produce, nor even tread on its surface. Even locals’ movement was confined to where a passbook, the kipande, issued by other white men, determined where one could venture and work. The vast majority of the population had nothing to loose, other than their chains.” (p. 274)
• “When bullets begin to flower […] Africans shall reap the bitter fruit that the white man has sowed in our midst…” (p. 287).
December 10, 2017
The thing I hate about listening on Audible on my phone, is that the slightest "mis-touch" and you land somewhere you already 'were', or somewhere still to come... grr.
Yet in spite of that, this was such a fascinating book, the story is so multi-dimensional. The writer sets us before a complex historical backdrop, complete with all the sub-divides of cultures, wars, colonialism, racial divides, and religious conflicts, and then he sets the stage with characters also so complex with their individual histories, which are so vital to understanding the entire story (stories), particularly in such a dynamic environment, and it all flows together seamlessly!
It was a page turner (figuratively) and his ability to slowly, gracefully, intertwine the three stories to create something that was much greater than the sum of the parts was remarkable! This shed so much light on the history of Kenya that I am eager for more, as well as for more of his writing.
Kimani's language is beautiful, and I wouldn't have given up the benefit of 'hearing' his words for the technical incoveniences I encountered. The stories and people he intertwines are each so poignant, and reflect (as do all histories) the very darkest of human nature and the universality of the human condition (pardon the cliché). They were a mosaic of stories, and all the characters, in spite of their weaknesses and mistakes (if I have the right to say that?), were people that I wished I could meet, speak to, understand more fully. The clarity with which I can understand their behavior and choices in the context of their lives, is a reminder that those variables shape us all...always.
His characters are so complicated, and their stories so compelling, I had to step back and say, 'now this is what a good writer does'. He totally took me into these lives, their surroundings, their struggles, pain and joy. So much so, that I am going to now buy the book and 'read' it. This will enable me to go even deeper, if that makes any sense.
I often 'miss the people' in my books when I am done. But not so fast... these are people I need to know forever. And I wish I could know more...and I am now searching for some suggestions about Kenya's history. My love for this country makes me ache to return again, though I am not sure that is likely. But I am so thankful for my times there, and pray that one day my daughter, husband, and all those I love will be there sometime in their lifetime, with me or without me....
I don't pretend to be very good at reviewing books. I don't have at the intellectual depth nor the objective perspective to analyze the writers' craft. Some books totally 'transport' me, some are fun, some are 'assignments' that I give myself to expand my knowledge and understanding. Some seem to all that and something more...they make me hungry. And I am starving right now!
Yet in spite of that, this was such a fascinating book, the story is so multi-dimensional. The writer sets us before a complex historical backdrop, complete with all the sub-divides of cultures, wars, colonialism, racial divides, and religious conflicts, and then he sets the stage with characters also so complex with their individual histories, which are so vital to understanding the entire story (stories), particularly in such a dynamic environment, and it all flows together seamlessly!
It was a page turner (figuratively) and his ability to slowly, gracefully, intertwine the three stories to create something that was much greater than the sum of the parts was remarkable! This shed so much light on the history of Kenya that I am eager for more, as well as for more of his writing.
Kimani's language is beautiful, and I wouldn't have given up the benefit of 'hearing' his words for the technical incoveniences I encountered. The stories and people he intertwines are each so poignant, and reflect (as do all histories) the very darkest of human nature and the universality of the human condition (pardon the cliché). They were a mosaic of stories, and all the characters, in spite of their weaknesses and mistakes (if I have the right to say that?), were people that I wished I could meet, speak to, understand more fully. The clarity with which I can understand their behavior and choices in the context of their lives, is a reminder that those variables shape us all...always.
His characters are so complicated, and their stories so compelling, I had to step back and say, 'now this is what a good writer does'. He totally took me into these lives, their surroundings, their struggles, pain and joy. So much so, that I am going to now buy the book and 'read' it. This will enable me to go even deeper, if that makes any sense.
I often 'miss the people' in my books when I am done. But not so fast... these are people I need to know forever. And I wish I could know more...and I am now searching for some suggestions about Kenya's history. My love for this country makes me ache to return again, though I am not sure that is likely. But I am so thankful for my times there, and pray that one day my daughter, husband, and all those I love will be there sometime in their lifetime, with me or without me....
I don't pretend to be very good at reviewing books. I don't have at the intellectual depth nor the objective perspective to analyze the writers' craft. Some books totally 'transport' me, some are fun, some are 'assignments' that I give myself to expand my knowledge and understanding. Some seem to all that and something more...they make me hungry. And I am starving right now!
September 26, 2025
3.98! this was a really fun read with a million nods to Kenyan storytelling thus giving it a familiar and fuzzy feel throughout.
First though, I have to admit that one part of me found the ahistoricity, anachromisms, and use of contemporary figures of speech in 1901/63 a tad bit annoying. it took me out of the story a little bit when a word that entered into our lexicon post-2000 was deployed in 1900 or when a historical figure was placed decades later or earlier than their time. Anyway, the other part of me of course appreciates that this is fiction and it has no obligation to be true to the history recorded in books, and more importantly, I found the contemporary Kenyanisms to be extremely hilarious!
This was such a fun story that I gobbled up so quickly. There is something that is hard to pinpoint but the entire thing was extremely Kenyan in the form that language, style, narrative, and plot progression was deployed. I appreciated that the story was narrated to us, akin to an omniscient oral narrator, with digressions for days and reminders of the key points every now and then. Like an oral narrative too, I felt that we were set up for a bigger mystery than was delivered though we can't complain since the story we were given was equally enjoyable.
The story meandered like the train and it is a wonder that we arrived at our destination given how much was packed into this. Although the thematic message is extremely direct, it was interesting to explore the themes in the circuitous story that hopped from one point in time to another. It seemed that the story was written to illustrate a point and the advancement in characters' lives were filled in as long as they served the set narrative arc. This, sadly, left us with incomplete information and incomplete stories about some characters and the conclusions to some of the mysteries revealed. As I noted, I don't think this was a loss; it was just what it was.
Given the mention at the end, it may have been intentional but the lack of women in the plot as agential independent movers of history was glaring. Women were relegated to objects of conquest or mere footnotes every now and then and seemed to have been completely erased from story. For a story about the untold story, this was striking.
First though, I have to admit that one part of me found the ahistoricity, anachromisms, and use of contemporary figures of speech in 1901/63 a tad bit annoying. it took me out of the story a little bit when a word that entered into our lexicon post-2000 was deployed in 1900 or when a historical figure was placed decades later or earlier than their time. Anyway, the other part of me of course appreciates that this is fiction and it has no obligation to be true to the history recorded in books, and more importantly, I found the contemporary Kenyanisms to be extremely hilarious!
This was such a fun story that I gobbled up so quickly. There is something that is hard to pinpoint but the entire thing was extremely Kenyan in the form that language, style, narrative, and plot progression was deployed. I appreciated that the story was narrated to us, akin to an omniscient oral narrator, with digressions for days and reminders of the key points every now and then. Like an oral narrative too, I felt that we were set up for a bigger mystery than was delivered though we can't complain since the story we were given was equally enjoyable.
The story meandered like the train and it is a wonder that we arrived at our destination given how much was packed into this. Although the thematic message is extremely direct, it was interesting to explore the themes in the circuitous story that hopped from one point in time to another. It seemed that the story was written to illustrate a point and the advancement in characters' lives were filled in as long as they served the set narrative arc. This, sadly, left us with incomplete information and incomplete stories about some characters and the conclusions to some of the mysteries revealed. As I noted, I don't think this was a loss; it was just what it was.
Given the mention at the end, it may have been intentional but the lack of women in the plot as agential independent movers of history was glaring. Women were relegated to objects of conquest or mere footnotes every now and then and seemed to have been completely erased from story. For a story about the untold story, this was striking.
September 9, 2022
مراجعة رواية "رقصة الجاكاراندا" لبيتر كيماني.
عن الرواية:
في نهاية القرن التاسع عشر ومطلع القرن العشرين على أرض افريقيا وتحديداً كينيا تجتمع مصائر العديد من الشخصيات، المستعمر البريطاني، الواعظ المخادع، التقني الهندي، الذي واجه حفيده قسوة الماضي.
رأيي:
استطاع الكاتب من خلال عدد قليل من الشخصيات والأحداث، إيضاح مدى بشاعة الاستعمار وكيف يخلد التاريخ اسماء الشخصيات الفاسدة على حساب من عانت ارواحهم.
لم يكن هجاء للاستعمار البريطاني الذي احتل كينيا فقط بل ذلك الاستعمار الذي تلاعب في مصائر اجيال بكل دم بارد، وتلاعب بالعادات والتقاليد البالية لتعمل لصالحه.
تمنيت لو طالت الرواية أكثر، أسلوب الكتابة لا يمل ورغم التنقلات الزمنية المتكرره الا انها كانت سلسة ومشوقة.
حاولت مراجعة الرواية بحذر دون الخوض في تفاصيل قد تحرق الاحداث.
اعجبني ان الرواية يمكن تطبيق عناصرها على أي مجتمع قد خضع لسطوة المستعمر الذي اتبع نفس خططه للسيطرة على البلد وخيراتها والتلاعب بشعبها وثقافته، لنشاهد اجيال ضائعة لا تعرف إلى اين يجب أن يذهب انتماءها للثقافة الأم أم لثقافة ولغة المستعمر الذي تمكن من تحسين صورته وتخليدها في عيون الشعوب المستعمره باعتباره البطل المنقذ.
عن الرواية:
في نهاية القرن التاسع عشر ومطلع القرن العشرين على أرض افريقيا وتحديداً كينيا تجتمع مصائر العديد من الشخصيات، المستعمر البريطاني، الواعظ المخادع، التقني الهندي، الذي واجه حفيده قسوة الماضي.
رأيي:
استطاع الكاتب من خلال عدد قليل من الشخصيات والأحداث، إيضاح مدى بشاعة الاستعمار وكيف يخلد التاريخ اسماء الشخصيات الفاسدة على حساب من عانت ارواحهم.
لم يكن هجاء للاستعمار البريطاني الذي احتل كينيا فقط بل ذلك الاستعمار الذي تلاعب في مصائر اجيال بكل دم بارد، وتلاعب بالعادات والتقاليد البالية لتعمل لصالحه.
تمنيت لو طالت الرواية أكثر، أسلوب الكتابة لا يمل ورغم التنقلات الزمنية المتكرره الا انها كانت سلسة ومشوقة.
حاولت مراجعة الرواية بحذر دون الخوض في تفاصيل قد تحرق الاحداث.
اعجبني ان الرواية يمكن تطبيق عناصرها على أي مجتمع قد خضع لسطوة المستعمر الذي اتبع نفس خططه للسيطرة على البلد وخيراتها والتلاعب بشعبها وثقافته، لنشاهد اجيال ضائعة لا تعرف إلى اين يجب أن يذهب انتماءها للثقافة الأم أم لثقافة ولغة المستعمر الذي تمكن من تحسين صورته وتخليدها في عيون الشعوب المستعمره باعتباره البطل المنقذ.
January 8, 2021
I bought this for my father in law who comes from Kenya and is descended from one of the Punjabi coolies who built the railyway before becoming a political leader in Kenya. It's very enjoyable and engaging read which, through a fantastic page turning fictional tale about the intertwined lives of a cast of fictional charachters between in the establishment of British East Africa and the independent Afrian nation under Kenyatta, provides some colourful insight into what his experience might have been. It throws a lot of light on the politics of race in the country, particularily from the Indian perspective. The end feels a little rushed, but well reccomended for anyone with an interest in an honest history of the British Empire and East Africa.
May 20, 2021
This is the story of the railway that the British sought to build cutting through the Rift Valley in colonial Kenya. It skips between 1963 - the year Kenya gained independence from the British Empire - and the early 1900s when the colonial project was initiated, to explore the history of the railway, which in turn becomes the story of Kenya and colonial and post-colonial identities. It’s unique in its vantage point; being told from a range of different perspectives, and brings to light important political and social issues that are still relevant in modern day Kenya today. Beautifully written and a really enjoyable read. One star deducted for the lack of women’s perspective, would have liked to hear the story from Fatima’s point of view more.
November 11, 2022
I really appreciated learning about Kenya, both pre- and post-independence in this historical fiction. It centers around the English colonization, especially through the building of a railroad. Many of the workers are brought from India. So we get to learn about the classification by race: White, Indian, Arab, African, and how it worked.
February 25, 2021
A very poignant story, interspersed with humor that shows that racial prejudice was alive and well in the Kenya of the early 1900’s. The building of the railroad, starting in Mombassa, provides the setting and part of the plot.
November 26, 2024
One of the best books I have read this year from a Kenyan author. It really depends an understanding of how Kenya became to be the Kenya that we know.
November 17, 2017
I admit it -- I had no idea of Kenya's complicated history until I read this book, which tells us the story of Britain's violent colonization of the area and the subsequent fight for Kenyan independence.
Kimani holds nothing back as he tells his story, primarily through three protagonists. The African tribes won't cooperate with the superior white men to destroy their beautiful country? No problem. Bring in 30,000+ people from the Indian subcontinent to do the work. Treat them only slightly better than the blacks. Of course the Indians won't complain if they're being robbed of their wages or being blamed for the crimes committed by the white men. They don't want to lose their jobs.
The story is told in three interweaved spirals, so reading this book really kept my attention. I could not skim through sections. Its themes of trust, loyalty, and betrayal all fit in perfectly with Kenya's history.
I hope this book gets the attention it deserves.
Kimani holds nothing back as he tells his story, primarily through three protagonists. The African tribes won't cooperate with the superior white men to destroy their beautiful country? No problem. Bring in 30,000+ people from the Indian subcontinent to do the work. Treat them only slightly better than the blacks. Of course the Indians won't complain if they're being robbed of their wages or being blamed for the crimes committed by the white men. They don't want to lose their jobs.
The story is told in three interweaved spirals, so reading this book really kept my attention. I could not skim through sections. Its themes of trust, loyalty, and betrayal all fit in perfectly with Kenya's history.
I hope this book gets the attention it deserves.
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