Before the Birth of the Moon

by V.Y. Mudimbe

English (translation)
Original French

Genres: Africa, African Literature, Fiction

203 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Valentin-Yves Mudimbe was a Congolese philosopher, professor, and author of poems, novels, as well as books and articles on African culture and intellectual history. Mudimbe was Ruth F. DeVarney Professor of Romance Studies and professor of comparative literature at Duke University and maître de conférences at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales in Paris.

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked this book. stylish yet effective. reads like a thriller even though the writing is so sparse. really unique and interesting and a little bit intoxicating.

[Lessidisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dans ce qui est aujourd'hui le Congo, une prostituée se lie avec un homme du gouvernement ; mais il y a des conflits au sein du pays, et la tribu d'origine de la dame l'oblige à trahir son amant le ministre, en dévoilant les plans du gouvernement à l'encontre des opposants.

Style fin et recherché, j'ai beaucoup aimé. Quelques scènes sortent de l'ordinaire, et les cachotteries de part et d'autre rendent le livre d'autant plus ambivalent. Valentin-Yves Mudimbe, je lirai encore tes livres ☝️

Elles approuvaient par de petits signes de tête, comprenant à demi-mot qu'elle devenaient mailles d'un large filet jeté dans la mer. Elles marcheraient sur la voie qui s'ouvrait, sans question, sans problèmes non plus, ne connaissant ni les sources ni l'issue des vents, leur vie durant si c'était nécessaire : la tribu l'exigeait.

[une lectrice quelque part · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je m’attendais à mieux mais j’ai hâte de découvrir d’autres de ses œuvres .
3.5

[Woyingi Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before the Birth of the Moon by Valentin Y. Mudimbe was originally written in French and published in 1976. According to the author, it is set in the mid-sixties during the tumultuous First Republic of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), during the relatively brief reign of President Joseph Kasavubu after the murder of his former Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. During the First Republic, DRC was rife with rebel movements in various provinces. The two central characters of the novel, “The Minister” and Ya, his mistress, are wrapped up in this political turmoil.

To read the complete review visit: http://woyingi.wordpress.com/2011/11/...

[Wilma Tecne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐ || challenging, tense, fast-paced, plot-driven, complicated main characters

This book was a little difficult to read, with its mesmerizing prose and constant switching of narrative between the second and the third person. Not sure if that is a translation issue, or if this book would have better benefitted if it were to have had some sort of layout to at the very least brace the reader for whose POV it was, as the switch would be sometimes very drastic, taking me out of reading to try and figure out who we were reading about. However, the POV change was also an interesting way to showcase the character's state of mind. After his hand in killing Ya's sister, the Minister's POV come in first person - a very large "I" being the first letter in said chapter. It signals the beginning of him being drunk in his own power, a first spread of his wings as he soars through the realm of politics in an even higher position.

I didn't really feel the "passion" or "romance" aspect of this but read it as a slow ride of tragedy. While the weight of their betrayals against each other could be debated, it was clear that there was affection between them - no matter how distorted.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strangely poetic book. I enjoyed the turns of phrase and beautiful imagery here, but the constant switching between the first, second, and third person narrative was really jarring and took me out of the atmosphere.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really solid read. I enjoyed the shifts in perspective and the story at its heart was a simple one very well told. Excellent writing. Maybe I did not quite love it, but I did enjoy this one.

[Ethan Delgado · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way Mudimbe flows through this story is what makes it four stars for me.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Congo, Democratic Republic

"A beautiful shade of black."

"You are and will remain for me whatever you want it to be."

"In vain he tried to open his eyes. to see the light, to wake up, he thought."

"Tomorrow I shall be beautiful."

"Life is very simple. I love you, you love me, we love each other. That's all that matters isn't it? Was it that difficult for him to understand that reducing a relationship to this kind of verbal conjugation was impossible?"

[Kambembo]

Awesome