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The Wild Wind
In 1978, aged twelve, Sissy Olikara was living with her parents and baby brother on a school campus, on the outskirts of Lusaka. But much has changed since her childhood in Zambia: she is now a translator, based in the United States. Looking back, Sissy remembers the gentle routine her family enjoyed, before a series of events disrupt the balance: Ezekiel leaves her parents’ employ under a cloud, Jonah arrives to replace him, and then her father leaves, suddenly, to go back to India.
The region is also in transition, with Rhodesia to the south and Mozambique to the east both embroiled in internal wars, and when a civilian plane is shot down, the political repercussions begin to spill into their daily lives. With her father gone, Sissy’s gaze turns to her mother, Laila, who struggles to cope and must rely on the people around them. Trying to negotiate her way through adolescence, Sissy finds herself at the centre of a complex web of emotions and events that have a long-lasting effect on her.
The region is also in transition, with Rhodesia to the south and Mozambique to the east both embroiled in internal wars, and when a civilian plane is shot down, the political repercussions begin to spill into their daily lives. With her father gone, Sissy’s gaze turns to her mother, Laila, who struggles to cope and must rely on the people around them. Trying to negotiate her way through adolescence, Sissy finds herself at the centre of a complex web of emotions and events that have a long-lasting effect on her.
- GenresAfrica
298 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 10, 2023
I found this book to be intriguing and one I couldn't seem to put down. Sissy and her family live in Zambia where her mother is a teacher. The story weaves in and out between Sissy as a vulnerable child and as an adult. When Sissy's father leaves without any apparent reason, her world is turned topsy turvy. A number of tragedies occur which change and alter Sissy's life forever. The characters are mesmerizing. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would love to read another of this author's books.
April 24, 2022
4.5 stars rounded down. Solid storyline and captured the setting brilliantly, incorporation of true events into the storyline inspired me to go and read up more on the history of North/South Rhodesia afterwards. Was headed for a 5 stars but I thought the structure broke up a bit in the last quarter or so, and it got too rambly for my liking - pity as the story did very well to draw me in right from the get-go. More detailed thoughts to follow.
March 31, 2022
This is an excellent first novel, set in Zambia, India and to a lesser extent. It is a coming-of-age tale of a young girl growing up in the tensions of late 1970s Africa. There is part of her life story which the author keeps until the very last pages.
October 19, 2022
A gorgeous book; very descriptive and engaging. Not a great deal happens in the story, really, but sometimes that doesn't matter. Quite beautiful.
October 7, 2024
4.5 / 5 rounded up (rounding down would actually be more justifiable, but I felt like rounding up when I finished this book, so the rating stands)
The wild wind is set in 1970's Zambia. 12 year old Sissy Olikkara's parents are immigrants from Kerala, recruited to teach at a private school in the outskirts of Lusaka. Sissy is in awe of her mother - a dusky beauty who is nevertheless every woman. This is as much Sissy's story as her mother's - the latter is narrated through Sissy's eyes.
Sissy's family, other immigrants who teach at the school, locals who work in the school, the nuns who run the school, the girls who study at the school, all live within the private boarding school's sprawling campus. Thus Sissy's world is defined by the boundaries of the school campus, and the bits of Kerala she sees in her visits to her parents' homes. Her family leads a cocooned existence within the school community, essentially decoupled from the realities of Zambia at the time. The bits that Sissy does know about the outside world, she learns through interactions with two men she considers her friends - their house maid's epileptic son Ezekiel, and school handyman Jonah - and by eavesdropping on adult conversations.
Most of the key events in the book transpire in a period of 6 months, in the midst of Rhodesian bush wars and around the time a civilian aircraft was shot down in the war. Around this time, Sissy's father returns to Kerala - a routine visit - but slowly retreats from their lives for reasons unknown. Sissy, her mother and toddler brother are left in Lusaka, processing the ripples from the war that are felt in their secluded world.
We learn all of Sissy's past in a series of flashbacks set in the present day. Sissy is in her 30s and works as a translator. Present day Sissy decides to confront the past she has chosen to deeply bury within herself, and so we get to take leaps into the past with her. I didn't particularly care for the parts of the book with adult Sissy, but understand why Kalayil chose this narrative device and it worked fine.
Kalayil dangles two mysteries in front of her readers from the get-go: What happened to Sissy's father and why did he leave her family? How did Sissy get her scar? Given the set up of the book, I'd consider the former to be a more significant question than the latter, but unfortunately Kalayil gives closure only on the latter.
Overall, I enjoyed the setting in the book, uniqueness of its premise and the vivid imagery it invoked. I thought Kalayil got the 'serious teenager' voice just right. There are some interesting tidbits about superstition concerning Ezekiel's epilepsy. Sissy's teenage crush is very relatable. When I think of a 1970's Malayali woman, I'd describe her with much the same imagery as Sissy describes her mother, so the authenticity of the narration resonated with me. Much like Sissy, Sheena Kalayil spent her formative years in Lusaka as the daughter of Malayali immigrants and it is evident that she drew from this well when writing the book - the narrative rings true and this is a major strength of this book.
Reading context: Reading around the world choice for Zambia
Read as: Original work in English
Book format: Physical book, borrowed from the Stanford libraries
The wild wind is set in 1970's Zambia. 12 year old Sissy Olikkara's parents are immigrants from Kerala, recruited to teach at a private school in the outskirts of Lusaka. Sissy is in awe of her mother - a dusky beauty who is nevertheless every woman. This is as much Sissy's story as her mother's - the latter is narrated through Sissy's eyes.
Sissy's family, other immigrants who teach at the school, locals who work in the school, the nuns who run the school, the girls who study at the school, all live within the private boarding school's sprawling campus. Thus Sissy's world is defined by the boundaries of the school campus, and the bits of Kerala she sees in her visits to her parents' homes. Her family leads a cocooned existence within the school community, essentially decoupled from the realities of Zambia at the time. The bits that Sissy does know about the outside world, she learns through interactions with two men she considers her friends - their house maid's epileptic son Ezekiel, and school handyman Jonah - and by eavesdropping on adult conversations.
Most of the key events in the book transpire in a period of 6 months, in the midst of Rhodesian bush wars and around the time a civilian aircraft was shot down in the war. Around this time, Sissy's father returns to Kerala - a routine visit - but slowly retreats from their lives for reasons unknown. Sissy, her mother and toddler brother are left in Lusaka, processing the ripples from the war that are felt in their secluded world.
We learn all of Sissy's past in a series of flashbacks set in the present day. Sissy is in her 30s and works as a translator. Present day Sissy decides to confront the past she has chosen to deeply bury within herself, and so we get to take leaps into the past with her. I didn't particularly care for the parts of the book with adult Sissy, but understand why Kalayil chose this narrative device and it worked fine.
Kalayil dangles two mysteries in front of her readers from the get-go: What happened to Sissy's father and why did he leave her family? How did Sissy get her scar? Given the set up of the book, I'd consider the former to be a more significant question than the latter, but unfortunately Kalayil gives closure only on the latter.
Overall, I enjoyed the setting in the book, uniqueness of its premise and the vivid imagery it invoked. I thought Kalayil got the 'serious teenager' voice just right. There are some interesting tidbits about superstition concerning Ezekiel's epilepsy. Sissy's teenage crush is very relatable. When I think of a 1970's Malayali woman, I'd describe her with much the same imagery as Sissy describes her mother, so the authenticity of the narration resonated with me. Much like Sissy, Sheena Kalayil spent her formative years in Lusaka as the daughter of Malayali immigrants and it is evident that she drew from this well when writing the book - the narrative rings true and this is a major strength of this book.
Reading context: Reading around the world choice for Zambia
Read as: Original work in English
Book format: Physical book, borrowed from the Stanford libraries
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews