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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was a bittersweet experience — I loved it… and I hated it. First off, I loved the depiction of Harare. I loved how Zimbabwe was portrayed. It honestly felt like I was walking the streets with the narrator and the characters — so vivid, so real.
The author did an amazing job building suspense and mystery, leading up to this big reveal. And to be honest, you could already guess what the reveal was, but for the sake of the plot, let’s pretend we didn’t know. Then when the reveal happened… everything fell flat. I was irritated. I was disgusted. The way the main character handled it? Absolutely not. She could have handled it so much better, especially considering all the benefits that came with her association with the person in question. Why did she react like that? I cannot get it out of my head.
It just felt unfair. So unfair. Like — what was the point? What was the point of all of it? The first 75% of this book was great, I won’t lie. But the last 25%? My goodness. I feel robbed. Like something was taken from me. Why did she act that way? I honestly don’t understand. It doesn’t make sense.
And that ending? No. I don’t like how it ended. I don’t appreciate it. I don’t like how her character acted out. She had such a good dynamic with the person in question, and then it just… crashed. Burned. It was frustrating. I don’t know, man. I feel so dissatisfied. I was having a good time, and suddenly everything turned sour. That’s how this book made me feel. I was enjoying it… and then everything just went left.
I’m not sure I would recommend this book, simply because the end was disappointing.
The author did an amazing job building suspense and mystery, leading up to this big reveal. And to be honest, you could already guess what the reveal was, but for the sake of the plot, let’s pretend we didn’t know. Then when the reveal happened… everything fell flat. I was irritated. I was disgusted. The way the main character handled it? Absolutely not. She could have handled it so much better, especially considering all the benefits that came with her association with the person in question. Why did she react like that? I cannot get it out of my head.
It just felt unfair. So unfair. Like — what was the point? What was the point of all of it? The first 75% of this book was great, I won’t lie. But the last 25%? My goodness. I feel robbed. Like something was taken from me. Why did she act that way? I honestly don’t understand. It doesn’t make sense.
And that ending? No. I don’t like how it ended. I don’t appreciate it. I don’t like how her character acted out. She had such a good dynamic with the person in question, and then it just… crashed. Burned. It was frustrating. I don’t know, man. I feel so dissatisfied. I was having a good time, and suddenly everything turned sour. That’s how this book made me feel. I was enjoying it… and then everything just went left.
I’m not sure I would recommend this book, simply because the end was disappointing.
I admit, coming into The Hairdresser of Harare, I didn’t know much about Zimbabwe beyond its geographical location. Sure, I had some half-formed assumptions and expectations, but nothing upon which to confidently rely in exploring the world Tendai Huchu has so skilfully portrayed.
Like any book that tackles social and political prejudices, this is a dark, heavy, often challenging read, but the language and the vibrancy of the writing lifts us above the world we’re reading about. In a sense, you almost want to be dragged down by stilted, heavy, academic prose . . . to suffer alongside the characters . . . but then the book becomes more about your experience, and less about the story. I think Huchu has done an admirable job here of balancing entertainment with education, making us want to not only care about what we’re reading, but to enjoy the read itself.
Had this just been the story of a gay hairdresser, living and working in an oppressive society, it would have been an interesting read. For those of us raised on North American television and film, the concept of a gay hairdresser is hardly a novel one, but one most likely to be explored either for comic relief, or to reinforce a stereotype. Here the concept is both novel and significant. Dumisani is a well-rounded, exceedingly likeable – and, more importantly, admirable character. Hardly a stereotype, he’s an outcast, with his sexuality a secret to most (including, for a time, the reader), but immediately recognizable once it’s revealed.
What makes this something more than just an interesting read is the complex and delightful presence of Vimbai. Hardly perfect, she serves to develop Dumi’s character, and to provide some intimate insights into the controversy of his homosexuality. She’s a strong character on her own, likeable (in a slightly exasperating way), amusing, and cautiously friendly. She seemed a bit too oblivious to the fact that Dumi is gay, but given the culture in which we’re so expertly placed, and the discretion with which he leads his life, it’s an easily forgivable aspect of the story.
Overall, this is a lovely novel to read, with the casual use of local slang and phrasings serving to enhance, rather than confuse, the experience. We get a lot of colour through the writing itself, and the narrative voice is such that we can ‘hear’ the culture, without the intrusion of an interpreter to explain or offer any unnecessary asides.
If I have one complaint about the novel, it’s the ending. While I knew going in that this would not be a happily-ever-after story, the power of the ending still unsettled me. I think part of the reason is that it seems such an abrupt end, without any of the usual cut-away or wrap-up scenes so often used in Western literature to soften the blow. Having said that, such scenes would have been entirely out of place here – the ending should be unsettling and slightly unsatisfactory, in order to validate everything that has come before.
If you’re open to a different read, a literate story that explores difficult ideas and opinions, this is a book that’s well worth the read. It’s a refreshing addition to the bookshelf, and one that will leave you both entertained and enlightened.
Like any book that tackles social and political prejudices, this is a dark, heavy, often challenging read, but the language and the vibrancy of the writing lifts us above the world we’re reading about. In a sense, you almost want to be dragged down by stilted, heavy, academic prose . . . to suffer alongside the characters . . . but then the book becomes more about your experience, and less about the story. I think Huchu has done an admirable job here of balancing entertainment with education, making us want to not only care about what we’re reading, but to enjoy the read itself.
Had this just been the story of a gay hairdresser, living and working in an oppressive society, it would have been an interesting read. For those of us raised on North American television and film, the concept of a gay hairdresser is hardly a novel one, but one most likely to be explored either for comic relief, or to reinforce a stereotype. Here the concept is both novel and significant. Dumisani is a well-rounded, exceedingly likeable – and, more importantly, admirable character. Hardly a stereotype, he’s an outcast, with his sexuality a secret to most (including, for a time, the reader), but immediately recognizable once it’s revealed.
What makes this something more than just an interesting read is the complex and delightful presence of Vimbai. Hardly perfect, she serves to develop Dumi’s character, and to provide some intimate insights into the controversy of his homosexuality. She’s a strong character on her own, likeable (in a slightly exasperating way), amusing, and cautiously friendly. She seemed a bit too oblivious to the fact that Dumi is gay, but given the culture in which we’re so expertly placed, and the discretion with which he leads his life, it’s an easily forgivable aspect of the story.
Overall, this is a lovely novel to read, with the casual use of local slang and phrasings serving to enhance, rather than confuse, the experience. We get a lot of colour through the writing itself, and the narrative voice is such that we can ‘hear’ the culture, without the intrusion of an interpreter to explain or offer any unnecessary asides.
If I have one complaint about the novel, it’s the ending. While I knew going in that this would not be a happily-ever-after story, the power of the ending still unsettled me. I think part of the reason is that it seems such an abrupt end, without any of the usual cut-away or wrap-up scenes so often used in Western literature to soften the blow. Having said that, such scenes would have been entirely out of place here – the ending should be unsettling and slightly unsatisfactory, in order to validate everything that has come before.
If you’re open to a different read, a literate story that explores difficult ideas and opinions, this is a book that’s well worth the read. It’s a refreshing addition to the bookshelf, and one that will leave you both entertained and enlightened.
Vimbai is the best hairdresser in Mrs. Khumalo's salon, but when a male hairdresser lands a job here, she is threatened, and her work seems to be below the standard in comparison to what his. The story weaves her work, her family (the squabbles that plunge us daily), her relationship with Dumisani, and how her life changes after making room for him. But, a lot unravels along the way, and a happy ending in a way that is good for both of them.
The book also highlights few moments of political tension, high inflation rate, and the use of government machinery against those who oppose it.
It is a wonderful read, for those who want to touch base with the ways of Africa!
The book also highlights few moments of political tension, high inflation rate, and the use of government machinery against those who oppose it.
It is a wonderful read, for those who want to touch base with the ways of Africa!
I really liked the concept of this book. I didn’t really get what the punchline was from the beginning but the author keeps dropping subtle hints.
It was interesting the angle the author went from because we got to see homophobia from an a perspective we don’t usually see it from and there’s so much to be learned from the story. We got to see cultural homophobia at work and how ignorance about certain issues can be very harmful even though we may not intend for it to be.
I love love loved the writing style. The imagery was on point and the author set the scene in a way that made it very easy to visualize and watch the story unfold. The characters were very relatable and the author made it easy to connect with them and to understand their thought process and even the way they felt.
I’m giving this four stars because I wish we had seen more character development but I feel that not much really changed.
It was interesting the angle the author went from because we got to see homophobia from an a perspective we don’t usually see it from and there’s so much to be learned from the story. We got to see cultural homophobia at work and how ignorance about certain issues can be very harmful even though we may not intend for it to be.
I love love loved the writing style. The imagery was on point and the author set the scene in a way that made it very easy to visualize and watch the story unfold. The characters were very relatable and the author made it easy to connect with them and to understand their thought process and even the way they felt.
I’m giving this four stars because I wish we had seen more character development but I feel that not much really changed.
A little slow for most of this and then rushed near the end. I did enjoy being taken to Harare though.
Interesting when you consider the concept of Osunality. Good portrayal of the events that are currently taking place in Zimbabwe.
This book is entertaining enough and it offers a good insight into the everyday life of a lower-middle class single mother in the Zimbabwean capital, but it does have some flaws: first and foremost the alleged plot twist, which the author drags on and on until the very end of the book, was pretty much obvious since the very beginning. Besides, the protagonist is really hard to relate to for most of the novel, as she comes across as insolent, conceited, snobbish, vapid, ridiculously gullible and unjustifiably bigoted.
The ending seems rushed and oversimplified, especially when you consider how slow the narration has been in getting there.
All considered, a pleasant enough book, but I will definitely not be rereading it.
The ending seems rushed and oversimplified, especially when you consider how slow the narration has been in getting there.
All considered, a pleasant enough book, but I will definitely not be rereading it.
The book didn't meet the expectations I had of it. Maybe it's because I've read other books that were set during this time period. Maybe it was the storyline.
The "big secret" was not what I thought it would be. In the sense that, when it was finally revealed, I was like, "That's it?" The secret was pretty obvious from earlier chapters. But again, that could just be me.
It wasn't a bad story, at all. I think it just wasn't for me.
The "big secret" was not what I thought it would be. In the sense that, when it was finally revealed, I was like, "That's it?" The secret was pretty obvious from earlier chapters. But again, that could just be me.
It wasn't a bad story, at all. I think it just wasn't for me.
2 1/2 stars. A very quick, simple read. Set in Zimbabwe, mostly in a hair salon. Vimbai, a young single mother, estranged from her family, ekes out a living as the top hairdresser in the salon. A young, attractive male hairdresser comes into the salon and changes the dynamics and direction of her life. The major catalyst was pretty obvious.