first impression: heartfelt, eloquent, and well-worth reading, but a little simplistic on culture discussion

[Motazz]

This book was thoroughly enjoyable. Yet, my impression of it was that it approached the sub-subject of belief and social mores systems from a very narrow lens, without any further consideration or explanation beyond simple condemnation. For instance: How did the social and religious values associated with/used as vehicles for abuse ostensibly professed in Senegalese society portrayed in the novella compare with similar ones ostensibly professed in other societies? In Senegal of the novella itself, were there empathetic or sympathetic characters which publicly professed these values? I don't recall coming across deeper depictions that could have attempted to answer such questions. It often made wonder whether these could detract away from the power and magnetism of the narrative and plot lines, despite publicizing the very real issues of mistreatment, abuse, abandonment, injustice it raises and the eloquence and heart-felt emotion with which it carries this task. Nonetheless, I rated Mariama Ba's "Song Long a Letter" with 4 stars; and I would definitely recommend it for reading.